Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-25
NEW ROAD TO THE WEST
THE SAVANNAH AND WESTERN
COMPANY ORGANIZED.

The Road to Tap the East Tennessee,
Virginia and Georgia Probably at
Esstmsn-The Board of Directors and
Officers - a Surveying Corps to be
Started Ont at Once The Country
Through Which the Road VIII Run.
The incorporators of the Savannah and
Western Railway Company met yester-
day in this city and effected temporary
organization. The following were elected
a Board of Directors: Hon. p. W. Mel
drim, Esq, Capt. John Flannery, j. j.
McDonough, Herman Myers, j. X.
Clarke, j. p. Williams, of Savannah;
Judge John McRea, Walter T. Near
thur. OF Montgomery county; g. e.
Smith Esq, and Thomas Eason, of Telfair
county.
Mr.. Meldrim was elected President, and
Mr.. Myers Secretary and Treasurer.
THE PROPOSED LINE.
The proposed line OF the road is from
Savannah almost due west through
Bryan, Tattuall, Montgomery, Telfair,
and Dodge counties to some point on the
East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia
road, probably Eastman. The western
terminal has not been decided upon ,Ihow-
ever, and will not be until after the pre-
liminary surveys are made. A surveying
corps will be ORGANIZED and started out
as soon as possible, enough money having
been guaranteed yesterday to provide for
all expenses until a permanent organiza-
ton is effected.
A FINELY TIMBERED COUNTRY.
The length of the line will be about 100
miles. 1t will pass through large tract
OF finely timbered country not tapped by
any other railroad, and lying in an irregu-
larly shaped quadrangle bounded by the
Central on the east and north, the East
Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia on the
west, and the Savannah, Florida and
Western on the south.
The road will pass near or through the
county seat OF every county it strikes.
TEat fnsures 1t the best possible local
traffic through those counties. There Is
now road from Amerious TO Lumpkin,
and that is being extended west to Flor
enee, ON the Chattahoochee.
CONNECTING LINES.
A line is also projected from Americus
east to connect with the East Tennessee,
Virginia and Georgia. Such line from
Florence east and connecting with
she Savannah and Western would give
Savannah short and new route to the
rich country contiguous to the Cbatta-
hoochee. Good local traffic will be in
sured for the western part of the road by
reason of the fact that from Eastman to
Florence the line will pass through the
county seats OF all the counties 1t touches.
Another reason given for the building
of the road is that it will give this city a
direct route to Kansas City and the West
A liberal charter was obtained for the
Savannah and Western road at the last
session OF the General Assembly, and the
gentlemen Interested in the movement
are all prominent citizens of the State,
and the business men stand high in their
respective branches.
COST OF THE ROAD.
The expense of building the road will
not be heavy, the directors say. Mr.. Mel
drim, the President, who is thoroughly
familiar with the topography OF
the country, says that it is
slightly undulating and we'll wooded,
except along the streams where the naval
stores and lumber men have been at
work. He does not say positively that
the road Will be built, as that will be de-
termined by the surveys. At present he
believes that it Will be, however. There
is no scheme in the movement, he states,
and no purpose to sell out Il charter.
Nearly all of the directors have a direct
money interest in the development of the
country between Savannah and Lumber
City or Eastman.