Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-10
OUR ATLANTA LETTER.
Weather-RailrOad BuIldIng-Busi-
ness Boom - Legislative Gossip
Personal and General-MinOr Top
ics-FfnaI Paragraphs-LegIsl
Notes.


ATLANTA, September s.-Weather still quite
sultry, with an occasional cool night by way of
relief, A fine shower to lay the dust and cool
the air would be gratefully welcomed.
The new railroads go ahead without regard
to weather. 1 saw some twenty or thirty fine
new teams, loaded with hay and provisions,
file out of the city for the Georgia Western yes
terday noon. The work is being pushed ahead
with great energy.
Trouble has commenced in some of the gangs
on the Macon extension. Anumber OF, the men
have struck and left the contractors. AsI
said in a previous letter. labor of all kinds is
being demoralized just now, and there is trou-
bic ahead.
Atlanta is reaping rich harvest from rail-
road contractors In the sale of mules, carts,
harness, hay, provisions, tools, etc., needed
for man and beast. AS most of this trade
brings cash in hand, it has put a good deal of
money in circulation here. and made certain
the Exposition are also giving Atlanta's local
traffic healthy boom, because it is nearly all
cash trade and full of profit.
The building boom keeps up, and expands as
mucn as possible under growing scarcity of
mechanics. The Exposition buildings have not
only been multiplied in number, but enlarged
In size, which has required an increase in the
number or mechanics. The Exposition Hotel
while it is temporary affair, is really huge
tWo-story edidce with an extensive basement
small army of carpenters are now at work
putting on the finishing touches, as Capt Phil.
I. Brown, who Is to run it, is already at the
door with $4,000 worth of furniture, and
clamoring for entrance.
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP.
Slow progress is being made in final legisla-
ton, although the House is working very hard
Prolonged debates seem to crop up when least
expected, and occupy much time in discussing
un1mportant local measures.
A lively example occurred this morning
The bill to prohibit the sale of liquor in Talbot
county called to their feet Messrs. Martin and
Robins, who engaged in quite lively contest
Martin took one side and Robins the other, the
former favoring prohibition and.the latter con-
tending for local option. The latter prevailed.
and Martin withdrew the bill. The names of
Martin and Robins made it a lively bird fight
Can the General Assembly adjourn on the
23d with the business finished I still think
not, for it will require the most remarkable
absence of discussion and the greatest prompt
ness in the dispatch of business with three
sessions daily, to get through with clear
calendar. The trouble is that eve-y member
reels that he must speak for or against certain
bills, whether he is or is not personally inter
ested in the fate of the bill.
PERSONAL AND GENERAL.
Ex-Mail Agent Morse has died from his in
Jur1es, and will be buried by his old SSociateS
lie ADDS another to the list OF young men Of
promise who have fallen victims to intem-
perance.
am glad to state that Master Cicero Porter,
who was injured by falling from car is rap
idly recovering, and will soon be about again
mentioned his case because his father, Po-
iceman Porters of the Union Passenger Depot
here, is so well known to and esteemed by the
travelling public.
The Macon and Brunswick extension to At
lanta is already making itself felt along the
line OF the Macon and Western Railroad
Hampton, one of the best cotton centres on
the line is to have formidable competitor in
old McDonough, the county seat, where Coles
road will have station. Other now prosper
GUS towns will be somewhat deranged in their
business prospects.
1t is clearly evident that with the addition of
four trains from Coles new railroads the
Union Passenger Depot in this city will be over
crowded and new structure become neces-
sity. The only ground suitable for such q pur-
pose is that lying near the freight depot Of the
Central Railroad, but this land is badly needed
for freight cars and other purposes.
Hon. W. II. Harrison, of Lumpkiu, the eff
cient Assistant Clerk of the House, having been
authorized to publish the laws of the present
session. is already at work preparing his pub
hcation so as to issue it as soon as the General
Assembly shall adjourn. Orders sent him here,
as per advertisement in NEWS, will be faith
fully filed at the earliest moment practicable
after adjournment.
see that some papers refer to Senator Mel
drim's vote against the Cole charter in terms
did not oppose fair charter being granted
Col Cole, but did contend that the State should
not allow him by legislative consent, TO con-
denim and use the tracks of other railroads
against their protest. He also contended that
the mode or arbitrator was unjust to the rail
roads, giving Cole great advantage. AS the
Mcdaniel amendment as to condemnation was
defeated, Senator Msldrim did not feel that
he could conscientiously vote for the bill. He
was ready, however, at all times to grant Cole
proper and just charter.
MINOR TOPICS.
Brother Waterman, of the Athens Banner.
who is quite humorist, recently hit off the
General Assembly in a brief editorial Unin-
tentionally he reflected somewhat upon CharI-
ton and Tattnan counties, but simply for the
purpose of illustrating local legislation Find
ing IL had been taken as htt at those counties,
he promptly came forward and explained the
matter.
He alluded to what he supposed was an
imaginary Jeremiah Tootle" Of Tattnall and
was dumbfounded when told that such man
lived there, and was an estimable gentleman,
and former member Of the Legislature. OF
course Brother Waterman expressed his deep
regret at such an unfortunate turn of his joke,
and will make due amends in his next ISSUE
FINAL PARAGRAPHS.
Representative Wheeler, of Walker, has won
great renown this session by his systematic
call tor the previous question:" and motion
to report bill back with recommendation that
1t do not pass" )"
There were eleven members who followed
Wheeler, of Walker, in his opposition to the
bill paying members mileage for the extra ses-
sion, one of them being Basinger. of Chatham.
With plenty of free passes there ought to be
no mileage for any session.
Representative Smith, of Oglethorpe, has in
troduced a bill to fix the pay of members at
$500 per session (bienniaD and let the General
Assembly stay as long as they want to, but at
their own expense beyond the sum fixed in his
bill.
The general temperance hill that has nassed
the Senate after much delay and some amend
ment is a sort of local option affair, and sub
mits the question to the qualified voters. or
the consent OF freeholders, " varying in its pro-
visions as to the country and the city. 1t will
have trouble in the House, and may be de-
feated.
This may seem strange, when l reiterate
what have before written, that few mem
bers of this body have conducted themselves
In disgraceful manner on account of habitual
drunkenness. Yesterday was real field day,
and we had three drunk in the House in the
morning, and out in town during the afternoon.
Such scenes ought to make the House prompt
and almost unanimous in passing any good
temperance bill. CHATHAM.