Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-21
COMMITTEES MAKE
FAVORABLE REPORT
ON MANSION SALE

! A long step toward the sale OF
lease of the present governors man
sion at Peachtree and Cain streets
and the acquisition Of another and
more suitable mansion, was taken
Tuesday when bills providing for
this were reported favorably in both
the senate and the house.
The bills were placed on the cal
endar and will come up in their regu-
lar order. The senate bill, by Sena-
tor Pat HARRISON, was approved at
a meeting sof the senate committee
on public property Monday after
noon, and the house bill, by Repre-
sentative Swift, of Elder, was ap-
proved by an overwhelming majority
at meeting of the house committee
on public property Tuesday morn
ing.
In both committees there were
vigorous arguments on the bills. In
the house committee Tuesday morn
ing Murphy M. Holloway, representa-
tive from Fulton, argued earnestly
for the bill, and the Bibb delegation,
led by Representative Ben j. Fow-
Ter, vigorously opposed it, declaring
that such action should not be taken
pending the outcome OF Macon's fight
for capital removal
At the meeting OF the senate com
mittee Monday afternoon, talks fav-
orlng the HARRISON bill were made by
Walter P. Andrews, former Fulton
county representative in the legisla-
ture, and Frank Hooper, welI-known
Atlanta attorney.
Among other matters, Mr.. Andrews
urged that the leasing commission,
should it be decided to- lease the
mansion, be given authority to lease
Tor any term of years, and not be
confined to any particular term,
such as fifty years. Mr.. Andrews
said that the governors mansion is
an ideal site for big hotel, and
that it is known eastern hotel mag
mates have been seeking such a site
urged, should not have it's hands tied
as to the term of a lease when it
came to talk business with people
who wanted to lease the site.
The bills provide that the mansion
snail be sold for not less than $780,
ooO. and that the new mansion, both
building and site, shall cost not moro
than 100000. The difference is to DE
applied to the state treasury for
liquidation of the states bonded
debt
The senate committee adopted an
amendment offered bv Senator
Weaver increasing the number of
members of the commission in charge
OF the transaction. AS introduced bv
Senator HARRISON at the instance of
governor Hardwick, the bill provided
for commission composed of the gov
ernor, the secretary of state and the
attorney general, The Weaver
amendment adds two members of the
senate and three members of the
mouse, making a commission of eight.
1t further provides that the commits
sion, If it leases the mansion, shall
lease it for a period of not less than
fifty years.
Senator L. C. Brown came forward
with new variation of the mansion
plan, whereby he proposes to couple
1t with the Western and Atlantic
railroad rentals and create fund to
eXt1ngulsh the state treasury deficit.
y. by leasing the mansion for nine
lynne years." he states, Il am salts
fed we could get $4,000 a year for it.
My plan is to discount the rental for
hVe years and use the proceeds, or
SO much thereof as may be necessary
TO acquire new mansion. Then to
discount the Western AMI Atlantic
rental for ten years, which would
net around $5,OO6,0OO and couple this
with discount of the mansion rent
al, and use the money to balance the
treasury with probably a Surplus,
which we need, to pay appropriations
promptly"
For increasing revenue, Senator
Brown would levy a stamp. tax of l
per cent on all collectable paper,
would increase the premium tax on
life and fire insurance policies, and
would tax gasoline / cent per gallon.