The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-11
TO OPEN THE OCMULGEE.
THE MACON COMMITTEE BEFORE
LIEUT.. CARTER.

The Engineer to Recommend the
Removal of the DISTINCTIONS to
Navigation Between Macon and
Hawkinsville The Committees Ar
gument Carter's Report TO
the Department What the Macon
Men Say.
A committee from the Macon Board of
Trade. consisting Of G. T. Harris. MAYOR
Price and r. M. Rogers, was before Lient.
Carter yesterday by appointment to show
cause why the distractions in the Ocmulgee
river, between HawkinsviIle and Macon.
completing the line from Savannah to
Macon, should be removed.
The Macon and Covington railroad and
Pulaski county, both of which have bridges
spanning the river between Hawkinsville
and Macon. were represented by letters
showing cause why the bridges were not
distractions. Their objections. however,
had little weight, and Lieut..
Carter notified the committee that
in his report to the department he will
recommend that such distractions in the
river be removed, as will render its naviga-
ton Unobstructed. Lieut.. Carter's report
will be forwarded at once, and it is likely
that the department will order the bridges
removed within a reasonable time.
The East Tennessee, Virginia and Geor-
gla railroad has two bridges across the
river; the Covington and Macon has one:
Pulaski county has one, and the Savannah.
Amerlcus and Montgomery railroad one.
The latter's bridge is, however. q draw
bridge, and is not considered an obstruc-
ton. The East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia let the matter 60 by default, and it
Is understood that the road is ready to
remodel its bridges so as to allow boats to
go through.
THE BRIDGES THE ONLY OBSTRUCTION,
Lieut.. Carter has just completed a de-
tailed survey of that portion of the river
which is obstructed, and he said that ex-
ceptlng the bridges the river is navigable
now. The Macon committee stated that
there are two steamboat companies which
are anxious to get their boats into the river
and they are waiting for the distractions to
De removed. Chairman Harris said last
night that the people of Macon expect to be
in communication with Savannah by water
by early fall. He seemed very much pleased
with Lieut.. Carriers disposition of the
matter. He said that it will be the means
OF increasing Macon's facilities to a remark
able extent
I'VE had arrived at that point" said Mr..
Harris, where we were forced to do some
thlng In order to save ourselves from being
handicapped by other South Georgia points
which have practically the same rate of
freight as Macon, by reason of their water
facilities"
MIR. Harris said that Amerious, for in
stance, has an eastern rate of less than 45
cents, which is exactly Macon's rate, not
outstanding that Macon is nearer Savan-
nah. Americas has Ascent freight rate
by being connected with Savannah and
BRUNSWICK by steamboats,, and is enabled
again to make that rate lower, because the
river line of boats and the railroad con-
necting with the boats are owned and oper-
ated by the same company.
MACoN's FREIGHT RATES.
"Macon isable to beat that though Mr..
Harris added; 1--WE are situated directly
upon the Ocmulgee. Americus is sixty
miles from the river.
II Macon is a greater distance by water
from Savannah than Americas, he said its
transportation is exclusively by water and
the railroad rate over the sixty miles of
road before reaching Americas would make
greater eastern rate than Macon and by
this means the Macon people would be able
to hold their territory.
Mr.. Harris said that Macon's average
daily freight aggregated 5000. He thought
that this amount will be lessened at least
$1,000 day by the river facilities. Not
only. he said, is it the wish of the people of
Macon that Lieut.. Carter may make the
Ocmulgee navigable, but the people of
eleven OF the states most prosperous coun-
ties
THE COMMITTEES STATEMENT.
In its statement to Lieut.. Carter the COM
mittee presented petitions from the people of
these eleven counties. They also drew a
map Of the river and the lands adjacent to
it. Ii was a statement Of detail They
showed what distance the people who live
upon the river are forced to haul their prod.
uce in order to market it, and to what ex-
tent the lands and property will
be improved when navigation is
restored. They referred to the con-
troller's books, where, ten years
ago, he advocated opening the river. From
data gathered from this source, it is esti-
mated that the taxable property will be
increased $4,000 by opening the Ocmulgee.
When navigation is restored the people will
ask for an appropriation to improve the
rive