The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-04
SAVANNAH LOOKED FOR IT.
Nc SURPRISE OVER IT'S SELECTION
As PORT OF ESIBARKATION.

CITY WIN Have Camp sites I'm Readi-
ness for Troops as Soon Motif
hed-AvOndaIe Already selected.
Officers Expected Here to Arrange
Details for Camp ami Hospital.
Business Men JubiIant over the
Prospects of Business.
The authoritative announcement that
Savannah has been selected as the port OF
embarkation for troops to Cuba and
as an army hospital site will not
be as a surprise TO many people.
Those who were thrown with Sec
Tetary Alger and his party when recently
here to look over the city have thought
all along that Savannah would come out
winner in its fight for the distinction
That the government should so highly
indorse the Savannah harbOr, and that,
too, with so little solicitation, beyond a
fair presenta ton of the facts, is some
thing business men do not fail to appre-
ciate. One merchant asserted that this is
the greatest thing for Savannah since the
building of the Central Railroad, and he
believed the business interests would reap
a rich harvest from the increased demand
Tor goods of all kinds. The hospital will
also be located in Savannah, which will
swell the demand for food and supplies,
and Will give the city many benefits, for
which it will furnish superior advantages
to the government in the shape of harbor
facilities and a healthy hospital location.
Officials of the city government had not
been notified of the designation of Savan-
nah up to last night, but when asked
about il, they expressed the belief that
an officer would be sent here, either from
Jacksonville or Washington, to make the
necessary preparations. The camp and
hospital site are yet to be definitely Sc
lected, though the officials at Washington
have all the necessary information before
them, and will therefore, have no trou-
bic i'll promptly attending to this duty long
before time for the troops to begin com
ing.
Mayor Meldrim has been absent from
the city for two weeks, but is expected to
return to-day. He left authority with AL
derman Guckenheimer to take any steps
ne deemed advisable in case troops were
ordered here, however, and should the
Mayor not return before the army officials
get here, there will probably be no delay
in proceeding to make such preparations
as may be required.
Avondale will likely be the place for en-
campment of such troops as may embark
from here. 1t is the most convenient spot
for making sewer and water connections
which the city has agreed to do, in case
the government decided to use this as a
point of embarkation. The water connec-
ton will likely be from the junction of the
Waters road and the Savannah, Thunder
bolt and Isle of Hope Railway. A main
now runs along the railroad track as far
out as the Waters road and it is proposed
to run an eight-inch pipe from there to
the range. When this is done the lateral
pipes can be put down as they are need
ed.
1t Is proposed to make the sewer con-
nection with the Bilbo canal. The city
will have to order a considerable lot of
pipe for this purpose, as it is some dis
lance to the canal, but it is the best ar
rangement that can be made.
Just where the hospital will be located
is also matter yet to be settled. Col
Cleary, chief surgeon OF the department of
tne Gulf, was in Savannah two weeks ago
and inspected the proposed site south of
Estill avenue and Bull street, for the pur-
pose of making report on it TO Surgeon
General Stenberg Before any action is
taken this report will probably be awaited
Besides the Bull street site, Desvergers
Point, near Thunderbolt, has also been
cons dered. This site was recently visited
by Surgeon General Sternberg on his re-
cent visit with Secretary Alger The. Sec
rotary, however, did not see DesVergers
Point. Other places may be suggested
when the time comes for definite action.
Until some officials arrive to direct the
work, of course no preparations can be
made Everything is in the dark yet. but
there will probably be definite information
soon about what is to come, so that the
city can begin its preparations It Is not
known TO what extent this will be neces-
sary, but Secretary Alger is reported as
saying when here that no more than~1O.OO0
troops would be sent to Cuba, If that
many,