The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-20
IT WON'T GO TO sAPELo.
The Macon and Atlantic Terminus
Scheme for That Point Laughed Ar

| The Macon and Atlantic Terminus
Scheme for That Point Laughed At
The talk Of Sapelo as q terminus for the
Macon aud Atlantic road is net considered
seriously here. A gentleman who makes il
a point 10 keep well informed about rail-
roads says that the Macon and Atlantic
will come TO Savannah, and is the natural
outlet for the Georgia Southern.
The talk Of high priced terminals is not
I justified by the facts. the gentleman went
on to say. No company can
bond a road 70 point where
there is no business, no town, no
connection and nothing TO attract it. There
is as much water, and more, he added, at
Savannah than at Sapelo, which IS only a
government quarantine station. Savannah
has deep water, connecting lines Of railway
and lines Of steamship 70 New York, Phila-
delphia, Boston and Baltimore. It has ex-
tensive banks, with large banking capital.
fertilizer factories and other industrial in
terests, and is the gateway to the west and
northwest, the naval stores depot where the
market of the world is fixed for naval
stores, and the natural terminus for all
projected railways TO the seacoast
referring 70 the statement that terminal
property cannot be obtained except at ex-
travagant figures. the gentleman said that
IL is a mistake. Hutchinson's Island affords
ample terminal facilities for all the pro-
jected railroads to the South Atlantic sea-
board, and he suggested that the South
Bound, the Macon and Atlantic and the
Middle Georgia and Atlantic could not do
better than to unite ia q union passenger
depot on the Savannah side of
the river and a double track bridge across
the river to the island, where ample termi-
nal grounds and water frontage can be OBJ
tanned. The former, be added, is happily in
the power of the city to dispose of TO rail-
roads at nominal figure to bring them to
Savannah.
Another prominent merchant on the Bay
said that not only Hutchinson offers ample
terminal property, but Fig Island would be
splendid property, with ample water
frontage, and he understands it can be pur-
chased at reasonable figure, and one not
calculated TO frighten off the Macon and
Atlantic to point on the coast where there
is not even village.
One of the most progressive and clear
headed members of the city council said to d
MORNING NEWS reporter that Mr. Sparks
has not yet conferred with the council to
see what can be done in the way of terminal
property. He went on to say that he be-
lieved the council would be willing to let
the Macon and Atlantic have ample
terminal property on Hutchinson's Island
and at nominal figure. He went on to
say tnat as Tar as he was concerned he was
willing to show liberal spirit in this direc-
ton, but he didn't want to be "bluffed"
into 1t. Savannah, he said, wants the Ma
con and Atlantic road to come here, but the
city is not to he frightened into dealing
fairly with 1t by the talk Of "going to Sa-
pelo." That, he added, is simply ridiculous.
1t is the general impression here that the
construction company is acting wisely by
suspending work on the Birmingham end of
the line and taking up the Savannah end.
Said a well-informed gentleman yesterday /:
''They can build this end of the road for
$1,000 or $4,000 per mile, and bond it for
$4,000 per mile, so that they will have a
handsome surplus toward building the
Birmingham end of the road, which cannot
be built as cheaply into Birmingham. They
will build from Triton to Thomasville and
have a surplus of $3.50. 900 to 100000"
mo one has ever doubted" the gentleman
went on to say, "that the Macon and At
lantic folks intend to build. 1t is certain
that they can get all the money they want,
and it is Just as certain that a few thousand
dollars for terminal property will not oper-
ate to divert the road from Savannah. 1t
is safe to say that Savannah will do what is
right in encouraging the projectors of the
road to bring it to Savannah
what about the Middle Georgia and At
lantic roadT the gentleman was asked.
II think it is bound to come through, -
was the reply. "Col. Machen may be work
ing slow. for IL is not an easy matter to get
money to build railroads, but know he got
$500, 600, and that is good start, and feel
quite confident he will be able to place his
bonds to complete the road"