The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-18
WILL ASK AID
OF THE COURTS
DR.. PURSE WANTS INJUNCTION
TO PREVENT THE ERECTION OF
NEW CITY HALL.

BuiIdinG Mt This Time-CIaime I'd
That other improvements Are
Vrgeu4-Mr. J. p. williams OPP
posed TO Present Location, but Is
Not in Sympathy with Injunction
Proceedings.
Legal action may be taken this week
to prevent the building of the new
City Hall Matyor Myers, however, says
that he is not at all worried as to
has been started
The apparent leader of the move
ment is DR.. 3. l.. Purse, and the
grounds given for asking the courts to
interfere. he says, will be that there
are public improvements which the city
more urgently needs than it does d
new home for her city officials.
Just when the opp onents of the new
City Hall will carry their grievance
into the courts and ask for restrain
ing order has not been determined. 1t
is known that an effort is now being
made to employ counsel to take the
necessary legal steps to secure the in
junction. The firm of Adams & Adams
were asked to act in this capacity but
declined to do so.
DR.. Purse YVES asked regarding the
movement to prevent the city from
erecting the new public building and
as to how the opposition would pro-
coed in the matter.
There are many reasons why the
at this time, and one of the reasons is
sufficient to defer the matter for sew
eral years" said DR.. Purse. THE
first and most important reason is that
the city is now sorely in need of
better sewerage system in order to
protect the health of the people of Sa-
vannah. This public Improvement has
been neglected to the extent of dam
aging the value of property to an enor-
NOUS extent, and the taxpayers are
very much opposed to the idea of TAX
ing all of the city's revenue to con-
struot City Hall that is not needed
at this time.
.''TaxatiOn without Representation"
1.-The total disregard by the city adj
ministration of the wishes of the tax
payers is without precedent and prompt
steps should be taken to bring them
to halt Taxation without represen-
tation was what our forefathers fought
against when they threw overheard
the tea in Boston harbor. Taxation
without representation is what now
confronts the real estate taxpayers of
the city of Savannah. Representing
as they do, the largest and most re-
sponsible interests of the city. they
have practically no voice in it's man
a&ement."
Those opposed to the erection of the
City Hall will seek the aid of the
courts and ask that the city admins
tration be enjoined from spending the
public money for this purpose. DR..
Purse declared that the opponents of
the City Hall had not, as yet, decided
when this action would be taken, but
admitted that they had made an effort
to secure the services of a prominent
law firm in the city to take the neces-
sary legal steps to secure the restrain
ing order. but that the law firm in
question had declined to oppose the
construction of the City Hall. He did
not say whether any attorney had been
engaged TO bring the suit for injunc-
ton, but intimated that the matter
There seems to be a certain amount
of opposition to locating the new City
Hall on the site of the present City Ex-
change and DR.. Purse said and he de-
clared that this would strengthen the
cause of those who are preparing to
make the fight on the city administra-
ton. He named a number of promi-
nent gentlemen in the city who were
interested in the movement to enjoin
the Mayor and Council from proceed
ing further with the matter of appro-
priating the city taxes for the pur-
pose of building the new public build
ing. Among those mentioned in this
connection were Mr.. j. P Williams
and Capt. George P. Walker.
Protests Against Location.
Mr.. ]. P. Williams declared that
when he was approached in regard to
opposing the construction of the City
Hall that he was not aware that the
matter was 10 be taken into the courts.
and that he was not in sympathy with
such action. He said that he believed
that the city administration was MAX
ing a very serious mistake in erect
ing the new public building on the
present site of the City Exchange.
Within twenty years from now he
said, the city would almost double
its population and that it would then
DE realized that great mistake had
been made in erecting the City Hall
on the outskirts of the city. He sug-
gested as a suitable location the Gen.
jackson lot on CASTOR street. near
Forsyth Park. This location. he de-
clared, would give the City Hall a
more central location. and in future
years the objection could not be raised
that the City Hall was located toe
Tar from the main business section
of the city.
MI. Williams also gave as his rea-
son for fayoring the Gen. jackson lot
as the most suitable location that the
city was very much in need of an au-
oltorium, in which to entertain con-
Ventions, and said that If this loca-
ton was purchased that later a large
auditorium could be located on the
same site with the City Hail.
Capt. walker Opposes City Hall.
Capt. George p. Walker declared that
ne was in favor of a movement against
the erection of the City Hall lust at
TINS time. He gave as his reasons
mat he believed that the city needed
other improvements far more than it
dld new public building for the city
officials.
He said that the sewerage system OF
savannah had long been neglected. and
declared that the public taxes should
Irst pc used for the purpose of put
ing IN a better and more up-to-date
system to protect the city from the
noods ana overflow of the public thor
oughfares during the heavy rains OF
fne summer months. The city should
aHord better system of electric lights
Waf1FNVnylFC hs 4