Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-25
st. Mary's-Its Past, Present and
Fufurp

81. MARY's, Ga, October q Editor MorniEsq
Neucs: We are now having very rainy spell.
More rain fell on yesterday than we have had
for the same length Of time for months. The
streets were flooded and the wind blew heavily
from the northeast.
We have had more northeast winds this sea-
son than we have had for years. st. Mary's
has been unusually dull for nearly three
months, and last week was the dullest in ap-
pearance experienced for many years past,
owing to the fact Of bad weather and an un-
usual and unaccountable quantity OF sickness
that prevailed In the country tributary to this
place. This section is generally very healthy,
out this season proved otherwise throughout
the entire county outside OF the city, 50 am
informed: Dengue, no doubt, prevailed in
some portions.
Aside from the great rice crop made on the
Satilla, planting on this side of that great
stream is generally small, but the yield has
been unusually good
Many persons live by the timber business,
but as timber has been down for some time
past, they have had hard time T it..
We have only one mill running here now In
city of population of over eight hundred.
The business made by the mill constitutes the
main business of the city. Then we get a
small country trade and the trade OF a small
number OF citizens who have Independents in
comes. While work progressed on the Cum
berland Island je ties it helped trade here very
much, as a. large number of our people were
employed there. The work is now done from
the Amelia side, and Fernandna gets the bene-
fit OF the trade, TO serious injury, and,
besides, she gets consider able trade from the
country that we should get. Her merchants
keep heavier stocks. Many persons go there
and get their supplies.
Unless some new enterprise of some magnls
tude is started here within the next six months,
the trade of our city viii dwindie into small
proportions, particularly IL the railroad is built
from Hart's road. In Florida, TO the Macon and
Brunswick Road, as rival towns will grow up
that will command two thirds of the country
trade that comes here at present.
Poor little St Marys Well do we remember
when she had fiourishiDg trade, coming from
many miles In the interior and from Florida.
First. Centrevillage cut off the interior trade,
and Fernandina and Kings Ferry ran up and
took the Florida trade.
Possibly a want of broad views and proper
management is the cause of all that. but it is
now too late to mourn over the past, and it Is
folly to mourn over the present, but it is man
ly to work for the future. l confess see but
little hope from the outside world. Unless our
own people build up the city, it viii rapidly
decline. The canal is too far in the future to
relieve the present wants, and the railroad Is
beyond reach of the capital Of the present In
habitants.
The only chance that 1 can see is in more
thing Of that kind is done within the next six
months numbers of our people will be COM
PEELED to go elsewhere or stay and pine in pow
erty.
1t is to be hoped that something will turn up
Tor our benefit and that the old time prospert-
tv with its cheering blessings may return to us.
OCCASIONAL.