The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-04
SPEEDWAY WILL
COST $4,000
RIGHTS OF WAY SECURED
FOR THREE-QUARTERS OF LAND
THAT is NEEDED BY PROJECT.

County May Find II Necessary to
Condemn the Remainder in Order
to Build the Track-RepOrt of the
Committee Appointed to Secure
Rights of Way to BE Made shortly.
Question of Ways and Means to
He Discussed Then.
The subcommittee of the body re-
Gently appointed by the Chamber of
Commerce to consider the matter of Sc
curing rights of way for the automobile
speedway, held a meeting yesterday
afternoon and formulated a report
which will be presented to the larger
committee.
This report. which will be presented
by Maj. r. A. Blandford, chairman of
the sub committee, will show that the
property owners along the proposed
route have given three-fourths of the
amount of land needed, amounting in
all to some sixty-stx and one-half acres,
but that there is still some twenty-five
acres to be acquired. The committee
is still negotiating with the owners of
this land, but should they not grant
the right of way. it is possible that the
county, when the work on the road is
begun, will condemn such part as is
needed.
Maj. Blandford exhibited at the meet
ing map of the proposed speedway,
showing the two large loops, one at
each end. The course will be increased
from the original specification of some
six and one-half miles to double that
amount by these loops. The use of the
loops, which will be banked on the
turns, will enable machines to travel
the entire distance at full speed.
Cost of Speedway.
The entire cost of the speedway, in
its modified form. and including every
possible contingency, is estimated by
Maj. Blandford at 100000. These figures
are based on the expectation that the
county will furnish the labor that will
be needed for clearing the right of
way, grading it and laying the material.
1t is estimated that for surfacing the
track some 10000 cubic yards of
Augusta gravel will be needed, at a
cost OF about SIT 200, that to handle
this stuff from the point of delivery to
the place of the work will necessitate
the building of railroad track some 612
miles long, at a cost of $1.500, that the
rental of an engine to haul the cars
will be some $425, the rental of the
rail services of an engineer, and fuel
will mean another 1000 the cost of
the ties will be in the neighborhoOd of
$2,535, one bridge of masonry and two
or three masonry culverts will mean an
additional $1,000 telephone or tele-
gra phic communication along the track
will be approximately $500, and Incl
dentals will make up the remainder Of
the lump sum.
To Discuss Ways md Means.
Mai. Blandford will notify Chairman
Roy c. Foster of the parent committee
that the report is ready and as soon as
Mr.. Fosters committee can be called
together it will be submitted. The next
question to be taken up will be that of
ways and means for securing the $780,
000 So far no plan has been suggested,
but it is understood one will be present.
ed at the meeting of the committee.
In his report Maj. Blandford will say
that the committee met generally with
the hearty cooperation of the property
owners, who were approached relative
to rights of way, and that in giving
these rights Judge Henry McAlpin, the
Union Society, Mr.. West of Montgom-
cry, and the Smith & Kelly interests,
were most liberal. The people, gener-
ally, Maj. Blandford says, realize the
immense benefits that the speedway
would be to all the adjacent country
and are all in favor of it, even anxious
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