The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-11
A NEW RAILROAD.
Is There Energy Enough in Savannah
to Build One?

to Build OneP
Editor Morning NelCS; 1 read with in
terest your article upon the railroads of
Savannah. We are nothing but cbn-
mercial city, or a distributing depot, and
we need more railroads to advance our
prosperity aud to contribute more business
to our port Railroads running from our
city do not necessarily now bring all the
to them to us. In these days
of quick transpor tation and railroad
consolidation much southern produce is 60
ing directly north. Look at Charleston
the roads there are no longer owned by the
city. That city is completely ignored,
and is now a finished city. The up county
that in olden times threw its wealth into
Charleston's lap now sends everything
north. The rates being made to that cad
by the northern owners of the roads.
Even the passenger trains bound south do
not go into Charleston.
This year we are short $4,000 bales of
cotton. This is not short crop. This cotton
has gone into the mouth of the Richmond
Terminal. Delivered at Newport News.
That port showing All increase equal to our
shortage. The Central railroad is only part
of a system. The whole must be made to
pay.
Now we want some railroad to the inte-
rior that the people of Savannah can call
their own. The two that you mention are
we'll worthy of our patronage, and they can
be built on the plan you suggest. l propose
that we commence to work on the Americas
road first. When completed to Americas
we will soon have a western con-
nection to Montgomery. When we
get there | have no doubt
We can make alliances with other roads
at this point, and Savannah will then have
a valuable through feeder to the west
under her own control How shall we
commence, on the plan you suggests Build
ten miles and iron it, make it complete.
Then mortgage it and build ten miles more
then mortgage that. In this way
the whole road can be built,
or approximately so. We may have
to put IN some more money for equipments
| think that the prospects of this road will
be so good that there will be no trouble in
doing this. The problem, then, is how are
we to get the money to build the first ten
miless Where there is no bridging roads
can be built through the pine tracts Of land
for from $1,000 to $4,000 per mile. Say we
have to raise 100000. Suppose 100 Of us
put in 81, 900 each. am willing to be one
contributor of that amount. / think we
ought to get that number of persons easily
in Savannah to put down that amount each
or let some put in $500 or $3.50 each to make
up the required sum.
If we do not get it back in dividends, we
will get it back in additional business, and
in increase in population and Increased
City IL renting our houses-or in pro-
viding employment for those who are Ia our
midst, instead of allowing them to 20 of
and help build up Other places. 1t looks as
though Savannah will never be much of a
manufacturing center, so the best thing we
can do IS to put our money in additional
railroads and make this a great shipping
point. 1t seems to me that it is only needed
10 will aud determine 10 accomplish this
work. AID it will be done.
Probably il would be well to call meet
ing of all our citizens that take an interest
and 20 to work on the matter at once |
am ready TO go to work If others think as
do and desire to cooperate. | think the
Central railrtad authorities would be big
fools to let us build line independent OF
them. This would only be an one ling
wedge for new line from Dublin TO Macon.
do not think they would, but they would
then see it would be necessary
Tor them TO 60 on with the
work. Let us organize IL would
be better for us TO have this road without
any Goulds or foreign capital. Let us 90
ahead, then, and lot it be understood that this
road will be built. IL the Central railroad
chooses to take it in hand well and good
If not it will be built anyway, and IL built
as an Independent line so much the better
Tor this city. We cannot afford 70 staRnate
IN savannah while other ci los are BUILDING,
a railroad wall around US. We want a short
line TO Florida, too, by Darien and ST
Marys Let us be up and doing. "The
Lord helps those that help themselves
PRoGREss.