Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-19
w. & A. Committee Finds
Pike on 1t, Dirt Road,
Treacherous Creek, Low
Elevation and Another
Roads Property
"THIS WON'T DO AT ALL"
SAYS GOVERNORS FRIEND

OluCT IMAM NlShdi ia
their possession, the members of the
Georgia legislatures W. & A. commit
tee returned to Chattanooga shortly af-
ter noon Saturday, and after holding
brief meeting in the hotel Patten, dis
persed to meet again formally in At
lanta next week. Some of the members
went to Chickamauga park, some to
Lookout mountain, and others are stay
ig in Chattanooga to go down the river
on a steamboat excursion Sunday to
look over the tremendous work that has
just abut been completed in the lock and
dam system that is to make the river
navigaole to big boats for several miles
above Chattanooga.
EVANS TRACT UNPOPULAR.
On one thing the members of the COM
mittee are almost unanimous, now that
the Evans property recommended 10y
Governor Brown for shop purposes IN
lieu of the Vinson- w atkins-L atimore
tracts that the legislature directed him
to buy for terminal purposes, will not
be purchased by the state of Georgia.
Representative Hail, of Bib, one OF
Governor Browns staunchest supporters
in this and other matters, is quoted AZ
having said on the ground this morning
that the Evans property could not be
considered. Mr.. Hall is said to favor the
Boyce station tract and other friends OF
the governor are represented to have
settled their support on that tract, which
also, II is very safe to predict. will not
be bought b. compromise or other meth
cd.
BY unanimous concession the Boyce
tract is best OF all those offered the
state. so far as elevation and surface
conditions are concerned, for 1t is very
level and Is higher than either OF the
other tracts. This last condition, how
ever, is foreign to the question. But
the members of the committee, guided
by force of habit, have not yet been
able to shake the scare Of the high
water and FOOD pugaboo OF their minds.
Ii. Clay Evans, whose OFFER Governor
Brown favors, himself says in so many
words, that 1t is :ot worth while to
think of floods. that there have been
only three in the history of Chatta-
nooga; that the last was twenty-four
years ago, and that the occurrence or
any more is impossible. since the gov
eminent work has progressed so far to-
ward early completion.
LAND IS SUB-DIVIDED. :.
But though the Boyce tract offered by
]. B. Allin is the most level, IT offers a
that a large portion Of IL was long ago
plated OF into streets and lots, and
the lots have been sold to purchasers
scattered everywhere. Mr.. Allin says
that the property consists Of los acres
on both sides OF Boyce station, on the
east side OF the railroad, and quotes
ii to the state at $1,000 an acre. 1t is
a trolley terminal and a town site, and
a railroad station. 1t reaches from the
he north n the T.qff-
more tract on the south. 1t is zoo feet
wide for a third OF a mile north OF
Boyce. and 500 feet wide for the re-
maininfi third OF a mile. 1t has, he
says, one and a half miles of railroad
frontage.
Mr.. Allin says he has secured options
On every lot that has been transferred
from the original property, except about
six, whose owners are legally unable to
give title now, but whose holdings. he
says, the courts will have no difficulty
in exchanging for other property, and ex-
cept two others. with whom he has been
unable to reach a satisfactory agree
ment. He says that Boyce is not an In
corporated town, and that the county has
given hi mauthority to close every street
and road on It.
Representative Hooper Alexander, of
DeKalb, chairman OF the committee.
bIdL6S the pOSlllOH OH WHICH, Tue COHiiull-
tee will doubtless agree later, that though
the Boyce property as a whole is unques-
tionably the best in some respects, the
state would be buying a law suit II IL
bought the tract; that the county of
Hamilton can abandon streets and roads
30 far as working them is concerned, and
can relieve itself OF the burden OF their
upkeep; but that after lots or property
is sold with reference to a certain record
- -. "a Ax1A 81
communication, the buyers OF the prop
erty retain a vested right In the contin-
ued existence of those common thorough
fares which no court can shake; and that
IL would be legally impossible to cut the
holder of a single lot in the Boye prop
erty off from free communication along
a plated street with his property.
AT A STANDsTILL.
Inasmuch as the committee cannot
possibly consider the Evans tract and
as Governor Brown has clearly intimat-
ed he will use his veto to block any at
tempt to buy the Latimore-Vinson, Wat
kins tracts, and since the situation re-
garding the Boyce tract is, as before
stated, II is quite apparent that so far
as any progress toward completion of
the equipment of the state road with
terminals is concerned. everything is at
q standstill and will remain so unless
some almost visionary upheaVal In the
legislature throws Governor Browns in
dividual opinion to the winds and smash
es through his veto with a two-thirds ma
jority directing the purchase of the prop
erty it selects.
The objections to the Evans tract arc
SO plain and apparently so insurmount-
able that even Governor Browns friends
dismiss 1t from further consideration. All
the friends of former Governor Smith on
the committee are united in the belief
that terminals must be bought.
They are not all convinced, however,
that the Boyce tract is impossible. Gov
ernor Browns friends are divided; some
still hold TO the orthodox view that no
terminals at all are needed; some believe
II might be wise to try to buy the
Boyoe tract.
None has yet championed the governors
selection OF the Evans tract. however.
COMMITTEE SURPRISED.
It occasioned some surprise among tho
committeeman to discover, for instance,
when they looked over the ground Sat
(consanusd on Rsgs Two, Column a