The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-09
sh,nnirr for Savannah.

|
Casting about for suitable seaport along
the Atlantic coast through which the large
and increasing grain traffic concentrating
at Kansas City may find tie taciLltles OF
an outlet to the markets Of the world the
Kansas City Times cites aud discusses
briefly the relative advantages q all the
southern ports from Galveston to CharIes-
ton and then dilates az some length upon
the superior advantages Of Savannah.
Upon this point the Times quotes the
third edition of standard authorized pub
LEGATION called "Ths Port Charges Of the
| World, which is published under the auspi-
1 ces of the maritime exchanges of New York
/ and Philadelphia and the United States
| Secretary of State, the statement that "the
United States government had been en-
gagged in deepening the channel OF this
port. 1t had been the aim to secure chan
mel from the sea to the city Of twenty-five
feet depth at high water, but as the work
progressed it was seen that the trade Of the
port increased at 50 rapid q pace that the
depth of the water would be inadequate to
the admission of vessels of the larger class
which the demands of commerce now call
for. Consequently congress authorized the
Secretary Of War to CAUSE a survey of the
Savannah river to be made with view Of
obtaining twenty eight feet of water in the
channel. These improvements are progress
ing. The harbor is one of the best on the
southern coast. During the past year several
vessels Of over twenty-feet draft have passed
from the city to the sea and vice versa on
single tide. In one instance a vessel of
twenty feet nine inches was brought in"
To this the Times adds the statement that
"Savannahis 1853 miles from Kansas City,
or about the same distance as Baltimore.
To utilize this port by Kansas City would
require an inland rate not higher than the
rate to Baltimore and an ocean rate some
what less. And it suggests that an elevator
| of $50, GOO bushels, owned and controlled by
the Central Railroad and Banking Com
pany, and located on its wharf, can be
reached by vessels CT the largest tonnage
entering the port. There is now a large
movement OF west-bound business from the
eastern seaboard to Kansas City and Mis-
! souri, river points via Savannah. II this
business continues to increase. the surplus
Of cars south-bound will doubtless enable
the railroads to handle grain for export
| through Savannah"
Added to these manifo Id previous advan-
tages may now be considered the greatly in
creased western traffic acquired through
the new railway combination of the Central
and the Richmond Terminal lines and their
western connections bringing heavy acces-
| sions Of tonnage directly from Kansas City
| to this port.
Attention will thus be constantly drawn
| to Savannah as a seaport for western grain
and other products until with the process Of
deepening the channel the desired depth of |
water shall be secured to afford the neces- |
sary facilities for handling western prod
ucts OF all kinds in way to command the |
approval of shippers throughout all tribu-
tary territory.
Therefore no time should be lost in push |
ing forward these needful improvements. |
Confidence in our ultimate capacity to |
handle all shipping committed to
us will naturally be inspired by |
the energy we manifest in preparing for it.
Thus may we prevent the prospective
traffic from being diverted by the impa-
thence which might lead western shippers
to seek some other city in their eargerness
to secure satisfactory seaport outlet to
the foreign markets of the world.
Opportunities of this character do not
frequently present themselves to any city,
and we should make haste to seize the
advantages it offers to build up the
greatest commercial port on the South
Atlantic. Securing the traffic of one great
center of shipping will bring to US
many others in due course. Doubtless
there are other important commercial Gen.
tiers besides Kansas City that have an eye
upon Savannah as a possible ocean outlet
for their various commodities.