The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-12

Where 20 Bcgin the Work.
The industrial committee. appointed b.
the city council 20 take up the question OF
+ encouraging the building Of factories in
this city. has acted wisely in selecting a
sub-committee on roads. drainage and az
riculture. There is every reason why a
strong effort should be made 10 interest
capital in Tho building OF factories In and
around Savannah II can be satisfactorily
demonstrated that factories here would
pay a gcod-dlviIend on the money invest
"a tn them Tho raw material for many
kinds Of manufacturing can be obtained
here more cheaply than elsewhere. and we
have the advantages OF ceptionaly good
transportation facilities and plenty Of
cheap labor. The work Of the Industrial
committee IS 20 make known these adj
vantages 10 those who are seeking invest
ments.
But there Is = great work for the sub
committee 20 do-a work that must be
pushed vigorously If the industrial com
mittee IS 10 accomplish much. It is work
that promises great returns. IL is the de-
vclopment OF the agricultural resources
of Chatham county. These resources are
immense. There are very few who know
anything about them. because they know
nothing about the county.
But, it may be asked. how are these re-
sources to be developed? That question Is
easily answered. By drainage, by good
roads, and 10y adopting the no fence law.
The drainage is progressing slowly, but
surely. And it is astonishing how quickly
the rich swamp lands are being put under
cultivation, where they are drained.
These lands are as rich IS any in the
world, and when properly cultivated.
yield immense crops. The drainage work
must be pushed as vigorously as the
means at command will permit.
Nothing much has been done i'm road
building, and there is persistent effort
TO block the building Of what would be one
Of the most important roads in the county.
The policy Of obstruction should be aban-
doned at once. All should work together
for the common good. We must have
good roads before the work Of opening up
new farms viii be undertaken in earnest.
We must adopt. the no fence law. 1t is
imperatively necessary that we should
do so. And we can adopt It If we go about
it in the right way. Preparations for an
other election should be begun at once.
However well the county may be drained
and however good the roads may be, pro-
gress in developing the resources Of the
county will be slow so long as farms
have to be fenced and the drains are con-
tinually destroyed by cattle
Chatham county is capable Of supporting
a very large population. and if all of its
best lands were under cultivation its pro-
ducts would add greatly to the volume of
the business Of the city. The lands cult
waited would be very valuable, and would
yield a very large sum in taxes. AS they
are, they are comparatively Valueless.
The owners Of nearly all the land in the
county live in the city. and they pay
nearly all the county taxes collected out
side Of the city. 1t is the citys affair.
therefore, to press this matter of the de-
velopment of the resources of the county.
The industrial committee should give il
special attontion-should make It the very
Of it's efforts in behalf of fac
tories, and, as a beginning. it should i'm
press upon the city the necessity for put
ting the parts of the public roads within
the city limits in good condition at once.
fwf