Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-22

The savannah and Pacine Snort
Zine Railway COmPaDY-1he De"
velOpmenT OF a New Country

In the News of Saturday appeared a
notice of the formation of the Savannah
and Pacific Short Line Railway, to be con-
structed from the city of Savannah to the
western boundary of the State, on the Chat
tahoochee river, through or near Columbus,
there to connect with another railway or
ganized under the laws Of the State Of Ala
bama.
This Is q very important project, and the
construction Of the railroad will open up to
Savannah a very valuable country. 1t is
meeting with great favor from the country
press, especially in the counties through
which the line will pass. The Americas
Recorder is elated at the prospect of 8 close
and direct connection with Savannah, and
says:
"That such a road would be
beneficial to Americas there can be no
doubt, for 1t would give a direct and
cheaper route to the seaboard, where our
produce must all 90. AT present Americas is
laboriDg under the disadvantage of having
to pay higher rate Of freight on cotton than
Columbus, which has to some extent injured
the trade Of our merchants. While It would
probably lower the rate of freight upon
cotton, and thereby enable cur planters to
get larger price, It would also lower the
rates on merchandise and give our planters
lower prices on the goods they buy. Thus,
while we hope It will benefit Ameri-
Gus IN making 1t q better market
and increasing its trade, 1t will also
benefit the whole county in get
ting better prices for our produce and
lessening the price of those articles we are
compelled to purchase.
Gas to the feasibility OF building the
road. there is nothing impossible in railroad
ing these days, and an examination OF the
map shows that It would go through tract
of country which is almost wholly without
railroads; besides its terminal points would
make 1t q road of Importance and give 1t
large amount of business at once. A glance
at railroad map will show that the most
important lines are those running toward
the seaboard.
Gas to how the company propose to build
the road we are not informed, but we pre-
eume that It will ask the aid Of the people
of the territory through which It runs. In
one sense of the word railroad companies
are not public benefactors-that is, they do
not build railroads for the purpose of bene-
filing particular towns or sections, and the
line Of the road is apt to bend In the direc-
ton where It receives the most aid. There
will be little difficulty IN securing sufficient
aid to build the road between Americas and
Columbus by way of EIlaville and Buena
Americas and Hawkinsville. IL ir goes in
that direction. We do not know to what
extent the company will require or ask the
assistance of the people along the proposed
line; but we do know that protfer OF as
sistance and disposition to meet the compa-
nv in q liberal way will do this city and
country no harm.
at may appear that we are not particu-
larly enthusiastic IN regard to this new rail
road; but having had some experience in
railroad building, we know 1t means hard
and persistent work, and is not done with
hurrah.
"Of the parties whose names appear. as
directors OF the company, we are informed
that A. L. Chew is President of the First
National Bank of Geneva, N. Y, P. ProutV
is director ia the First National Bank OF &C.
neva, n. z, and the Metropolitan Trust
Company of New York city, w. w. Wright
is ex-Canal Commissioner of New York and
prominent railroad man, j. s. Lewis is re-
tired merchant aud director of the Geneva
National Bank, while Capt. F. E. Burke is
we'll known as a banker of this city and one
of the shrewdest fnanciers in Georgia. The
members of the company certainly would
seem to give 1t financial strength and stand
ing, with assurance that they mean what
they say"