The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-12
SAVANNAH IN THE "rHIRTIEs."
cao-ze T. g. Whites "Reminiscences
of Fifty Years Ago

cao-xe T. g. Whites "reminiscences
Of Fifty Years Ago
Mr.. George T. g. White. southern mana
-.r Of the Equitable Life Assurance Soci-
CIV has been in the city several days,
st ~ the De Soto. Mr.. White is a native
rcavannah. having been born here In
-cS6 Ne left Savannah with his father in
80 ar the age Of IS years. he Is gen.
! 80 of fine physique, and is very inter
ting conversationslst. he was seen yes
tsr5ay morning by MORNING NEWS
rsnreseutative, and he gave an interesting
lsasScrintion of Savannah and its people
wnen he was boy.
Wben Mr.. White left Savannah, forty
--ears ago. the limits of the city did not
md bevond Liberty street. Just south
- the De Soto was large common used
50 hall ground. The business portion of
~ ~. TN was confined exclusively to Bay
lat ~ and Market square. and Broughton
So TUas the fashionable residence street
81 tha ctv. Rice fields bordered on the
u limits and it was thought to be sure
eaoth for anyone, to sleep night in that
ccalIty. r,,.,. -,
INC of the Central railroad, and It's first
,-esident. Col. w. W. Gordon. Col. Cor
~ vas one of natures noblemen, said Mr.
I Whita and did more for the development
- savannah than any man OF his time. The
- o,yes him debt that can never be re-
S,a;d When the Central was built a meet
If citizens was held on the commons,
nrd snseches were made by prominent men
of the time; to illustrate what railroad
IooLad like. pieces of rail were laid on the
r.ronnd. for the inspection of the people.
Mr. White is enthusiastic over the future
osSavsnnab. The marvellous growth Of
- citv surprised him. What struck him
more forcibly than anything else is the
g-eat sanitary Improvement of the city.
the only thing Savannah needs now to
make it the leading Guy OF tne state is the
hearty cooperation of its citizens. Every
dolIar spent in improvements, Mr.. White
sinks. will produce excellent results.
The erection Of the De Soto, said he,
sboTys what can be accomplished by unani-
mitv of action. he feels satisfied that the
nom3forts and beauties of the Do Soto will
he the means of attracting large numbers of
Northern visitors to Savannah, who. if the
citizens cultivate them, will be disposed to
u,ata investments here There is nothing
Tbicn tends to build up southern cities more
than kindness and courtesies extended to
Strangers Mr.. White said when he used
tba word courtesy he meant that old time
southern hospitality Tor which Savannah
| stands pre-emlnent.
IRE new railroads which are already
hnilding into Savannah, he added, will be q
great step forward in the cityS develop
ment.
prsed Mr.. White most; during his resi-
dence here wharves were very few and far
apart.
said Mr. White, "has been the lack OF indi-
yiduality OF its citizens. / am glad to see,
however, that the people are waking up to
the subject of improvements. See what has
made Atlanta the city it is. Every man,
woman and child thinks the sun rises and
setsin Atlanta, and they talk of their town
wherever an opportunity offers The re-
suits speak for themselves. Savannahians
should be equally alive to matters OF this
kind"
Tybee, Mr.. White said, will, beyond any
doubt in his mind. be the Long Branch of
the south in the next few years. He re-
called the remarkable fact that when he
was boy people never thought of going to
the seaShore in the summer, but always
seemed TO prefer the winter months.
Mr. White is an enthusiastic southerner.
No matter how long he lives away from its
balmy cline, he said his feelings are with
its people, and his heart beats in unison
with theirs.
Mr. White has been representing the
Equitable society for over twenty years,
md he said that while he is now 60 years
Old he feels satisfied that he is good for
twenty-five years yet, aud he expects to de-
vote the balance of his days to the insurance
business.
Mr. Whites father was the Rev. George
White, D. D., an eminent Episcopal divine,
vino was we'll known to many Of Savan-
nah's older inhabitants. He taught school
here for anumber of years, and had among
his scholars some Of tie best families of the
city. Many Of his former pupils
are today prominent business aud
professional men of Savannah. Among
his pupils were the Berriens,
Bartows, Burroughs. Nichols, Lamars,
Anderso1s, Sheftalls, Minis, Understands,
Hunters, Myers, Fallganrs, Saussys, Owens,
Sniders, McAlpins, Champions, Cohens,
Russells, Neuvilles. Elliotts, Bancrofts and
others
DR.. White was a great student of con-
chology, mineralogy and botany. He was
the author Of "W hite's Statistics of
Georgia" He removed from Savannah to
Marietta in 1913, and from there to Mem
phis, where be was pastor of Calvary
church for thirty years. He died in Mem
PMS at the advanced age of So.
Mr. White will remain in the CITY several
days, looking AFTER the interests of his com-
pany, and calling On his old acquaintance.