The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-25
THE MERCHANTS ASSOCIATIONS.
VIII BE One of savannah's Strongest
Commercial Organiza tiOns.


Commercial Organiza tiOns.
The Merchants Association, which was
! organized day before yesterday by the re-
tail merchants of the city, is expected to
prove one of the strongest commercial or
CARNATIONS in Savannah. Practically
every retail merchant in the city is
member, and the united strength of the
association is very considerable.
Many people are not aware that large
proportion of the wealth of the city is
centered in the retail lines, but such is the
case, as can be easily shown by the books
of the tax collector and the city treasurer.
One Of the prime objects of the associa-
ton is to increase the retail trade
of the city. One of the best means of
doing this il is believed, is. by cheap
excursions, bringing in people from the
surrounding country. These excursions
were inaugurated a year or so ago, and
proved very Successful, but were brought
to stop by the railroads, which began
to fear that they were doing too much
for Savannah. 1t is believed, however,
that if inaugurated again, no such obsta
Gle will be met with.
The merchants OF the city forming the
Merchants Association received circulars
yesterday from Assistant General Passen-
ger Agent H. c. McFadden of the Plant
system assuring them of the interest and
corporations of the system in their pur-
pose of commercially aiding the city. The
circulars contained further information
regarding the big excursion the railroad is
to run tomorrow from cambridge and all
intermediate points to Savannah. This
will be largely a trade excursion. Those
coming in on 1t will have two days in the
city, and there is no doubt that many OF
he n will Ia ci
ing here.
Mr. McFadden says the railroads will
doubtless all be glad TO serve
the merchants by running ex-
cursions on occasional requests
being made. There are a number of con-
siderations that render the railroad I'M
willing to adopt any stated time for the
running of these excursions. They would
not select special days OF the week or
month and then advertise trade excursions
for those days, as the results would prove
injurious to the interests of the roads. II
any particular day of the week should be
designated and a low rate advertised on
| account of trade excursion the passen-
ger business would be rather demoraliz-
ed. Patrons of the roads who would travel
earlier at the regular fare, would proba-
bly, il it would not inconvenience them,
wait until tho cheap days to ride.
These regular trade excursions, EIr. Nc
EaQuen says, nave Deeu tIi6u ny q mum
Der of roads which have
found them Incompatible with
their interests. Jealousies are engendered
against the cities to which they are run
and claims of Determinations are made
when one city is given the regular trade
day excursions others want them. Then,
too, the merchants of the country and
small towns. who are the railroads Gus
toners, and receive all their stocks in
| trade over their lines, think it a hardship
that their carriers will take their legiti-
mate customers away to other places to
trade.
The merchants did not fully expect that
regular excursion days would be adopted.
They would, of course, like to see them in
| effect and large numbers of people from
surrounding territory brought u the city
| to do their trading on some
| regularly assigned days They appreciate
| the railroads objections, however, and
| will hardly seek to overcome them.
Mr.. B. II. Levy, president of the ASSOC
| citation, says that the cooperation of the
| railroads with the merchants is all they
| desire. They would like to have excur-
| sions run, when they think the city's in
| terests demand them, and are willing to
| help the roads advertise and get the
! crowds.