Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-12
l733---lS83.
GEORGIA's ONE HUNDRED AND
FIFTY YEARS.


/ Distinguished Guests-Visiting Sol
/ diery-The Trades Display TO-MOrrOw.
| The event in history that Savanna8 cell
ebrates to-day marked a grand era in the
life of this great nation. There are days
when the great and good are near us,
when there are no frOwns on their brOWs,
no cOndescension even; when they take
us by the hand and we share their thought,
their impulses and their lofty aspirations.
These are days which are the carnival OF
the wears. Such are the impressions that
[ come over us as we stand on the broad
plane which one hundred and fifty years
of ceaseless toll and struggle has builded,
and from which we now gaze over the ro-
nance and reality Of the past, which has
| been moulded into the solid, stubborn his
/ tory of the present. 1t is fitting upon an
occasion such as this that we celebrate,
going outside of ourselves, and, in dreamy
| insensibilitV as to our Individual eX-
istence. contemplate the bravery and self
sacrifice of those whose lives and deeds
and heroic services have been given to
| humanity.
In this bright picture one form stands
prominently forward, that Of James Ogle-
thOrpe who. with his little band from the
I Y
and fifty years ago. transferred their faith
and hopes to this spot in the New World,
| and landed on the bank of the Savannah
| river at the very place where We to-day,
with rejoicing and pageant, celebrate that
| event i'm our history. 1t is not our pur-
| pose to enter into a detailed narrative
of the formation of the infant colony
| of Georgia. or its history during the trials
| of its earlier existence, or its rapid growth
/ to a vigorous manhood. In the Centen-
NAL edition of the MORNING NEWS will
| be found a very interesting sketch bearing
upon this subject, compiled by Mr.. Will
| liams :. BOgart, one Of our fellow citizens,
whose antiquarian research and vigorous
pen has beautifully, in the sketch alluded
| To. described the foundation of the infant
/ colony.
just here a brief resume of the inception
| Of and subsequent specialization OF the
/ idea of celebrating the SesquI-Centennial
| of the foundation of Savannah may not be
/ out of place. The first suggestion Of
/ ally through the columns Of the
| MoRNING NEWS in the month of
! August, 1882. The article referred to
/ was suggested by the proprietor of the
| Savannah MORNING NEWS, and briefly
\ limited at the opportunity that presented
/ itself at the one hundred and tftieth ami
versary of the settlement OF savannah.
/ The little hint thrown out by a news
paper rapidly chrystaliZed into a
/ bold idea, which was taken up
and carefully analysed by the Georgia
| Historical Society, in whose keeping IS
/ deposited much that is valuable
/ and interesting concerning the early
/ history of our glorious commonwealth.
/ The citizens of Savannah soon
| grasped the fact that notable opportu-
/ nifty would be presented in which they
| cOtfd all engage in a common zeal III car
| rving out the suggested celebration, and,
! rs a consequence of their united action
4 and individual exertion, the celebration
| of today and tomorrow is the reSult-a
| result which will testify through coming
years of peace, prosperity and happiness
| to the wisdom of the slight suggestion ana
/ the great consequences following there
| from. 49,
An interesting faet~is connected with the
| patent grant 20 the new colony not gener-
4 ally known: we allude to the extent OF
territory covered by the grant. The terms
/ of the original charter appropriated TO the
/ colony sSthe tract between the Savannah
and Altamaha rivers and running due
west from the head spring of those rivers
| to the Pacific Ocean" The seal OF the
| cOrDOratiOn was made with two faces
one. with two figures leaning upon urns,
representing the two rivers which formed
the northeastern and southwestern
| boundaries 1.-THE province, having between
| Them the genius of Georgia Augusta
with cap of liberty on her head, spear
/ in one hand and a cOrnucOpla III the
\ other. This seal was 10 De useu aIohe
/ for the authorization of legislative acts
\ solemn deeds and authoritative commits
siOns. The other seal, to be affixed to
| grants. certificates and orders, represent
| cd silk worms at their work, with the IN
| scriptiOn'. Non Sibi Sed GtitS''--words winch
/ were the prOphetical utterance oil the dis
| interestedness which founded the colony
Not for ourselves but for Others. Inc
| landing of OglethOrpe and his followers,
l. fine reception of OglethOrpe by the Indi-
| ans. TomOchichi's eloquent speech and
/ the present to OglethOrpe of the buffalo
\ skin decorated with the head and
| feathers of the eagle, has been painted by
| the artist, and will be repeated III the
pageant this morning.
| In pamphlet called "A New voyage 10
| Georgia. and published in 1875, two years
/ after the settlement of Savannah, the
| writer states that he sailed from London
| IN Charleston in 1913, and arrived after
| cassage of three months duration. Alter
/ 4 short STAY there he proceeded to SaNan-
| nah. which he describes as pleasant
| town, situated upon a beautiful DUN
/ above the river. 1t contained at that
| time about forty houses, all OF the same
/ size TWENTY-FIVE feet by sixteen. The
/ four lofty pines on the bluff, under which
| the first encampment was made, were
| still standing. and there Oglethorpe
/ lived in a house without CHM
| new. and more inconyenlentiy
| lodged than any other person. Inc writer
| OF the pamphlet says OF OglethOrpe; ne
/ is a worthy gentleman, and one that mas
| undergone a great many hardships i'll the
| settling of it, and one that the English
| nation will ALWAYS be bound to pray for.
/ Ii is 10 be wished that all other gentle
men. especially those who have 1t in their
power, would have the good OF their cOun-
] trv and of all His Majesty's subjects as
much at heart"
| town increased very rapidly, and in less
/ than half year the houses had increased
/ from forty to over one hundred, ana sew
| eral villages had been established, and they
| had extended plantations on the Ogeechee
! and other rivers.
/ In a very short time two hundred houses
had been built, many Ofthem much larger
! than the one inhabited by the Governor,
| which was still of the original size first
/ directed They stood on lots sixty feet
wide by ninety feet deep, a size which
| gave room for ornamental cultivation ana
secured from the danger of spreading fires.
The rent of the best was thirty ana that OF
the poorest ten pounds. Large squares
I were lett proper ~
/ well as the streets, shaded with trees.
The botanical garden was situated
| al the east of the town, ON the
| sIOping bank. and included the al
| luyial ground below. 1t supplied the
| settlers, with such seeds as were neces-
| sary for the cultivation OF their own
| grounds. There was connected with 1t
| nursery of fruit trees, and on the borders
! of the walks were orange, olive and ne
| trees. pOmegranates and vines, and in the
| Warmest part was collection OF tropical
| plants. such as coffee and cot
ton, cultivated by way OF expert
ment TO ascertain what the eli
mate would allow. Large squares in this
garden were planted with mulberry trees,
and the worms were Ied ana sllk was
| produced without difficulty. We mention
| these interesting facts in the earliest con-
dition of our city simply to show by con-
trast the vast changes which have been
accomplished in one hundred and nifty
years.
On the 18th of February, 1888, the cen
tennial anniversary of the landing OF
OglethOrpe on the shore of Georgia was
celebrated in Savannah, on when 0cca-
sion the following ode was read by Robt.
NJ. Charlton, which we reproduce as APP
propriate TO this occasion;
Why meet we here Today
Why float our banners ffee2
Why beams forth beauty's brightest ray
To greet the soldier on his way
on this our jubilees
why have the gallant and the fair
Convened with joyous feelings heret
o. is il not that We may trace
The footprints of Times rapid pace,