The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-12-10
ASK EXTENSION OF
THEIR FRANCHISE
OFFICIALS OF ABERDEEN AND
TOMBIGBEE VALLEY ROAD
ASK CITY TO EXTEND
THE FRANCHISE.
Members of Council Are Willing to
Grant the Extension Provided
They Are Shown That the
Road VIII BE Built

At the regular monthly meeting
of the city council which was held
last Tuesday night. Mr.. H. E. Rey-
nolds, president of the Aberdeen &
Tombigbee Valley Railroad Company,
and Mr.. G. F. Sherrod, one of the
local directors of the company, ap-
peared before the council and re-
quested that the franchise, which is
about to expire, be extended until
September 1st. Under the terms of
| the franchise, which was granted on
October 3rd, 1907, il is provided that
the road be completed by January
| 1st, 1909, and as that date is very
| near at hand the franchise will soon
| be void
Mr.. Reynolds and Mr.. Sherrod were
assured by members of the council
| that the promoters of the enterprise
would be given all the time desired
provided they could show the council
that they are in position to under
take the work at once and push it
forward to completion. The coun-
cilmen, however, stated that they
could not grant the extension with
out having some definite assurance
that work would begin as promised
and no further extension of time re-
quested The railroad officials agreed
to appoint a committee to meet a
committee from the city council at
nine o'clock Wednesday morning for
the purpose of convincing the city
officials that they meant business, and
if the franchise was extended would
build the road without further dick
ering or delay. The Stone hotel was
the place designated for the confer
ence, but when Mayor Donnell and
Councilman Moore, the committee APP
pointed to represent the council in
the matter, visited the hotel at the
appointed hour, they found no com
mittee of railroad men waiting to
receive them. President Reynolds
was in the hotel, but said there had
been some misunderstanding about
the meeting and that evidence to the
effect that work on the road would
begin promptly and be pushed for
ward until completed could not be
furnished without the presence of his
associates.
The party OF railroad officials who
spent Tuesday night here included,
besides President Reynolds, Vice
President Jenkins. Messrs. c. III. At
terbury. G C. Peters. r. NJ. Peters
and George Townsend of Chicago
The Messrs. Peters are the gentlemen
who undertook the construction of
the job after only comparatively
small amount of work had been done
and Mr.. Atterbury is the gentleman
who underworld a portion of the
bonds which were issued at that
time Mr.. Townsend is a Chicago
contractor and promoter, and is the
gentleman who is supposed to be
back of the present scheme to COM
plete the road. There seems to be
no doubt as TO Mr.. Townsend's ability
TO complete the work should he ever
undertake it, as it is stated on relia-
bic authority that he is worth several
hundred thousand dollars, but as yet
no positive evidence that he has en-
tered into a contract Of this kind has
been submitted to the city council.
The party of officials and contractors
left Wednesday morning for Alice
Vile, and it is understood that they
have since returned to Aberdeen.
In conversation with a Dispatch
reporter a prominent member of the
city council said that that body had
no desire to do anything that would
hinder the building OF the road and
that IL Mr.. Reynolds and his associ-
ates could show that they were in a
position to complete the work by the
first of September there would be no
trouble IN securing an extension OF
the franchise. He stated, however, |
that in extending the time limit Of
the franchise other parties who might |
want to build a road into Columbus |
would be deferred from doing so, and |
that this feature of the situation must
be duly considered. The councilman
said further that he and his asso-
ciates on the board felt 1t their duty
to look after the interests of the peo-
pie, and deemed it decidedly antag-
onistic to these interests to bind the
city to so important an agreement |
without definite assurance from the |
- ~$1~rra ~~<33 rFr1r, 41,n+ +T,~sr rox~@ 80 L