Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-13
sAvANNAHs SHORTCOMINGS.
Some Things the City Has Not Done
But Might Do.


sAvANNAHs SHORTCOMINGS.
Some Things the City Has Not Done
But Might Do.
Editor Morning Neics: Our writers and
orators everywhere with one voice pro
claim the present an era of unexampled
prOsperity-that America, especially the
South, is on a s'bOom" Of magnificent
growth that has no parallel in the history
of nations. We, ourselves, have seen
that in less than a dozen years the South
has arisen from poverty and weakness 10
height Of prosperity and power that ar.
rests the attention even Of the most
Opulent nations on the other side
Of the Atlantic. This prosperity.
too, bids fair to be permanent, to last
until the great resources of the country
have been developed and its mighty trade
turned into permanent channels. 1t is
expected to enrich millions, and to render
pOpulOus and great numerous cities and
towns which have struggled long and
desperately against the evil influence of
crOakers and the apathy Of commercial
timidity and Incidence.
In view of these things il is peril
nent TO ask how much Of the boom is.S
Tannah enjoying? Has the cOntagion of
enterprise and improvement spread TO
her! Is she animated by the spirit of the
times, and living up to the high privileges
so well warranted by her surroundings
The old adage, ''make hay while the sun
Shines" is good advice.
If fortune smiles advance &c greet her.
and II she prove not coy, why then at
once embrace her; for. who fails Ia faLra
her tide az flood, will III c.osor,;, -
her. The town or city that neglects this
favorable opportunity may never have an
other-the advantages that appear today
may be gone tomorrow. If Savannah has
not secured all her commercial avenues
If she has not presented her
claims in good earnest upon the
various sections Of country BY nature
tributary to her port, she had better do so
at the earliest possible moment. for the
''bOOm" is not going to wait on her, or
show her any more respect than what
may be eXtOTted by her energy and capi-
tai. These are the terms, the pride of
prosperity and growth.
savannah is one of the Oldest cities of
the Union, the most faYOrably located for
the Southern metropolis, and why she has
not 100000 instead of a little more tha~
$4,000 inhabitants. must b" ,.,,r,hrtad ~
- want " appreciation on the part of the
citizens OF her great geographical and
other advantages. From the capes of
North Carolina the grand old Atlantic
dips far to the southwest to lave the
shores of Georgia, and then retires
as far to the southeast to finish
up glorious Continent with a
semi-tropical peninsula. Thus she
formed gulf projecting far towards the
great interior, as if to provide with
special care an eastern port for the great
country between the Savannah and the
Mississippi rivers southwark to the Gulf
of Mexico. This vast territory, by nature
tributary to Savannah, is vet enlarged bv
the same advantages, and stretches away
to mightier regions beyond, since art has
supplied the means of bridging streams
as well as time and space.
If the port has failed to claim its own,
whose fault is it? Can it be said that the
population and wealth of the CITY were
never sufficient to undertake greater
works than she has accomplished? If so,
why have they not been greater? The
fault still remains. A Clearly, well gov
erned, ambitious city, so favOrably To-
Gated, should have attracted population
and wealth In country where they were
creating States and crOwding upon every
locality of mighty continent. The "yel-
low fever" suggests some one! But,
then, there is New Orleans, Havan a,
Rio Janeiro and other large
cities in IgGTn5T climates and the very
birthplaces Of the scourge. This may
have been potent factor in retarding the
clty's growth, but would only prove the
laxity or incompetency of the ruling au-
thOrities. Those who inhabited the city
should have added to it every possible at
traction, remembering that life was not
all for work ana boarding wealth. What
more could be done? asks one whose idea
of a glorious city is complete in a park
with trees and a fountain, a few squares
and monuments, with a shell road drive
and street cars.
1t may be answered that great deal
more could have been done years ago, but
as it was not, it is never too late to do
good, provided the opportunity is still
presented, as in this case.
The city might have prevented the lay
ing out OF little narrow streets, to be
crowded with wooden shanties TO rot and
i'll the air with malaria, and she might
now inaugurate some plan of removing
such structures whenever they endanger
the public health. She might have pre-
vented the enclosure Of back yards and
fronts with solid brick walls, or close
plank fences, to exclude the sunshine and
pen up fGtid poisonous atmosphere on so
large an area Of the city; and she may
now discourage such bad taste
and suggest open picket or iron fences,
with a few beds OF flowers or handsome
more conducive to the pleasure and health
Of families and the public. She might have
prevented the crOwding of her splendid
wharf-frOnt with nondescript sheds, scat
folds and shanties, blocking up complete
ly and rendering unsightly fully One-half
its extent: and she might now compel its
reOpening along the entire front, the old
rotten wharyes and shanties to be re-
newed or remOdeled and the beau
tiful river front once more adj
mitted to view; while ac-
cess to and from should be free and
easy in every part. She might have left
undug the sO-called 'sdry wells" which,
indeed, are but reservoirs of filth honey
combing large sections OF the city to
breed disease and death; and she might
now I'LL them up, extend the sewerage to
those localities and decrease the fear by
diminishing the danger of fatal epidem.
les. She might have shelled her princi.
pal highways for ten miles into the coun.
try and facilitated trade with the interior,
as well as TO encourage splendid suburban
homes and the draining and cultivation
OF the low lands in her vicinity; and she
might now begin to repair the damage Of
omission, and finish up as her old debts
are discharged and her population and
wealth vastly increased under reform and
regeneration.
A city supplied by nature with so many
attractive localities IN her very suburbs
might have shown her appreciation OF
them a little stronger by constructing
small bridges-and handsome dry walks &C
afford recreation and healthfill exercise
to her pent-up. care-wOrn tOilers, whose
slender wages will not afford the luxury
OF coach and four, with toll, on the
costly highway of pride and ostentati0n
and she might now construct sl{oh walks