The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-04
Savannah's Prosnects.


MORNING NEWS called attention to the
rapid development of the Alabama iron and
coal region. This development is remark
able. Real estate may be depressed in
Birmingham, BeSscner, and other towns,
but the iron industry is not New coal and
iron mines are being opened all the time,
and iron mills are beng erected. In very
few years the South will produce as much
IRON, and perhaps as much coal as the
North. OF course the various industries
that are closely related TO that of iron will
be established in the iron sections All of
these sections will have great commerce.
and they must have an entrance and outlet
for it on the seaboard.
Where will that entrance and outlet be
At Savannah, of course. There are those
who hope it will be at other points, and they
are earnestly working in the interest of
those points, but the advantages which Sa-
vannah possesses over other points are too
great 70 be overcome What has either
New Orleans or Mobile TO offer New Or
leans has deep water, it is true, but she is
100 miles from the sea, and when the sea is
reached she is 900 miles farther from the
Savannah is The dangerous Florida reefs
have TO be passed, and all vessels passing
them are required to pay extra insurance
Mobile hasn't deep water, and there is no
probability that she ever will have, and, be-
sides, the objections that are pertinent in
the case Of New Orleans are pertinent in
her case.
On the South Atlantic coast Savannah
has no equal in so far as commercial facili-
ties are concerned. She has "a feet of water
on her bar and 81 Is feet in her harbor, and
the survey and estimates for 2S feet in her
harbor have been sent to the Secretary of
War. BY the time the iron and coal in
dustries Of the South begin to fairly show
what possibilities are in them Savannah
will have a channel to the sea that will ac-
commodate the biggest ships that float
Port Royal, the only other place on the
South Atlantic coast that has harbor that
compares with that of Savannah, is with
out wharves and without capital 1t is
hardly probable that an effort will be made
to build a city there when there is one
already built here with sufficient shipping
facilities to accommodate a very large share
of the commerce of the world.
Savannah will soon have direct
railway communication with Birming-
ham and Bessemer, and as the de,
mand for transportation facilities IN
creases it will doubtless be supplied 1t is
about as certain as anything can be that the
iron ana iron products of Birmingham,
! Bessemer, Admission, Chattanooga, Knox
vile and other places will seek tide water at
Savannah's wharves, and that they will re-
ceive their imports through her doors. She
may expect even more than this, because, as
the iron regions are developed, and their
rail connections with the West are COM
pleted, the products of portions of the West
will flow in this direction.
If signs are worth anything the future Of
Savannah will be great one Her people
need not seek investments elsewhere. Let
them invest here, and they VIII realize
shortly that they have done wisely. AS the
commerce of Savannah grows, industries Of
one kind and another will be established
Population will come to her as fast as the
opportunities for making living increase,
and they will increase with the development
of the rich sections of country which are
now becoming tributary to her