The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-09
THE SAVANNAH AND WESTERN.
Rich Timber, Iurpentine and Farm
Lands to be Developed by It

A6uQS 70 De Developed Dy II.
Capt. A. A VIM, who has just returned
from visit to Oak Hill. in an interview
with MORNING News reporter yesterday,
said that the Eden extension, or, as 1t is now
known, the Savannah and Western rail-
road, IS making fine progress, being now
beyond Black creek, a small but sluggish
stream at the railroad crossing. There is a
large swamp on each side, requiring about
20 feet Of trestle-work with the bridge.
Now that Black creek has been crossed, the
force Will encounter but few obstacles, as the
country Is high with pine forests and hum
IN ok Ia IDS. which continue far beyond Oak
Hill, the lands of Capt. John Morrison, a
dls ance of about seven miles from the
Junction The Morrison lands, through
which the road will run, are high and dry,
with an abundance Of heavy pine,
black jack, oaks. and some hickory, inter
spersed with fine fields of corn and cotton.
Work is progressing on the switch at Oak
Hill, near the residence of Capt. NJ ,rrison,
and the engineer in charge, Capt. Dabney,
expected to leave reached the neighborhoOd
OF Morrison's place on Saturday last, but
rain and unforeseen difficulties prevented.
Capt. Winn said that it is the intention of
Engineer Dabney to establish the first gu
lar depot on the place Of Capt. Morrison,
and II is said that no better selection C Juld
have been made, as Capt. Morrison's
place i perhaps the best location for depot
facilities to be found in all that section of
country. Oak Hill now resembles a good
sized village. Ia addition to his handsome
residence, Capt. Morrison has a
large turpentine distillery, a large
store house, stables, barns, outhouses,
and quite a number of small
tenements, where his seventy-fve to one
hundred hands are quarterej. Capt. Nor
| rison and the people of that section are
reJolced at the progress being made, and
the early prospects OF having railroad con-
| nection with toe outside world.
IL Is predicted by the people whom Capt.
VIM met on the trip that when the road
is completed, that section, and especially
tue hhe highlands mentioned, will, at no
distant day, be dotted with stations and
prosperous villages The site for the sta
ton TO be established at Oak Hill is one of
the finest locations in the county. There
| Is good, pure water in abundance, the To-
callty is free from malaria, and the high
lands and dry atmosphere make it a desira-
bic place for thriving village.
Tne county in this immediate section
Capt. VIM said, is well developed, but the
location of the Savannah and Western will
expand the farming interests, as we'll as the
Immense naval store business, to places
! hitherto remote from railroad facilities.
Capt. Morrison has In the past shipped
much of the products of his plantation and
extensive turpentine farms by the Ogee-
cnee river, but he proposes, in the future, to
| ship entirely by the new road, and will urge
others to do likewise. He estimates a very
large Increase In naval stores shipments.
Lumber men, who have hitherto refused to
locate in this section and wo. the immense
material on account of the want of proper
facilities for moving it to market, will now
be induced to come in and establish mills
hfre S,,E, Nt-G -
th usandS OF acres of fine forest lands and
push the turpentine interest to places and
sections OF country not now utilized or
readily accessia de The virgin timber which
can be offered mill men is very fine, and in
abundance along the line Of the new road.
IL Is said that several capitalists have signi-
fled their intsntion to establish mills as soon
as better facilities are offered for shipment
to this market.
For tue same reason--a lack of rapid
transportation facilities-the fruit and vege-
table interests of Bryan county have suf-
tered in the past for market. Bryan is
said to be one of the finest sections in the
state for melons, and many have rotted in
the fields for lack OF transportation. The
building of the Savannah aud Western will
add largely to the increased acreage of
truck farms and melons, which eau be grown
In abundance, adding largely to the pros
perity of those who engage in the business.
The people along the line of the new road
way say tuat the increase in the production
OF naval stores, lumber and farms will be
very large, and they predict that with this
large increase Of the naval stores, lumber
and agricultural products the building boom
will also strike the country and add largely
to It's wealth, and give Savannah the build
ing OF an immense amount of the country's
esources now undeveloped and awaiting
the whl,tle of the locomotive to lead to
their rapid development.
Since the Central has assured the people
OF that section that the Savannah and
Western railroad will be built, lands along
| its projected line have increased in value
| fully 100 per cent. The demand for forest
lands is good, but before the road was
started the lands were drag, in fact could
have been purchased at most any prics.
| While tie rains have retarded the work on
| the read, the people feel confident that at
an early day they can visit Savannah by
rail-
The Hawkins force, which is working
toward Savannah, Capt. VIM was in :
formed by gentlemen fro n Sterling, where
1t Is to meet the Savannah and Western, is
making good progress. When the road
reaches OAK Hill it is proposed by some to
| have a big blowout in honor of the event,
and Capt. Morrison is expected to do the
honors Of the day, and as his hospitality is
proverbial the occasion will be a magnifi-
cent affair.
Capt. VIM reports crops in Bryan good.
In fact, the yield is greater than for many
years past,