Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-06-10
SAVANNAH THROUGH LOUIS.
WILLIE SPECTACLES.


Mr.. R. w. Knott ("Kent'D the talented
travelling correspondent of the Louisville
Courier Journal, in his letter OF the % inst,
thus pleasantly refers to the attractions
which Savannah has for stranger on busi-
ness or pleasure bent:"
sfThe city of Savannah has much to at
tract and interest q stranger. l have writ
ten of its importance as a commercial centre
and of its export trade, and you Will get the
idea perhaps that 1t is very noisy and bust
ling and very disagreeable these early sum-
mer DAYS, but this is very far from the truth.
Indeed, It would be difficult to name more
pleasant city than is Savannah during the
month of June. 1t puzzles YOU at first to
find the city, It seems so lost among its
trees and public squares. General Ogle-
thorpe was wiser In his day and generation
than most Of those who laid out the cities
of the future. The streets are straight,
crossing each other at right angles, and at
every other intersection he provided for
large square or park, until he had thirty
six of them, now lying right in the heart
of the city. Consequently, Savannah is
Just like no other place. These little parks
are now surrounded by handsome residences;
they are ornamented with the live oak, the
water oak, the Lombardy poplar and the
magnolia tree. The sidewalks are also well
shaded. and the effect is delightful. The
magnolia trees are especially beautiful; they
are large, we'll shaped, and now full of
flowers. On the sidewalk | measured one
five and one-half feet In circumference, and
it must have been fifty feet high. In addi-
ton to its shade, Savannah has nearly all
the time breeze, generally from the sea.
Just at this time the streets are rather quiet,
but when the fall trade opens 1t puts off its
quiet ways and makes enough money in a
few months to last it all the twelve.
"No one should come to Savannah with
out seeing Bonaventure. This was former
ly the residence Of Commodore Tattnall; 1t
is now a cemetery. The old Commodore
was man of strong peculiarities, and many
anecdotes are told of him. He had invited
a number of friends to dine, and just at the
time the table was set 1t was discovered the
mansion was on fire. Little could be done
to save it, and it was almost entirely de-
stroyed. When the excitement was over
the Commodore ordered the tabls to be
spread on the lawn as he. would not have
dinner party scattered by the burning of
his house.
Even the most unimaginative individual
must be impressed as he passes down these
long avenues of live oaks, with their far
spreading branches draped with moss,
forming the most exquisite festoons nature
ever makes. These groves are wide and long.
1t is said these oaks, now over one hundred
monogram of the Tattnall family. II so, all
the letters have been lost In time except
the letter I. The oaks are immense, and 1t
seems as II you were passing down the aisle
of some grand cathedral. 1t is the poetic
supposition that Gothic architecture owes
its origin to the fact that early builders
copied their forms and their decorations
from the forests in which they dwelt,
thus giving us the pointed arches and the
groins of the vaulted roof. In Bonaventure
this supposition amounts almost to demon
stration; architecture may initiate but can
not surpass the roof formed by the over
arching and the interlned branches OF these
old oaks; while no artist could ever hope to
equal the grace, dellcacY and beauty of the
moss which hangs from all their branches.
The whole effect is impressive, and as the
light fades these shapes become as weird
and as fantastic as any which have haunted
the mind of GustaYe Dore as he pondered
the story of the Wandering Jew or illus
trated the verse of Dante.
"Bonaventure is only one of the attrac
tions of Savannah. Eighteen miles down
the river is the island of Tybee lying right
at the mouth of the river, and having beau
tiful sea beach. 1t is great place of resort
for those who have to be within hailing dis
lance of the city during the summer months.
Then there is delightful drive from the
city known as the White Bluff road, leading
ten miles to high white bluff overlooking
the river, lined also by giant trees that form
an arch above it, while the road is as smooth
and pleasant as shells can make 1t, which
simply means that of all roads 1t is the most
desirable for pleasure driving.
Savannah feels in every way the benefit
of the new era of prosperity which has
dawned for the South. 1t is pushing its
commerce in every direction, but you are
not forced to think here as in so many
mi al ie 80
vannah was comparatively an old city at the
time of signing the Declaration of Inde-
pendence. A tablet in the walls of Christ
Church tells you that that church was
founded in 1743, and has once been de-
stroyed by fire and once by a hurricane.
The Presbyterian Church, to day one OF the
very handsomest in the South, was built
sixty five or seventy years ago. Here too
remain The good old virtues of courtesy, Of
Difference to age, of devotion to woman
hood, and of a genuine hospitality, none of
which are thought to be inconsistent with
business ideas of energy, of ambition and
of warm devotion to the material progress
of the city and the State"
Referring to the recent action of the Cen
trail Railroad Directors In the matter of
dividends, "Kent" says:
at should also be stated that this condi-
ton of affairs Is due to good railroad man
agement as well as to natural conditions.
i hree years ago the STOCK OF the Georgia
Road was selling at l08, that of the Central
at 4S. Each road was doing all 1t could to
ruin its rival, with the object of securing
business but with no great success. At
that time Gen. E. P. Alexander was placed
at the head Of the Georgia Road, and he
set about to reach a better understand
ing with all interested in the transpor-
tation business of Georgia. He be-
lieves in peace rather than in war,
and this policy is now endorsed by all
the cities interested, and it has been amply
indicated by subsequent events. Since
that time there has been no useless expen-
diture of force; money has been spent with
purpose. Wadley and Alexander, having
in view the same object and working for 1t,
accomplished it without much difficulty
This peace policy has resulted not only in
great advantage to the stockholders, but
also to the improvement of the country
along the lines OF the roads and to the rapid
growth of the cities with which they are
Identified. This is the work begun by Gen.
Alexander while President of the Georgis,
and the successful execution of 1t gives him
hold on the confidence of the State, sur
huY In l., tee ho~ ~