The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-04
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encourage the people of Savannah. It
| shows conclusively that the business of
| the port and city is founded upon solid
/ and enduring basis and remains compare
lively steady under circumstances which
/ induce considerable fluctuations elsewhere.
| The general influences which affect other
! communities are. of course, felt here also,
/ hut the facts ana figures presented go to
| show that Savannah Is not dependent
upon blooms" or ephemeral upheavals
| for any degree of her prosperity; she
moves steadily onward and always up
/ ward. When there are hard times, she
/ discounts them, and when the times i'm
| prove, she is found ready to move forward
/ with the procession.
| Calculated in dollars and cents, there
! has been slight decrease in the business
! Of Savannah as compared with last year;
/ but the decrease is only in dollars and
| cents, and it is easily and naturally ac-
| counted for. Cotton, as is well known,
/ Is king here, and the value of cotton per
| bale during the year just past was 500
| less than for the year preceding. That is
| to say, the average value per bale for the
/
| value per bale of the crop OF lS96-97 was
| $500 This includes uplands aud sea is
| lands The difference in the value of cot
ton accounts for the slight decrease in the
total Of the years trade, and for the small
falIngeon in the bank clearances. In so
| far as volume of trade Is concerned, there
was an increase, and that of healthy
! ana promising character. The imports
were over a third more and the exports
| show an increase of 100000 over the pre-
ceding year.
Since our last annual review there have
been important additions TO our CONNER
cal facilities The railroads have greatly
! improved their docking and terminal ac-
Communications, having deepened the slips
| for the ships, extended the capacity of the
berthing space and greatly increased the
| freight room on tho wharves and in the
warehouses. That the channel is being
| constantly improved is evidenced by the
| fact that some time ago heavily laden
/ vessel drawing IS feet. went up to the
fertilizer factory wharves two miles above
| the city, without difficulty. From the city
to the sea the channel is steadily growing
deeper, thanks to the efficient system of
| government engineering works, and the
day is within sight when there will be
depth of twenty-eight feet over all, from
the city to the broad and open blue of the
Atlantic.
Under changes wl4,eh have gone into eff
| feet during the commercial year under re-
| view, Savannah now has practically
daily line of splendid steamships to New
| York. with close connections with other
northern ports There is in prospect at
present the establishment of new line
! between this port and Boston, by the
| Clydes. A strong company has been form
ed to conduct a line of direct trade steam
| ships between this port and Europe, and
the line is now ready for business. 1t be
| gins under most promising auspices, both
| for the city and itself. The establishment
of this line means that Savannah is to.be
kept in a position to compete iii freight
rates with other ports In short, the ener-
getic and enterprising business men OF Sa-
vannah are determined to see to it that
their city and port retain and improve up
on their commanding position in the COM
mercial world. 1t may not be out of place
just here to draw attention to the fact
| that there was not a loss of a dollar in
| cotton OF naval stores in this port by fire
| during the year past.
In manufacturing. Savannah is moving
ahead steadily The car manufacturing
| plant is now in operation, turning out fin
| ished products, the fertilizer and other
| long established plants are doing profitable
business, and a cotton oil refinery will be-
Sin operations shortly with bright pros
poets. A new petroleum company has
also made it's appearance among the To-
! cal business institutions. Agitation in
| favor of the establishment at this point of
the governments proposed armor plate
manufacturing plant is now going on. 1t
is believed that a vigorous campaign on
that line viii be crowned with victory.
With the armor plate plant here, dry docks
and a naval station would follow. There
IS no other South Atlantic port at which
these government institutions could be
established with so much advantage TO the
navy, and to the territory to be protected
The years business, taking all things
into consideration, was quite gratifying
to merchants, tradesman and others. Bus
mess was transacted upon a more bust
ness-like basis than had been possible for
some time; collections were better; profits
were better; money was turned over Of
tener Small profits were taken in many
instances where in other years merchants
would have been satisfied to come out
without actual losses. The territory which
the Savannah wholesalers claim as their
own is now in better circumstances from
! purchasing point Of view, than has been
the case for some time. The Florida ter
rtory has to a considerable extent recov-
cred from its misfortunes of several years
ago. ana is now once more taking goods
in gratifying quantities. One disagreea-
bic incidental feature ahead of our job
bling merchants is the trade excursions
which are being run to New York and
other northern markets. These excursions
l ara .na11 1af Il