The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-14
SAVANNAH OR SAPEL0.
THE MACON AND ATLANTIC'S TER
MINUS NOT YET FIXED UPON.

Island the Most Available Terminal
6ite-The Talk About sepelo.
MACON, GA, July IA cloud OF doubt
seems TO hang over the construction of the
Georgia Southern and Florida railroad from
Macon TO Savannah Once the road was
almost assured. Chief Engineer Wells
was out surveying from Savannah toward
Macon. and everybody thought the road
was going to DO built. The Georgia South
ern and Florida people had no idea but their
plans, which were then being laid, would be
carried out.
Things have rocked along easily enough
to the outside world, but the railroad build
ers' way began to get cloudy some weeks
ago. The terminal facilities at Savannah
began to trouble them
! President Sparks, Virgil Powers, and
| General Manager Lane are at work day
and night to get the kink out Of the scheme.
saw some of them a day or two ago, but
they were in no condition to talk much OF
| their intentions. TLey were unsettled.
| Their minds were not a unit, but one thing
was apparent-more figuring Is being made
on SapelO than on Savannah.
1T MAY BE sAPELo.
The general manager was asked if the re-
| port that the line had been DETECTED to
| SapelO Is true, and he replied by showing
what advantages that outlet has. be
said that II the line were run to Sapelo
the distance from Macon would be
a few miles greater than TO any other sea-
port town, but the question that influences
the company is, Where can the best facilities
be mad for the least outlay!
| Sepelo, said he, has better water than
most ports on the coast between Port Royal
and New Orleans. The largest tramp
steamers may come there at mem low
water. and they are not able to reach some
ports at high water. He added that the
terminal facilities of Sapelo are good. As
much water front as is needed can
be had without charge The property
owners living in that part OF
the country are anxious that all
railroads heading that way may come, and
rights OF way are given IN almost every
instance. He was asked If Savannah's COM
merclal Importance is not a consideration.
He said that it is, but, said he, that i'm
portance ceases to be inducing when the en-
trance to the port measures as much
expense as the construction of the other
part Of the line. He said that the matter
has been thought over long time. and the
advantages to the line from both
Sapelo and Savannah have been weighed.
Almost the entire wharf front in Savannah,
he said, is taken up.
SAVANNAH OR SAPELO.
Mr.. Lane said that the commercial i'm
portance of Savannah and the local ad-
vantages of Sapelo are the two
points to be decided between. If
the terminal facilities in Savannah
are to be secured, it is hardly probable that
the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad
will take front on the same side of the
river with the other two railroads. Hutch
inson island is being considered by them.
IL the managers can get the island, they
will build bridge north of the Exchange
and run across to the island. The general
manager said that the island would have
to be elevated and made great deal higher
than it now is. If it is settled upon by the
new line great deal of improving in one
way and another will be done. A ferry
line will be established from the depots on
Hutchinson Island direct across the river to
the exchange dock.
Mr.. Lane said that from the present out
look the new line, in case it enters Savannah,
will get its terminal facilities on the island.
The Georgia Southern and Florida railroad
people looked at the Gordon wharf with
view to buying it, but the general manager
said that the accommodations are not what
they want. The wharf is too small. The
entire wharf front is taken up, nearly. and
the establishment of another wharf will re-
quire a long time as we'll as an enormous out
lay of money. Abiding again to Savannah's
commercial advantages, he said the line of
steamers running out from Savannah will
be beneficial to any road centering here, but
the benefits will be limited. The Ocean
Steamship Company of course, allows others
to benefit by he line until the increase of
traffic will permit only one line to reap the
benefits.
STEAMERS TO SAPELo.
At Sapelo, he said, regular line of
steamers will be put on. Being the only
line from there, the business of the railroads
will keep it up.
Mr.. Lane added that it is not settled yet
as to what point on the coast the new line
will go. Everything. he said, is embryo.
Work is going on, however, on the prelimi-
nary survey short distauce from Macon.
Several surveys have been made, all of
which 60 out from Macon on the same
route until some miles east of the city.
SAVANNAH PREFERRED.
The general manager said that the man
agement would prefer, all things being
equal, the road to enter Savannah.
Everything, he said, has been done by the
road to get into Savannah at a reasonable
outlay. When it is settled that the outlay
is no smaller than what it figures up now a
detection of the line will b. made, most
likely TO Sapelo. The other portion of the
pleted to LaGrange. Work, the general
manager said, is progressing as rapidly as
possible, and before good many think the
| connections with the west will be made
The line is 225 miles, and the route from
Macon to the sea will not exceed 1855 or 10
miles.
The Georgia Southern and Florida rail
road is looked upon as one of the most en-
terprising lines IN the state. 1t is a de-
veloper, and the sections tributary to il
have improved remarkably since its con-
str lction. Its line from the sea to the west
is said to be considerably shorter than any
other line.
MONEY BEHIND 1T.
The hackers of the company are able to
put up any amount of money. Thew built
the line to Palatka when everybody thought
they were trying to sell out.
The construction Of that line is the won
der of old railroad men. The improved
machinery employed enabled them to have
the road in operation in less time than any
road which has been built in Georgia OF
late years.
The manner in which the new road has
gone about its business, the facilities which
1t has offered and the accommodations
which it has give B., have served to make il
popular. Its movements are watched with
a great deal of pride by Macon people and
by people all over the section OF
the country through which il
pas ses, for that matter. The new line will
make the permanent survey TO the sea in a