The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-15
KANSAS CITY WITH Us.
MIsSoURPs GROWING CITY WANTS
DEEP WATER FOE SAVANNAH.

DEEP WATER FOE SAVANNAH.
It VIII Open New Port for Live Stock
Shipments and WIZ Develop a Grair
Exporting Trade-Chsap Ocean Car
riags all That is Needed to Make
Savannah the Port Of Export for
the Cereals OF the West.
Capt. Purse received a letter yesterday
from Commissioner A. j. Valandinghem of
the Kansas City Bureau OF Transportation,
which commends itself to the business men
of Savannah 1t points out why Kansas
City is interested in the success OF the deep
water movement and the advantages which
will result, both to Kansas City and Savaa-
nab, from it. The letter is as follows:
kansas CITY, No. Dec. II, 1891.
D. g. Purse, Esq, President Board of Trade,
SaUdnndh, Ga:
DrAR SIRrYour recent visit in the interest Of
deeper water at Savannah aud the information
given as 10 the possibilities or the port OF Sa-
vannah. the relative situation of the cities of
Kansas City and savannah, and their possible
advantage 70 each other, will accomplish no
little good for both cities
Our commercial bodies gladly Endorsed the
resolutions asking congress to make the neces-
sary appropriations to obtain deeper water in
the channel OF the Savannah river. between Sa-
vaunah and the Atlantic, which, from the re-
port of Capt o. NJ. Carter. will require an APP
preparation of but Sa500,0O0 to deepen the
channel from its present depth of
% feet 20 20 feet, a depth that would enable the
largest vessels in the American navy TO use
your har6or ia time OF war, without danger
from attack of vessels in the open roadstead
outside. This alone should be sufficient in
csntve TO congress TO make the needed a9pro-
priation.
Tnar you may understand how great an ad-
vantage Kansas City can be to Savannah. when
you once get ample ocean tonnage sailing from
that port, and the railways are able to furnish
US proper car service, your attention is called
20 the following facts:
We have in the six states tributary to and
shipping most OF their live stock TO Kansas
City, 1888 s27 cattle, 9,472,sSS hogs, 67o6 si5
sheep, 4.09S. 564 horses and mules. We received
in one day within the past twelve months $50
carloads of live stock.
KANSAS cITY's STOCK YARDS.
It is an acknowledged fact that our stock
yards are the most convenient for the safe and
quick handling of live stock Of any In the world.
We are second only to Chicago as q live stock
market and packing center. Kansas City meat
and hog products are sold in every market on
the face of the globe.
When in Savannah last spring the first name
saw after getting out of the Central depot
was that OF one of our largest dressed beef ship
pere.
We shipped during the year ending June, 1891.
20510 barrels pork, 245, 577, 100 pounds bacon
40, S3s, 400 pounds lard, 2O8, 54s $50 pounds
dressed beef, 1,35S, 200 pounds canned beef nav
ing slaughtered in the same period 444,5l9 cat
tie. 1873 calves, 1853. 209 sheep, 2,223 100 hogs.
The fact that vessels can reach Liverpool
from Savannah ten days quicker than when
sailing from New Orleans, even allowing
twenty-f0ur hours difference in the inland haul
would be saving of nine days interest on money
invested in exports through Savannah as com
pared with New Orleans.
Previous TO my leaving the railway service l
MAJ quite an extensive correspondence with your
railway officials regarding the direct importa-
ton OF cattle to Europe from Kansas City
through the port of Savannah. We found the
rates satisfactory as compared with rates
through New York. but could not get sufficient
gnarantee OF prompt sailing Of vessels to pay
parties interested to construct necessary feed
Ing pens en- route and incur other necessary eX-
penses to handle such shipments properly.
with deeper harbor and the encouragement
incident thereto you could reasonably expect
one or more regular steamship lines with reg.
ular dates OF sailing from Savannah for Liver
pool, London and other European ports.
DIRECT LINES TO EUROPE.
With regular lines from Savannah to Europe
you could not only compete for live stock ship
ments, but could doubtless secure a large pro-
portion OF our packing house products which
now 20 out through the eastern seaboard.
promised you when here to give you some
data regarding grain and the possibility Of ex-
porting It through Savannah.
When last in Savannah examined the ele-
vator located on the Central railway tracks
anu for the size of the elevator, 2S5, 900 bushels
found it well equipped with storage bins six
large hopper scales. capacity 5000 pounds
each, conveniences for sacking, etc well located
for unloading direct into steamers holds
ana with possible repairs of $1,000 would be in
nrst-class condition. In fact, all you need 70
make Savannah grain exporting point Is the
grain and ocean rates at low enough figures to
compete with other ports. We can furnish the
gram II you can furnish the ocean rates at
proper ngures, and your railways can furnish
Their share or the cars, used in Transporting
the grain between Kansas City and Savannah
Based on rates through other ports and the
lowest rates so far quoted on European bust
ness destined from Savannah, which think are
about as low as the railways will make much
lower than is made on Savannah proper, lower
per mile than between st. Louis and New York
Newport News or Baltimore, your ocean rates
should not exceed to pence per bushel of
sixty pounds savannah to Liverpool
When your ship brokers are prepared to give
such nsuTes as these. or less, there will be no
Croaole IN finding in Kansas City some one to
lease your Savannah elevator and undertake. to
Keep export grain in it almost continuously
Until this can be brought about, I fear you can.
not successfully compete for western export
gram. Your merchants will doubtless tell you
however, that Kansas City now furnishes a
large part of the grain, hay and provisions con-
sumed in Savannah and vicinity
OUR PRESENT TRADE.
We are already receiving through Savannah
no little eastern business in connection with the
ocean Steamship Company, which would fur
nish west-oound loads for many empty grain
cars You doubtless remember that the state
ment was made by some of our leading mer-
chants at the Commercial Club when you were
mere, that over so per cent. of
their eastern goods came through Savannah:
many Others might have truly said the same
memphis Springfield, st. Joseph, Atchison and
Leavenworth, as well as Upper Missouri river
citles, have all found the line through Savannah
valuable factor in regulating their rates from
tne eastern seaboard and have USED it no little
on their west-bound business this season The
TACT has been demonstrated that 1t is not the all
rail lines who always give the most satisfactory
service.
You need our hay. grain -four, packing house
products. etc. We need your rice, naval stores.
lumber southern fruits and vegetables We are
willing to lend our influence in every way Dossi-
bic TO bring about the neeued work in the Sa-
vannah harbor, and desire to call your
attention the fact that we want a SINH
lar appropriation for our river Improve
nent, that we may have a regu-
lator OF freight rates. greater and more bene-
ncial than any other state or interstate law
governing transportation. Railways can evade
laws, but cannot evade competition, particu.
larry when that competition is free and uure-
strlcted water competition.
Savannah and Kansas City have many inter
ests IN common, are competitive in nothing Is
It not natural that they should work together
70 the interest of bothi
A. j. VALANDINGHAM,
Commissioner,
Kansas City Transportation Bureau.