Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-22
Why is the Improvement of the Alta
maha Delayed AN Appeal to Con-
gresham Nichols for And.

why is the Improvement of the Alta
maha Delayed?-An Appeal to Con-
gressman Nichols for And.
Editor -H0rniHg NelcS: Your many
readers along the Altamaha are very
much pleased to know that an appropria-
ton has been made for the improvement
of this noble stream, but surprised and
mortified that those whose duty it is
to superintend a work so important.
have failed to take advantage of the late
long dry spell. when the river could so
easily have been rendered navigable at all
seasons and stages. In a stretch of eighty
miles there are but three obstructive
pOints-a sand bar at Boards Bluff. a
rock shoal at Piney Bluff, so narrow that
few charges Of dynamite would have
etfectually destroyed it. and another sand
bar at Town Bluff. And to prove how
little work is necessary TO secure con-
stant navigation either of the points
mentioned have had depth of twenty
inches, even at this extraordinary and
unprecedented low state of the river.
Now, Mr.. Editor, we would like to get
some information as to what the govern
ment officials purpose to do in this mat
ter. Thousands Of dollars of our friends
and neighbOrs are involved, and depend
ent on the success of the work. Cap
tains of boats, who have been on the
river for years. old river men who ought
to know, tell us they hear nothing, see
nothing, know nothing of the cOntem-
plated improvements. Something is ''rot-
ten in Denmark" There is great wrong
done the people, and the blame rests
somewhere. Thousands of barrels of
naval stores lying along the
banks Of the river would
90 to Savannah as regularly as the trains,
on that admirably managed road, the Sa-
Vannah, Florida and Western. but for
these distractions to river navigation. In
the county of Tattnall many are forced
to wagon their supplies seventy miles.
which they ought, and could receive al
most at their doors.
The government has appropriated the
money and we want the benefit of it. The
advantages to be derived are not confined
to the river. The Improvements will open
up new fields of industry. Steamers built
expressly for the trade and making close
connection with the savannah, Florida
and Western at DOctOrtOwn will enable
your friends in Appling, Tattnall, Mont
gomery, Wilcox and adjoining counties to
transact business in your Forest City with
as much certainty and as little delay as if
living directly on the line OF road. inst
think of naval stores being hauled twenty
miles to the e, T., V. and &. R.R., which.
with proper boats and distractions re,
moved, could be shipped almost from the
stills.
The cotton shipments from Hawkins
NlIe and Dublin during the winter and
spring, and the naval stores from the
thlrty stills located on this, the Oconee,
aAd Ocmulgee rivers, in summer and fall,
secure an uninterrupted trade, and place
the question of remuneration to boats
beyond a doubt, to say nothing of the
large return freights, and as these would
be furnished by your wide-awake mer-
chants, we respectfully invoke the eXer-
else of their influence in carving out the
purposes Of the government in our behalf.
The cheap lands along our river offer pc
culiar inducements to settlers. We have a
fine climate, a sheep range fully equal TO
any far-Of Texas can afford, rolling. Der
fectly healthy, finely watered country with
many admirably located sites for utilizing
water power. To any one threatened with
pulmonary affection we would saw
E'Moye to this high, rolling, healthy. pinev
woods, purchase a flock of sheen. nrolond
your lease of lite, grow rich, fat ami
happy"
But to conclude nay already too long
communication, in the name of the entire
section along the river, and in behalf of
those cramped and injured thereby in All
business relations, We call upon our i'm
mediate Representative, Hon. j. G..
Nichols, to come ia the relief Of his con-
stituents, and zee to it that justice is done
and the wrong we suffer remedied. In
the meantime we will let the public know
through your valuable paper what work
may be done in the way OF improving the
facilities for navigating the
ALTAAIAHA