Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-28
BY RAIL TO THE SEA.
Prospectus of the Savannah and Tybee
Railroad.

York setting forth the charter and pur-
/ poses Of the Savannah and Tybee Railroad
1t contains letters from a number of prom.
/ inent citizens of Savannah familiar with
the subject, and presents the matter in a
very fair manner. Mr.. Frank ButterwOrth.
OF New York, is President the company.
and Mr.. j. W. Pinder, formerly of this
city, is the General Manager. AS the pro-
| ject is one in which all our people are in
terested, we publish below extracts from
the prospectus
The proposed line of the said railroad
| company to run from the depot of the Sa-
| vannah, Florida and Western Railway
! Union Depot to Tybee Island at the
mouth of the Savannah river, a distance
/ OF sixteen and 0ne-half miles, where sufi-
1 clent deep water and wharf-room may be
! obtained for loading and mooring vessels
OF the deepest draught without lighter
| ing, as is now the custom.
Tybee Island is situated south of the
mouth of the Savannah river, possessing
one Of the finest beaches on the Atlantic
! coast. Bathing is very excellent on the
whole sea front of the island, of about
three and half or four miles in extent
/ The island is separated from the main
land by four small streams, two
of which are navigable. Whining
ton and Whitemarsh Islands lie between
Tybee and the main land, where before the
late war flourished some of our most
wealthy sea island plantations, the devel-
Opment of which only now requires a rail
connection with the main. These lands
are as fine as any in the South, and truck
gardening is rapidly taking up much of
this territory.
At the point of the proposed pier on
| Tybee from the city the distance by rail
would be sixteen and one-half miles, and
to the middle of the sea beach at the point
where the proposed hotel will be erected
it is seventeen and three-fourth miles.
BY official count 5000 persons visited
/ Tybee beach during the summer of 1880,
and $4,000 persons during 1881. The ac-
cOmmOdatiOns and attractions as they
were then, are very poor. A small steamer
runs from the city about two or three
round trips per day, taking from two to
two and quarter hours to make the run
each way. On arriving at Tybee pas
sengers are then transferred to a horse
car and carried one and seyenty-nine hum
dredths miles to the hotel, on the sea side
of the island, thus making a long and
tedious trip to the beach.
1t has been carefully estimated in this
connection that where one person has
habitually visited the beach i'll the past,
many more would gladly take advantage
of a railroad, with thirty or thirty-five
minutes run from the city to good hotel
on the island, where an afternoon and
evening could be spent pleasantly. To
say nothing of the travel that would be
sure to come to this island from different
parts of the South and North in summer
and winter with such inducements as
could be made with a small outlay, COM
paratiyely, the city travel would alone in
crease four times what it has been in the
past. Say that during the year
| 100000 visits or trips are made to
the beach instead of the present $4,000 by
boat and hOrse-car, eacn person at fifty
cents the round trip, instead of the pres
ent rate of siXty-fve cents, this business
would present gross receipt of 100000
per annum alone We do not deem it nee.
essary to dwell at length on this matter.
We offer the figures, and moderate in
crease thereon, such as one would induce.
The commercial business of Savannah is
growing in such importance that deeper
water and quicker facilities for loading
and unloading vessels of deeper draught
than those that are now able to do so at
the city, saving time and an enormous eX-
pense thereby, demands immediate and
early attention.
The great railroad competition between
the Georgia Central and the East Ten
nessee, Virginia and Georgia Roads,
which practically drain the same vast
territory, is about to bring to Savannah a
line of freights that have hitherto found
an outlet in the Virginia ports. This
competition will increase month by
month. so that in a year or two the re-
ceipts of Savannah Will become enOr-
nous. By this competition the Tybee
Road would become largely the gamer.
1t would draw the great bulk of foreign
freights, as well as domestic, direct to
Tybee. without breaking bulk, for quick
and economical shipments, saving the
long, tedious and uncertain run Of twenty
miles up and down the narrow channel Of
the Savannah river.
Sail vessels have to be tOwed and pilOted
this distance at a great expense. Large
cotton ships, sail or steam, drawing from
twenty to twenty-five feet when loaded,
are always compelled to lighter from one
third to One-fOurth of their cargo at fifty
cents per bale, and extra for drayage;
other merchandise in proportion. Having
all these disadvantages to contend with,
rather than lie at anchor in the rOadstead,
exposed to any rOughness of the weather,
while taking on this lighterage, shipping
VIII at Once-and gladly-take advantage
of the facilities offered in good and safe
wharf and railroad to Tybee. All ves-
sells that now lighter, at least, will take
all cargo at that point, having these con-
Veniences. The large European steam
ers that will run to Savannah this
winter and hereafter, we have
been informed by the agents,
Messrs. Wilder & Co., of Savannah,
would most undoubtedly land and take
all cargOes at this wharf.
The estimates for the construction of
this road are as follows
10 miles, at $12, 900 per mile .....-.. $4,000
miles siding. at $4,000 per mile 10000
81 miles piling, at $1,000 per mile $4,000
draw bridges (irOn), at $4,000 each. $4,000
Wharves and breakwater, with fix
lures. and warehouses for freight,
etc -....-..... 25O,OOO
\ hotel .......... ......-.. ..-....---. $4,000
Total ............................. 100000
This estimate includes the necessary
rolling stock for three years. Connection
with and use of the tracks Of the SaYan-
nah, Florida and Western Railway is
guaranteed us upon equitable terms. See
the letter from that company hereto at
tached. The great advantages in con-
Meeting with that road are that these
tracks run into and are very near to the
large cotton presses of the city, and saw
mills, lumber yards and naval stores
warehouses-ad no other connec-
ton would give us.
The Savannah, Florida and Western
Railway Company have the whole South
west Georgia and Florida trade, as well
as line, which is yearly finished, to
Mobile, giving quick and direct rail to
New Orleans.
The travel over the Savannah, Florida
and Western to Florida in winter is very
heavy, and nearly all of it reaches Sayan-
nah by steamship. BY transferring these
passengers from the steamships at Tybee
they could be near their destination by
the time the ship generally reaches her
dock in the city.
The depot of the Savannah, Florida and
Western is also the Savannah terminus of
the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia
line. and also of the proposed Southern
Pacific short line from Savannah to Co
lumbus, Ga. These also connect with the
Georgia Central, indirectly. The splendid
advantages thus gained for us for through
freights North, South and West are appa- |
rent.
We here present figures, from data and |
information gathered, as near as we can
collect them, showing about the actual /
amount of business now done in lighter |
ing. together with the expenses to ship /
pers for handling, ETC., as well as for the /
passengers and rent for hotel
EXPORTS.
Cotton. bales, $4,000 at so cents 10000 |
Rosin barrels 3d. 600 at 20 cents ...... 5000 /
Turpentine casks, 5000 at 20 cents LOCO |
Lumber 5000, 900 feet at 20 cents per NJ 1000 |
Miscellaneous freights ............ 1000
Wharfage ..--..----- .--.-.- a,0O0
Passengers. $4,000 at so cents ........ $4,000
Rent for Hotel NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1900
IMPORTS.
Coffee, 5000 bags at Is cents .-.-.... $50
Guano, 10000 bags at II cents. --..... $500
loor I