The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-30
WHAT STRANGERS SAY ABOUT IT.
savannah's system of House Number
ing q Cnriosity.


For several years the Morning News
has called attention to the ridicu-
lous and unique system Of house
numbering which exists IN Savannah. and
has urged the advisability and necessity
for changing it. The matter has at inter
walls been brought up in the city council,
talked over, referred TO some committee
and buried.
business men, private citizens and
strangers have alike ridiculed the pres
ent conditions and cursed about them. but
to no purpose. The conditions remain the
same, and the individual who has bust
ness to transact with the merchant at IA
Broughton street, or the fOundryman at
Z Broughton. or desires TO see party at
% Bolton street, or P2 Farm. is still as
hopelessly lost as if he were in the jungles
Of Africa.
The attention Of the Morning News was
called especially to this subject yesterday
by the remarks Of a northern gentleman
VINO was at the. De Soto. and who had
Mlthln the past day or two had occasion
70 struggle with these complications
Whlch savannah presents for the amuse-
ment Of visiting strangers.
gu nave a most beautiful city" said
ne, WIN the prettiest parks, the hand
soonest drives AMI the finest hotel that
i know or anywhere in the country south
or north, but why on earth don't Won
make things little more convenient for
me visiting business man? Business is
what makes town, and Savannah seems
70 ne alive and wide awake in most
thlngs, but the dead cities of Pompeii
ana Herculaneum were ahead Of SaVan-
nah in some things. They did have their
streets properly named and numbered.
. L nave been in the city some days"
the gentleman continued, and have had
occasion, on account Of my business, TO
visit nearly every section; and there are
two things the travelling man don't like
10 90. and those are to waste time or
ask questions. He wants to know, and
there are conVeniences at hand in every
city, ana at every frst-class hotel in the
shape OF city directories, hotel guides,
ETC. which should, and generally do sup
ply MIN with all needed Information
But mere in Savannah a man can consult
the city directory and get all his loca-
tons, and then be obliged to employ
guide to find the places
why, do you know" said he 1.-THE only
sections OF Savananh that are to-day any
where near fully numbered are where you
nave got this crazy-quilt business Of Al,
~ and &4 numbering. That beats any
thing that I ever saw. It's enough to drive
a man TO drink. How on earth Is a man
expected to know where to find a place
numbered like that? And how is a man
TO ind street, even, when there are not
more than a dozen legible corner signs in
the whole city?
by the way see that your directory
publisher states that this present system
OF numbering was established nearly
sixty years ago. ! think he must be mis-
taken, Tor II strikes me that IL must be
relic of Tomochichi and date back
ssDeral hundred nS years. Seriously,
improvements which you are making here
in Savannah, you are bound to get at
this numbering business before long for
the need OF change is great, and the an
noyance ana inconvenience of the pres
sional man."