Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-06-17

The Opening Through of Bay street
TO the Canal.

In the midst of our business season last
year our streets and other open spaces, as
well as the warehouses and railroad yards,
were filed with cotton, and, independent OF
the danger and inconvenience to the general
public by having thoroughfares blockaded,
the glut was so great as to cause con-
siderable loss to our merchants, who were
unable to have their consignments trans
ported from the railroads, it being impos-
sible to gain access to the various lots Of
cotton. In consequence of this status of
affairs, orders were issued by the Central
Railroad Company to its agents at Mont
gomery, Selma and other points not to re-
ceive any more cotton for SaVan-
nah, as the yards were crowded to their
full capacity. Loaded trains were switched
off at the four mile post, and hundreds OF
cars were standing on the sidings at Macon.
There is scarcely doubt but for this I'M
avoidable blockade the receipts OF our port
would have been over q million of bales,
and our people would have made thousands
of dollars more. This practically demon
strated the insufficiency of storage room In
Savannah, aud in order to provide ample
facilities for the crop which will In few
months be pouring into our city the Central
Railroad Company have determined to erect
warehouses on its property west OF the ca
nal, with a storage capacity of half a million
of bales. This mammoth building will be
located on a proloDgation of the line of
Bay street, our great commercial thorough
fare. With the completion of this ware
house, the necessity for ready and easy
transportation to and from other places OF
storage to the cotton presses and to
the whsrves along the city front
is to be considered, and the Central authori-
ties, with this object In view, are using their
endeaVors to have Bay street opened to the
canal. II will be remembered that recently
a resolution was introduced in Council au-
thoriZing the City Surveyor and Streets and
Lane Committee to ascertain the cost OF
opening Joachim street from West Boun-
Diary to the canal, and the Central Railroad
Company's efforts are devoted to enlarging
and extending Bay street through Joachim.
The entire subject is under considera-
ton, and will, it is to be hoped,
In view of its great importance to
the material interests of the city, re-
suit in favorable and early action. Bay
street now extends to West Broad, where 1t
connects with Joachim, which latter street
ends at Farm, where there is located large
warehouse, completely obstructing the way.
II arrangements could be made for right
of way through this warehouse (Which could
then be converted into two large ware
houses), and thence In a direct line across
the canal, the business facilities Of our city
would be greatly increased. At present
the only way to reach the site of the Cen
trail Railroad warehouse which is to be builtis
roundabout, tedious and heavy, and through
narrow lanes rather than streets. With Sa-
vannah's growing importance and rapidly
increasing trade, it is imperative that every
possible facility should be given any meas
ure or project calculated to insure tie cheap
handling of freight. Should the plan to
open Bay street through to the canal be car
ried out, as we hope 1t will be, there would
be no present necessity for freight railroads
through the city, and general benefit would
be derived. This matter is one in which every
citizen who wishes to see our city progress
is interested, and especially our cotton men,
drsymen and the owners of property along
the proposed line of improvement. Some
thing should be done In time to have these
essential improvements completed before
the commencement of the business season.