Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-30
THE NEW SOUTH.
Observations in the Principal Cities
Remarkable Progress.

Mr.. VIM. 5. Powell, leading business man,
one of the active members of the Baltimore
Merchants and Manufacturers Association,
says the Baltimore Sun, has just returned
from an extensive business tour of the South,
which he had not visited for ten years. He
gives some interesting facts gathered while
travelling with his eyes open. He says he had
several distinct ideas in view: First, to see
the Improvement that had actually been made
in ten years: second, to learn what effect the
change TO a Democratic administration would
have upon the people; third. to form a cal
culatiOn of what the improvement will be IN
the next ten years, and fourth, TO IND II the
colored people, who are large proportion Of
the population of the South, had become pro-
ducers.
After speaking with number of townsmen
Mr.. Powell says: E eFSfssS -
Charleston makes man sad who has once
seen her glory and comes to look at her as she
is now. Having suffered probably more seri-
Ously than any of the seaboard towns during
the war, she has not recovered. Why this is
so it is not for a stranger to find out. But
C, rtainly, judging from the general appear
ance Of the streets and houses, she is not en-
loving the prosperity which Is justly her pOr-
ton. The cotton interest is large and the
iobbing business fair. The only extensive
new interest which seems to have been erect
ed since the war is the fertilizer trade, which
is very important.
savannah, Ca, is to the stranger the
beautiful city of the South. Probably no
and business than Savannah does when its
capital Is considered. A large business is
being done, both in shipping and jobblng.
everything is apparently In good condition.
aud many beautiful residences have been
built. There is an air of prosperity about
everything that makes the visitor think he is
in gO-ahead place.
jacksonville, Fla, is probably one of the
most remarkable cities in the South. The
improvement is really beyond ordinary con-
ceDtion. Along the business streets the num-
bers of people you meet almost reminds one
of Broadway in New York. Everything looks
prosperous. Hundreds of steamers arrive and
depart daily with tourists and merchandise.
It is the distributing point for the whole
State. A great deal of Northern capital has
been invested there, and many fine buildings
have recently been erected. The block put
up for Mr.. A. S. Abel, and called the Abel
Block, will compare favorably with any busl-
ness improvement in Baltimore, Before
visiting Florida, Mr.. Powell says he was dis
posed to doubt the wisdom OF the large in
vestments Orthern men have made in that
state, and he supposed that most OF them
were made upon a sentiment OF the Ponce de
Leon nature. He now believes that every
dollar which has been put into Florida will
be doubled in the next ten years, and that
she is destined to be one OF the great States.
From Florida the route of travel was to
Macon, the thriving and prosperous city OF
Southwest Georgia, and to Atlanta, called by
its residents the Hub of the South. Mr..
Powell thinks that while Atlanta, from It's
location, will not be great jObblng centre or
a strong rival of Northern cities in this inter-
est, the increase of manufacturing will
ALWAYS make it a place of considerable note.
Mr.. Powell says; "UpOn thinking over
what have actually seen, and the facts that
l have secured, the conclusion is irresistible
that the South has certainly made remark
able improvements in the past ten years.
Business in that section, as in all others, has
been dull for six months, but statistics show
that not over l per cent. in amount of the
recent failures have occurred in the SOUTH"