The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-07
AN EDITORIAL JAUNT.
THE GEORGIA PRESS AssOCIA-
TONS TRIP TO KANSAS CITY.

THE GEORGIA PRESS ASSOCIA-
TONS TRIP TO KANSAS CITY.
Their Visit and Reception at Birming-
ham-How They Were Received at
Memphis and Springfield.
The readers of the MORNING NEWS have
probably not forgotten the frequent refer
ences made in its columns a few years since
TO the "Goodwater extension by which
it was proposed to connect the Central rail-
road of Georgia with the magic city of Bir-
mingham, Ala, and open up a business
with the coal and iron fields of the wonder
full country Of which that city is the natu-
raj capital. At the time the building of
of Savannah, it was stated that it would
be a part of great system which would
bring the grain and meat producing west
much nearer to the southeast, and at the
same time give them nearer route to the
sea. The completion of this railroad
was looked forward to as an epoch which
would mark a well-defined advancement in
the commercial Importance of Savannah.
The railroad was built from Goodwater to
Central railroad ran quietly into
the region where nature had
from the beginning, stored in earths bosom
not only iron, but coal and limestone, with
which it could be made useful to man. Re
turning, these trains have brought iron and
coal. The first to be distributed among
foundrymen and iron workers from the
Chattahoochee to the Kennebec and the
latter to supply the wants of the people of
one-half of Georgia and even those of
farther Florida.
The link, however, that was to bring
Georgia nearer to the far west, as it was
once called, was not completed when the
Central's system reached Birmingham.
The newspapers reported that the Kansas
City, Memphis and Birmingham railroad,
continuation of the Kansas City, Fort Scott
and Memphis railroad, was being built, and
that ere long there would be a continuous
short line come ting Kansas City with Sa-
vannah and also giving Memphis the Iarg-
est interior cotton market in the United
States, an outlet to the sea.
The work of railroad building progressed
so rapidly that the great project was COM
pleted before the people of the cities
that are SO greatly interested in il fully re-
paper men, who are always urging and
heralding improvements, were doubtful if
they could say that the route was really
opened for business.
The members of the Georgia Press Asso-
ciation' who were about to take their an
nual outing, were agresably surprised by
al invitation from Mai. M. S. Belknap,
the general manager of the Central rail-
trnOrol9 naxl fO
the northwest over the new route and thus
awaken the people to the fact that the
short and direct all-rail route from the
Upper Missouri and the Lower Mississippi
to the South Atlantic. through the coal aud
iron mines of Alabama and the cotton fields
of Georgia and Mississippi, had been estab-
liShed and was in actual operation. A
train of two sleepers, a day coach and a
combination smoker and baggage car. was
placed at the service of the Press
Association, under the charge of
W. L. Glessner, Esq, editor of the
Americas Daily Recorder, and commits
sloner of immigration of the Central rail-
road, with Conductor Hall and full crew
of porters and train hands. 1t was well
planned excursion. Every detail had been
arranged, and, as the sequel proved, the
arrangements were perfect.
A happier set of male and female mortals
never set out on days picnic with less care
and greater hopes than the sixty-five who
rolled out the depot at Macon on the even
ing of May %. 1t was a special train run
ming on its own schedule. AS it few by
station after station on its way to Column
bus, those who were about the DEPICTS won
dered what was up. Day light found the
train climbing over the hills that inclose
the mineral wealth of Alabama. Those
who observed the Topography of the
country appreciated the hestatancy at first
displayed by the Central railroads
directory in undertaking the work of build
ing the road from Goodwater to Birming-
ham. For miles, possibly along the entire
line, a succession of hills and valleys,
which, as the train dasheS along, reminded
one of jumping from one high church
steeple to another. Hill top and precipice
make up the country until near Birming-
ham, when nature appears to have been
less freakish and the landscape broadens
out into larger bills and gently rolling val
leys
OF course the excursionists stopped at
birmingham, which means visiting all the
country around. Mr.. Frank J. O'Brien,
the proprietor of the Age-Herdtd, assisted
by Mr.. Amos j. Cummings. of the New
YORK Sun, who was out ON a sightseeing
tour, took charge of the Georgia editors.
AA' cummings HlkttiJ years ago WOTk0u on
the SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS, and. of
course, his natural affinity was toward the
representative of that paper. Mr.. O'Brien
is probably the best-known man in the
mineral regions of Alabama. He is inter
ested in nearly all the enterprises that have
made birmingham famous. In addition to
owning the big morning daily of the city he
owns the opera house and the principal
motel. lie is, as his name would indicate a
native of Ireland, and has all the enthusi-
asm, hospitality and combativeness for
Wnlch his countrymen are noted. He is
noJ printer, as might be in
1erred from his connection with a news
paper, but a painter. He speaks land
swears probably in four languages,
and has barrels of money, all of which
ehtltle him to rank with the editorial fra
ternlty. After visiting places of interest in
I I4e city the party took the train on the
mineral Belt railroad, and made the circuit
OF the wonderful region about which SO
much has been said. The excur-
sonlSts stopped at a coal mine
Where there was no mine. The
ore is simply shoveled off the top and sides
OF the hill. Mr.. Kelly of Pennsylvania,
surnamed Pig Iron." who visited this mine
lew years ago, remarked that the iron in
1tIuStrles of Alabama needed no protection.
Inc great iron furnaces at Ensley were
visited. They are said to be the largest in
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