Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-12
Georgia and Her Resources - Her
Wealth.

Edttor Morning Netcs: In looking over
The report of the Comptroller General for
the year 1882 find that it is Quite inter-
esting and instructive TO one who takes
any interest in the growing and nro-
gressive development of the State. Georgia
is justly called the Empire State of fhe
South, and when her great and inexhausti-
Die resources are fully developed she will
rank as the Empire State of the Union. No
state can show greater resources than
Georgia, as to climate, productions
minerals and soil.
But to the most interesting statistics OF
the COmptroller's report, statistics to be
hled away for future reference:
Assets of the State, number of shares
and bonds OF the Georgia Railroad and
Banking Co. 1856, worth $1S,G0O.
western and Atlantic Railroad, not
estimated, but worth from $G,0OO,00O to
SS,000,0O0.
Public buildings at Milledgeville and
Atlanta, not estimated, but worth about
100000.
Southern and Atlantic Telegraph stock
ndorsed by W. U. T. Co.., 44O shares
Bonds Marietta and North Georgia
Railroad $66, ,233 62,
Lands in Pulaski, Wavne and other
counties not estimated.
balance of principal due from sale OF
Macon and Brunswick Railroad $685.. 900.
Bonded Indebtedness of the State SO. .624.-
l32, amount Of annual interest $649. .440.
Polls Of whites 140515. pOlIs of coIored
90, l53, polls of defaulters 2.779.
Lawyers 1,25S, doctors 1850. dentists
1877. '''''''
Value Of improved lands $94. .462. .914.
value of wild lands $2.373,827.
CITY and town property $3.50, ,453, ,9S7.
Building and Loan Associations capi-
tai $3GS..496.
Bank shares value So, ,939.0S6.
Money and solvent debts So. sos. .05S.
Merchandise $16,091,12
Capital invested in shipping S172, POI
Stocks and bonds (value) 6,252. .4O5.
Cotton manufactures S3.543. .SS1.
Iron works 1868, ,23l.
Capital invested In mining 1927. .622
157 ,645, ''Ao CIV
oaN Watches, jewelry, silverware $1,1ss.-
Horses, mules, hogs, ETC., $23,514.937.
632. 81 ''0i' P0'''''-
313. ~0iO'
7S9. '''9" F''0fO'-
Deiaulters' property (single) 81, ,396, 500.
=, os'O property 3Io, lZJ, ,42I.
4O3. '0' -''- P-'' '''-i''-
Total value of property for 1881 $27O. $685.
515. V10'-O''
ihe amount of property returned by col
ored tax payers $6,5S9, ,876--an increase
over 1881 of $111, ,2S5.
Cotton factories and iron works exempt
from taxation under act of August %,
. =
There are IA life insurance companies
doing business in the State. At risk in
the State $6,677, ,454.
Of the fire insurance companies there
are AZ. At risk in the State Sis. .048. .367 05.
total insurance 1924, 725, ,S21 %.
Population of the State / 1,542. 1S0; whites
S76,9O6, cOlored 725,274. Population by
congressional districts-First district 49,
9O2, Second 159,9S5, Third 1866. Fourth
165,3SO, Fifth 1S9. .259, Sixth 1866. Seventh
1867 ,SoS, Eighth 212, ,796, Ninth 1S3, ,7O2.
Amount paid the General Assembly for
session of 1881, $100, 416 80.
To one who has given any thought as to
the wealth Of the State, the aggregate
value of property as returned, is far from
correct. a fair valuation of the taxable
property of the State, if given in. would be
not less than 1920, ,O00, 900. Railroad nron-
erty is given in at only $1S, 729, ,427. Could
1t be bought for double that amount to-
morrow Watches, jewelry and silver
ware are given in at only 81, ,1S3. .327. There
are nearly half a million of dollars worth
OF such IN Savannah alone, certainly a
quarter OF million. What are needed at
this time are tax assessors for every
county in the State. Capital invested in
mining is given in at only S127, ,622, when
there are several companies in unper
Georgia that have as large an amount in
vested in one mine-gold mining especial
ly. We have been told that several mill
lions of dollars are invested in mining, If
free from taxation it should be so stated.
Georgia had in 1860 $685., ,S27, ,923 of taxa
BILE property, independently of slaves, with
a total population of only 1867, ,2S6. She
now has population Of 1912, iS0, more
larger cities, more farms. more
factories and more business every wav
and yet we are told by the tax retorns
made that she has only taxable Gronerfv
Of $2S7, ,249, ,403. The present Legislature
should enact law to appoint tax assess
Drs, and then the real wealth of the State
would approximate TO something like
VI u'h anu its real Vaisse. II. NJ. 0.