Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-24
Savannah,s Rivals.

Editor Morning NetrS: Knowing you
TO be ever watchful of the interests of our
city, and ready to give place TO words of
warning through the columns of your
widely circulated paper, we venture to
call attention to movements of Savannah's
rivals that should not be overlooked.
1t Is we'll known to intelligent OBJ
servers that there are two systems of rail-
roads which are working with great ener-
" and perseverance to cOntrOhthe freightS
into and out of Georgia, and, as a cOnse-
quence. to draw away from this port much
of the business that naturally belongs to
us. And these railroad systems are the
Richmond and Danville'' and the East
Tennessee. Virginia and Georgia" The
latter is now i'm negotiation with what is
known as "GOuld's Southwestern roads,"
and the probabilities are that their repre-
sentatives-nCw in cOnclave-will agree
upon terms for a consolidation of the
Gould and the Seney systems, and this
must add strength to each, giving them
more and more power to draw away to
Norfolk and Richmond the rich pro-
ducts of Georgia, and from Savan-
nah large portion of her
legitimate commerce. The Southwest
ern system of Gould feeds bOuntifully
the Iron Mountain Road, which carries
large amount of the rich products of Ar
kansas and Texas to st. Louis, and
thence to New York, over lines controlled
by Gould But the rapid increase of
freightS over his Southwestern roads
makes il desirable to secure a direct con-
nectiOn with some Southern port or ports.
BY leasing the East Tennessee, Virginia
and Georgia system, embracing the Mem
phis and Charleston Road, and all others
comprising the Seney system, he secures
more than convenient outlet to Nor
folk and Richmond. He controls the
road connecting Dalton with Rome,
Atlanta, Macon and Brunswick,
and becomes a powerful competitor for
the products of not only upper Georgia,
but of Middle and Southern Georgia, sec
tiOns that have been heretofore tributary
to Savannah. With the products of our
state added TO those Of Texas, Arkansas,
Northern Mississippi, Alabama and Ten
nessee, the road leading from our borders
to the harbOrs of Virginia will groan under
freights that formerly came in consider
able part to our port over the central
Railroad. Again, the Richmond and Dan
willie system is extending its lines and
strengthening its stakes by penetrating
the Very centre of our State and reaching
across to the rich centres of Alabama and
Mississippi-fOr their coal, iron, cotton
and grain. All these are carried, whittier:
Certainly not to us or over our railroads,
but TO Virginia and over roads that are
powerful rivals TO ours, as well as TO the
interests of our beloved city.
These are some Of the dangers that be-
set US; and now. what can be done to ward
them of and defend ourselves against such
active and powerful competitors! In gen.
eral terms, we must wake up to a full ap
probation Of the matter. and become more
vigilant and active. Our merchants must
make redOubled efforts to retain all their
business of the past from sections hereto
fore tributary to our city; and our railroad
managers must form counter cOmblna-
tiOns which can be formed and cope
successfully with our invaders. Their
hauI from or territory of what legiti-
mately belongs to us is shorter than that
of Our rivals: our facilities for transport
alton by land and by water are at least
equal or superior to theirs, and il is be-
lieved that our energies and abilities are
also equal to those of our rivals, who are
striving to abstract from us what may
be considered ours by inheritance
SAVANNAH.
ApyI % 1881