The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-28
SUBWAY STOPPED
BY INJUNCTION
WITH PEN IN HIS HAND
PRESIDENT BALDWIN LEARNED OF
INJUNCTION IN L. :. COURTS.


81 Dare Not Do Anything Now" He
said, and the Contracts Were Not
siEned-Wns Ready to Sign when
He Learned of Latest Turn in
Gyvfnnett street subway Matter.
Mayor Myers Had signed the Pa
pers-Waitins for Arrival of Pa
rers.
In the act Of afixing his sigma
ture 10 the subway contract, President
George J. Baldwin stopped yesterday
afternoon when he learned of the in
junction that had been brought in the
United States Court, in Macon, against
the Savannah Electric Company and
the city Of Savannah, in regard to the
tracks on Gwinnett street.
Il dare not do anything now" he
said when asked about the matter Il
made the statement in good faith that
l would sign the contract to-day, when
it was presented to me. l intended
to do so. In my letter to Council be-
fore the ordinance was put on its pas
sage. stated I would sign il for the
company But the granting of certain
tracks was really a part Of the contract
Understood all along by the city Off
Gals and myself. After the first injunc-
ton, the one in the state corrt, | still
intended to sign the contract and so
stated. But the city is enjoined now,
as well as the Savannah Electric Com
pany. ] dare not do anything with
out consulting my attorneys
Outcome Is Uncertain.
The outcome Of the matter is now
problematical. 1t is impossible to say
whether the Gwinnett street subway,
long needed and only won after a hard
fight, is to be indefinitely held up.
AS was predicted in the Morning
News, the Mayor signed the contract
and sent it to President Baldwin for
his signature. The Mayor was de-
tanned in court all the morning and
was not able to be at his office at the
usual hour, from u to /.
But he sent word TO Clerk of Coun-
ell Creamer to get down little early
in the afternoon, so that he could wit
ness the signatures and attiX the seal
of the city of Savannah. as was pro-
vided in the ordinance authorizing the
Mayor to sign the contract. At 4
o'clock the contract was signed In trip
licate by the Mayor, and Clerk Cream
er affixed the seal.
Three Copies Were Signed.
The three copies of the contract, each
signed by the Mayor, We're then sent
to the office of President Baldwin. Mr.
Baldwin glanced over the contracts,
and was ready to sign them when he
learned pf in
proceedings.
The plan had been for Mr.. Baldwin
TO sign the contracts, return them to
the Mayor and at once have them
forwarded TO Wilmington for the sig
nature of the proper officer of the At
lantic Coast Line, the third party 10
the contract. But when he learned of
the injunction in the United States
Court, II was all off.
Il intended to sign the contract, l
wanted to sign" he said. THE Sa-
vannah Electric Company has never
delayed the subway. and l want to
see II built. But we must have the
proper approaches to ii. As planned.
the subway was to be of mutual bene-
fit TO the city, the Coast Line and the
Electric Company. But if we are not
allowed to get 10 it properly, then it
VIII not be of equal benefit. 1t was
tracks. when the subway was agreed
upon.
Must Have Direct Route.
Take an extreme case, for example.
Suppose the subway is built and we
are given no tracks to it at all. Would
it be % anv benefit to us? We must
have lines to it, and they must 20 the
reasonable and direct way-not by some
circuitous route, suggested offhand.
That would not do.
Il can not say what l am going to
do. except that I am not going to sign
the contract unless my attorney says
so. am certainly not going to do so
until / confer with him."
MIR. Baldwin expressed the hope that
all of the opposition would cease as
soon as sufficient time has expired for
every one TO cool down bit, but there
is little in the present attitude of the
residents along the street TO warrant
such hope.
Meanwhile the disconnected track.
with the dirt thrown high on either
side. remains tn unsightly scene 1t
presented Thursday morning.
The old fat car, alone and forsaken,
stili adorns the tracks. Yet no one
can put the dirt over the bare ties, or
in any way relieve the desolate scene
for fear of getting in contempt of two
courts.
Company Is Burning oil.
How long matters are to remain in
this shape can only be surmised. The
city meanwhile has notified the electric
company that lights must be placed
along the tracks to protect the public
at night. The amount of oil burned
in the lanterns on the tracks before the
matter is settled will probably make
glad the heart of Rockefeller, but there
is little joy in the matter for any one
else in the situation.
The injunction proceeding began in
the Superior Court by Mrs. Edward
Karow will come before Judge Cam
to-day on the motion of the defendant
company to dissolve.