The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-12

senger station, and 1t will be located at the northeast corner of Columbus ana Bay Streets. Soon after his inau- guration Mayor Rhett 7ok up tbe matter with the railroads. and yester- day he was very much grS .ified to be able to announce that all the land de- slreo Tor the station had been bought, transferred and paid for.
 Before some of the propertv vas cold statement was required that it would be used as the site for a union station. and that the construction of such a station would begin at once The statement was made in a letter signed by the President of the Atlantic Coast Line and the President of the Southern Railway, so that Charleston Is not on- " assured of handsome union sta tlon but is assured that the work of construction will begin in the very near future and will he pushed for ward rapidly to completion.
 A union station has been one of Charleston's greatest needs for a mum per of years, and that the strong ef- forts which have been made to secure It have at last reached a successful continuation is very gratifying, not on- ly to every citizen of Charleston, but to every one interested in the future growth of this city.
 The railroads some time ago agreed 10 erect the union station, but the matter was delayed by the litigation In the courts over certain property and by other causes. It was finally agreed. however, that if the property at the northeast corner of Columbus and Bay Streets could be secured it would be a location in many respects better than the site at the corner of Drake and Chapel Streets which had been pro- posed, and the land has been pur- chased and the erection of the station will begin in the very near future. It Is presumed the plans will be the same as those prepared some time ago for the station to be erected at the corner of Chapel and Drake Streets. With the idea in view of locating the depot where it is now proposed to build it.. provision was made for paving Co., lumbus Street with vitirified brick, to connect the station by a fine roadbed with the heart of the city.
 In speaking of the efforts to secure the station and how they were brought to successful continuation. Mayor Rhett said yesterday:
 Just after my inauguration as May or l took up the question of a union station, and together with a commit tee composed of one from each com mercial body, and the chairman of the Railroad Committee of Council, visited the section of the city in the vicinity of the present Coast Line station to ascertain whether some other site than that originally proposed could be found. The Riley suit seemed destined to last long period and the need of comfortable and presentable station was pressing. In response to urgent letters the presidents and general managers of the Coast Line and South ern met the Committee at the Cham Der of Commerce in February last.
 After that interview MT. Henley, MT. Ackart and myself had a confer ence, at which it was agreed that if the property at the northeast corner of Columbus and Bay Streets could be secured 1t would be location in many respects better than the site at the corner of Drake and Chapel Streets. Some time wonld be saved to trains, which was of great importance, and the use of Bay Street would be avoided. While the station would be three blocks further away from the centre of the city, that seemed more thaP offset by the advantages of the location in other respects.
 Some time was occupied in obtain