The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-05
TO BRING WHEAT SOUTH.
SAVANNAH TO BECOME A GRAIN
EXPORTING PORT

The Central Railroad and Its Concec-
tions to Handle the Products of the
West-The Centrals Facilities for
Grain Storage-Two Hundred and
Seventy-Five Thousand Bushels the
Capacity of the Elevator at the
Wharves-The Centrars New Trade
Mark.
There is prospect for the utilization of
valuable piece of property in this city
which has never been operated. General
Freight Agent Whitehead, of the Central
railroad, informed the MORNING NEWS yes
terday that there is an inquiry from Kansas
City and the northwest for grain storage in
Savannah for exporting. This, Maj. White
head said, can be afforded by the extensive
grain elevator of the Central railroad Just
east of the ocean steamship wharves. 1t
has storage capacity for 275,0 bushels of
grain, and is in thorough repair, with ample
machinery, and it needs only cleaning up,
which can be done in forty eight hours
The elevator has never been used, but
was built in advance of demand and
before the Central was prepared to put it
to practical use. Since the extension of the
Columbus and Western to Birmingham,
that road connecting with the Kansas City
and Fort Scott system makes the route a
practical one, and the only one to handle
the grain of Kansas City and the north
west
The location of the elevator is in every
way convenient; cars can be unloaded on
one side, and deep water slip on the other
side will permit the loading Of vessels in
very short time and at a minimum cost.
AS BALLAST FREIGHT
Maj Whitehead said then when he re-
ceived inquiries for grain storage here, he
visited q number of ship brokers on the
Bay to see how they felt about it, and he
found them very much elated over the pros
pect of bringing grain to this port, and that
they expressed willingness to give it the
preference over any other ballast, and
promised that there will he no trouble to get
low rates of freight.
Maj Whitehead says that there is a de-
mand for wheat abroad, and it can be used
under cotton as ballast freight for Lon
don, Liverpool and continental ports
He thinks wheat can be handled
largely here for direct export, and
he expects a very large export
business in wheat as there Is a big demand
for it abroad, and it can be stored in the
Central's elevator, to be moved at any
Arrangements are also being made, Mai
Whitehead said, for exporting -four and the
products of tine packing houses of the west
q id northwest via Savannah and New York.
These articles cannot, at present, be ex-
ported direct from Savannah, as wheat can
for wheat can he exported as freight bal
last AS the mileage from Kansas City and
the northwest to Savannah is shorter than
it is to Baltimore, the prospect for large
ayDOrtS of GRAIN from Savannah uaru
promising.
BIG TRADE FROM THE WEST
General Manager Belknap said that the
western and northwestern trade to Savan-
nah has just begun, and he predicts a flow
which will surprise the people. Savannah,
he says, is the natural port for the export
of grain to England and the continent, and
the Central's extension of the Columbus
and Western to Birmingham with its con-
nections with the Kansas City and Fort
Scott system puts Savannah nearer the rich
grain fields of the west and northwest,
which are largely drawn upon to make up
any shortage in the grain crops abroad.
1Supt. Hege says that the receipts of pig
iron from Birmingham are rapidly increas-
ing since the completion Of the Goodwater
extension, and to prevent an accumulation
of pig metal here during the busy cotton
season, every vessel of the Ocean Steamship
line gong nOFLn taxes from HICeen TO bW6n-
ty-flve carloads. Within the last ten DAYS
Supt Hege says the receipts of pig iron
here amounted to l05 carloads, sixty cars of
which are for Philadelphia, thirty cars for
Boston and fifteen cars for New York.
THE CENTRALs TRADE MARK
General Manager Belknap had a cabinet
meeting in the railroad yards yesterday
afternoon, ard box car No 1850, just from
the shop, was the cynosure of all eyes. The
Central has adopted the house flag of the
Ocean Steamship Company as its trade
mark, and this flag, white field with a blue
bar running from each of the four corners
across the flag, has been painted on the car,
with the letters G. +. R. of Ga. on
the flag General Manager Belknap not
satisfied with the full length staff,
took the brush himself and proportioned il
better and added some finishing touches.
This flag is to be painted on each side of all
the box cars of the Central aud will add
greatly to the attractiveness of the car, as
we'll us enable the cars to be readily iden-
titled This trade mark is also to be placed
upon all the stationery of the Central rail-
road.
Are you weak and weary, overworked