The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-19

Maj Hartridge, at whose instance they
came to Savannah, that they propose TO get
up an excursion party this winter, and
bring their families here.
NOT EMPTY TALK.
Gen. Alexander said that the visitors
meant more than common courtesy in the
| hattering words they had for the city. The
sincerity of their astonishment at the
amount OF tonnage handled here, and the
facilities for handling it. was apparent. and
their observations gave them quite differ
emit view Of Savannah as a busy seaport.
Maj. Hartridge had better occasion to
learn their views than probably any other
member of the committee, and he says that
the visitors expressed to him their surprise
at the wealth of the marble fields of Geor-
gia, and the volume of business done in
Savannah, and they said that there ought
to be two steamships a week plying between
Savannah and Boston, instead Of one, as at
present.
Mr.. EAGER's IMPRESSIONS.
Mr.. Eager, who chaperoned the party in
the inspection of the marble Quarries, and
who accompanied it to Savannah, left for
Marietta last night on the Central. To
MORNING NEWS reporter Mr.. Eager said
before leaving that he had not beel in Sa-
vannah for ten years until yesterday, and he
was not little surprised himself at the
commercial and industrial progress the city
has made since his last visit He said that
the Massachusetts visitors were carried
away by the Inequalities extended them
here, which was so unexpected, as the time
was so short, and they carried with them
not only enlarged views of Savannah as a
city Of vast commercial Importance, but
the kindlisst feelings for its hospitable
people,
THE VISIT TO THE QUARRIEs.
During their southern trip the visitors in
spected the American Marble Companys
mills at Marietta, and then took a train on
the Marietta and North Georgia railroad
and visited Tate, examining the Creole,
Cherokee, Etowa, Kennesaw, Dark Creole
and Light Cherokee quarries, and the mills
of the Georgia Marble Company. They
also visited the mills and four quarries
of the Southern Marble Company on
the branch road four miles beyond
the Georgia Marble Company's quarries.
The tour of the quarries occupied two days,
and Mr.. Eager says the biologists and
architects were very highly pleased with
the quarries and much surprised at the
extent and variety of the marble. They
found the marble superior to the Vermont
marble, and ten times more of it, easier of
access and not as readily discoloring or de-
terloratlng under exposure to the elements.
THE MARIETTA AND NORTH GEORGIA.
Referring to the progress of the Marietta
and North Georgia, Mr.. Eager said that it
will be completed to Knoxville by the latter
part of May or the first of June The
road is In operation as far north as the Hia-
wassa river, and the grading has been CON-
pleted between jacksonville and Knoxville,
distance of forty-ive miles, and track
Lying is progressing at the rate of one-half
mile day. After the holidays the tracklay-
ing force is to be increased, and rails are to
be laid at the rate of one and one-half mile
day. The road will form a junction at
Knoxville, with the Knoxville, Cumberland
Gap, and Louisville road which
connects with the Louisville,
and Nashville, making short line to Louis
vile and Cincinnati, and the Marietta and
North Georgia, and connecting roads tap
the richest copper, zinc, iron, manganese,
soapstone, coal and marble fields on the
continent.
TO SHIP MARBLE HERE.
Mr.. Eager says that large shipments of
marble and manganese are coming from
that section via Savannah for northern and
European ports, and when the Marietta and
North Georgia extends its road from Mari
eta to Atlanta the shipments via Savannah
will be largely increased, and for manifest
reasons, as they now have to pay
four-ninchs as much freight tariff for
using the state road for distance of twenty
miles only as they pay the Central from
Atlanta to Savannah. There is a gap in
the Marietta and North Georgia road, be-
tween Springtown and jacksonville, of
thirty-eight miles, one-third of which is
graded, but every foot Of the road from
Springtown to Knoxville is under contract,
d the city of Knoxville will pay the rail
road company $275, 900 if that city is reached
by Aug. % next, and MeSsrs. Eager and
Hartridge have no doubt shat the road will
be in operation long before that.
TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS WITH CENTRAL.
Mr.. Eager says that when the Marietta
and North Georgia completes its line from
Marietta to Atlanta it will then make
reciprocal arrangements with the Central,
and Mr.. Eager was In conference yesterday
afternoon with Maj G. A. Whitehead,
general freight agent Of the Central rail-
road, looking to special rates to bring the
output of the North Georgia marble
quarries via Savannah for northern cities.
The conference between Mr.. Eager and
Maj. Whitehead was quite satisfactory and
further negotiations will be made by mall