Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-23
BIC PLAZA
OVER TERMINAL
Of ". AND A.
Chamber Of Commerce and City
Officials to Urge Scheme Be-
fore State Commission.

The movement to erect a modern
terminal station on the site Of the
| present Union Station and to cover
the railroad tracks from Washington
street west to Forsyth street with a
concrete plaza or platform at a to-
tai cost Of between $1,500,000 and
81, 600 900, is being agitated again fol-
lowing a meeting of members of the
Atlanta Chamber Of Commerce in
conjunction with city officials.
Mayor James @. Woodward, who is
heartily in favor OF the proposed i'm
provement, will appoint a committee
of six members within the next few
days, three from the Council and
three from the Chamber OF Commerce,
to appear before the Western and At
lantic Commission of the State Leg
islature with certain propositions FOR
the outlay of the gigantic sum and
the completion Of the improvement.
Half score of plans for financing
the project so that no appropriation
need be asked from the State were Of
fered at a meeting in the Chamber Of
Commerce rooms Wednesday.
Should Not Hurt Taxpayers.
The general opinion seemed to he
that even though the Improvement
would be of inestimable benefit to the
State and though the State owns the
property, the work should be done
without any expense to the taxpay-
ers
The suggestion that the city obtain
the consent of the Legislature and of
the various railroad companies that
would be affected. and then issue
bonds for S2,0O0,000 and start the
work at once, was made by Wilmer
l.. Moore, president of the Chamber
Of Commerce.
A proposition offered by Mayor
Woodward, however, appealed more
strongly to the men who attended
the meeting, and would provide the
necessary money without taxing any
one, The present rental which the
Nashville, Chattanooga and St Louis
Railroad pays to the State for the use
Of the Western and Atlantic is $500
a month.
One Way to Raise Money.
This money is applied to the school
fund of the State Mayor Woodward
declared that he has authentic infor-
nation that the lessees of the road
would be willing to increase the
monthly rental to $4,000 for the pc
Rod OF six years remaining before its
lease expires, on condition that the
State at that time renew the present
lease for 30 years.
This excess rental, Mayor Wood
ward pointed out, would amount to
more than 100000 in the six years,
and an arrangement might be made
whereby this amount could be ap.
piled to the cost of the Improvement,
without touching the 100000 that
goes to the school fund.
This proposition will be presented
to the w. and A. Commission and it
Is understood they win be asked to
agree to the proposition said to have
been made by the lessees of the road.
1t is hardly likely even should the
committee be successful in interesting
the Western and Atlantic Commits
sion, that work on the improvement
can be begun for several years. The
consent of the Legislature must be
obtained, and the owners of the Geor-
gia Road must be induced to favor
the project.
The consent of property owners
along the line of the proposed plaza
also would have to be obtained, and
there are hundred other legal tech
nicalities and obstacles that must be
overcome before the project can be
made a reality.