Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-08
THE SAVANNAH AND PACIFIC
Snort LINE.
The Proposed New Road-A Look
Along she Line.

The Americas Recorder of the 4th has the
following excellent editorial article in re-
ference to the new railroad, OF which men,
ton has already been made In these columns.
1t will repay careful perussl and gives cor
siderable information Of interest. Our con.
temporary says:
"We have heretofore spoken OF the ad-
vantages which would accrue to the coun-
| try through which it is proposed to build
the Savannah and Pacific Short Line Rail-
| way. But as a railroad must also have
| advantages to insure its success, we propose
| now to show some of the advantages which
would accrue to It aud render it profitable
| investment.
Savannah, its starting point, is the SUP
| ply depot OF Middle and Southern Georgia.
| for the reason that the water transportation
between that port and the great Northern
markets is the cheapest At present the
| Central controls the transportation of mer-
| chandise from that point to all points In
| Middle and Southwest Georgia. As the new
| line would be about ninety miles shorter to
all principal points in Southwest Georgia, it
would not only control The trade OF those
| points, but would enable Americas mer-
chants TO procure goods as cheaply as the
| merchants OF Macon, and they would sup
| ply all the smaller towns south to the Florida
| line, southwest to the Alabama line, and
southeast to the centre Of tne State, and all
these goods would naturally come over the
new road, because of its shorter distance
and quicker time. 1t could also success ully
| compete with the Central at Columbus for
| the Savannah trade, the distance being
| shorter.
"From Savannah to Amerlcus the line
passes through a region rich In It's natural
resources, and which needs only communi-
cation with the market to furnish large
amount OF business. The pine lands opened
up By this line would furnish almost mex
| haustible supplies of turpentine and the
finest yellow pine lumber In the South !;
while, when the timber is cut off, the land
| is IS productive as any in Georgia, and
would furnish an increasing amount OF cot
ton and grain each year for shipment. In
| this same region the wiregrass grows, upon
which cattle and sheep can be kept the year
round at cost so small as to be merely
| nominal. At present this stock is of little
value because there Is no way to get It to
market. The Brunswick and Albany + ,ad,
which runs through similar country farther
| south, is supported almost entirely by the
| lumber mills and turpentine ills which line
the road, for the shipments of merchandise
are small, as it starts from port of no sig
| nifcance.
"Whlle east OF Americas the country is
| u
strikes as rich q belt of farming lands as
there is In Georgia, and city the largest
| and most enterprising in Southwest Georgia,
| which controls the trade of some six coun-
ties, and does a mercantile business annual
| ly of two millions of dollars per year. There
are received here on an average annually
| 30 900 bales of cotton, which represent
value of 81 100000, and which must be
| shipped to Savannah. There is no city in
| Southwest Georgia which gives larger
| support to railroads than Americas, A CRY
/ OF q, 1000 inhabitants, situated in rich agri-
| cultural district, with no competing point
nearer than seventy miles, it is every year
| growing In population and wealth. As
we write there are six new store rooms
being erected, one OF which is handsome
iron and stone front, two stories high, 70x
| 100 feet, to be used as hardware store in
| connection With another brick building con-
nected WITH 1t in the rear, two stories 6OxlOO
! feet, making the largest retail hard ware
store in the South, aud, We believe, In the
country. The city Is well severed and light
| ed, aud has the best IRE department in the
! Safe, being composed OF two steamers, one
| hand engine and hook and ladder truck,
while large cisteTns furnish an abundant
| supply Of water. Good schools, tiue pub
| lsc library and 8 splendid new opera house
show the people to be educated and enter
| prising. We mention these things not 10
| pun our city, but to show Whas support 1t
would naturally give tais new line OF rail-
road, which would connect it directly vii
! the seaboard.
| "West of Americas the road would run
| through the richest cotton land in Georg q
| until IL reached Columbus, one of the most
/ important manufacturing cities In the South
| and large cotton market. Columbus not
only controls large trade In Western Geo..
| gia, but also in Eastern Alabama. Us large
cotton mills afford employment to great
number OF hands, while It is the market for
about 100 0Q1 bales OF cotton annually. This
! city would prove most important point %
| the new road, and naturally furnish it with
| a large amount of business.
so ep ftable feaGure of this new road
woql be nat while its trains running West
wo1lt Do aided with merchandise its trains
runnll Elt would always be loaded with
lumber tn ;pentine, cotton and other pro-
| ducts.
'Thert is o reason why this new road,
running % T. does through a country with
but few adi and tapping the largest and
most pros Q US cities in Southwest Geor-
gia, and atfording direct and short line to
the principal port, should not prove a
profitable investment to those who build 1t
and The country through which it runs. For
these reasons we believe IL will be built and
built soon."