Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-02
Visit TO Fort PuIaski-A Grand Time
Ben EggIestOn-An UnFleasant
Encfdent-T'he Close of the RcyeIry
The GrOwth and importance OF
Savannah.
Corrsapondenoe Of The Union and American.


Correspondence of the Union and American.
SAvASSAu, Jan. 20. 1S7O.-The excur-
sion party to-day visited Fort Pulaski, by
invitation Of Gen DeRussy, the command
or of the fort. Three steamers were pro-
cured TO convey the excursionists, white
the Captain of the Government revenue
cutter Nansemond placed his vessel at the
disposal of the Committee of Reception
TO convey the ladies of the party to the
fort. The excursion was a most delight
full one, the parties on each vessel being
entertained in a style that reflected the
highest credit on all concerned. The
historic fertilization was inspected with
great interest by all. It's SCARED and bat
tered walls still bear testimony to the
power and unerring aim of Gen. Gilmore's
guns, notwithstanding they have been
greatly repaired since that cyentful period.
There was but one incident TO mar the
pleasure of the visit to Fort Pulaski Mr.
Benz. Eggleston, formerly a member of
Congress, and an intense Radical, was called
upon for speech, and in the course of
his remarks so far forgot the proprieties of
the occasion as TO allude to the secession
of the Southern States, and what would
be done if it were attempted again. This
tearing open afresh the wounds which
time was so rapidly healing, and which
such an excursion as that gotten up by
the Green Line was intended TO obliterate
in growing and prosperous trade be-
tween people of widely different political
views, was received with general disgust,
not to say Indignation. There was con-
siderable talk of publicly repudiating this
wanton insult to the people whose gener-
GUS hospitality we were enjoying, but it
was finally considered that the sentiments
of those representing Tennessee and Ken
lucky were too well known to subject
them to the suspicion Of sympathizing
with Mr.. Eggleston. If the business men
of Cincinnati desire to build up trade
with the people of the Southern States,
they should be sure that on occasions like
the present such men as Mr.. Benz. Eggle-
ston are not allowed to speak for them.
The reception which Savannah has
given to delegations from the three States
Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio, now here,
has been everything that could be eX-
pected from heightened, chivalrous peo-
pie. They have been literally made the
guests of the city; have been Toasted and
wined, and conveyed from point to point
wherever objects of interest or pleasure
were to be found, and tonight the revelry
of two days is being wound up with
grand serenade of the guests at their re
spective hotels. Appropriate responses
have been made in acknowledgment of
the unstinted hospitality with which the
excursionists have been entertained. The
incidents of the past two days will form
a green spotin the memory of every man
who came upon this ''march TO the sea-"
for every one will return home with only
pleasant recollections of Savannah and its
people.
Savannah is improving very rapidly,
and in this gives evidence of its growing
importance. 1t is at present |
the largest shipping port in the South,
and bids fair to maintain that position. |
Its lines of railroads are reaching out to |
every section of the country, and thus |
bringing hither the products of an extern
sive region to be shipped to the markets |
of the world. A vast and wealthy region |
is thus made tributary to the growth and |
prosperity of this city. Gen |
tlemen who have familiarized themselves |
with the facts and figures, state that dur
ing the past three weeks the shipments |
from this port have amounted to fully |
81 200, 900. If the managers of the
railroads centering here and their connec-
tons in this State, will practice upon the
idea that cheap freights will build up and
enrich Savannah, they may make it the
most important shipping port in the
South. Savannah already occupies po-
sition second only in importance to New
Orleans as a cotton port, and there are
hose among its business men who be-
Iieye it will yet go ahead OF that city.
II has greatly outstripped its nv
ais. Charleston and Mobile, on
either side, and the fact may justly be
attributed to the superior tact and energy
displayed by its capitalists and business
men. A stroll through the streets of Sa-
Tannah will demonstrate to the Observer,
.hough stranger, the progress that is be-
ug made IN the various branches of man
1facturing and commercial enterprise. 1t
$ the iudicious application of capital and
Energy which has resulted so favOrably
'or the sForest City" Before ''the late
Georgia had fairly earned
he title of the Empire State Of the South
~ the progress which her people were !