The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-08
eRoCERS MEAN BUSINESS.
COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO NEGo-
TATE FOR STEAMSHIPS.

IL Companies Now Here VIII Not
Move In the Matter Then COmmu-
nicatiOn Is to he Opened With the
Clyde, MunsOn and Other Lines.
Believed Trade Can BE Establish
ed With Cuba and Porto RicO-HOw
Industry-Many Anxious for Ships
to the West Indies.
The wholesale grocers have decided to
take steps at once TO see if Savannah can
not secure direct steamship connection
with the principal ports of the islands of
Cuba and Porto Rico. They will invite
the cooperation of other jobbers and
manufacturers when the proper time ar
rives, but for the present they are carry
ing out their programme alone, feeling
confident that as a compact organization,
representing large interests, they are quail
flied to grapple with all preliminary work
and lay the foundation for this new trade
movement.
There was largely attended meeting of
the association yesterday for the discus
sion of this matter Every jobbing house
in the grocery line in the city was prob
ably represented. There was but one opin-
ion among those present and that was
that Savannah could not afford to let
this opportunity pass. All were agreed
that the opportunity existed for profita-
BILE trade with the islands of the West
Indies, and that Savannah was especially
well located to secure large portion of
the business of both Cuba and Porto Rico
if her merchants made the necessary eff
fort.
After some discussion the following res
olution was introduced and unanimously
adopted:
Whereas, The Wholesale Grocers' As
ISOLATION of Savannah believes that this
city should be able to open up business
with Cuba and Porto Rico; therefore,
Be it resolved, That the president of
this association be, and he hereby is, di-
rected to appoint a committee of three
members of this association to confer with
steamship companies relative to their fur
nishing this port with steamship commu-
nlcation with these islands.
Resolved, further That said committee
shall first confer with the steamship COM
panies now doing business at this port.
and if possible make the desired arrange
ments In this way But If no arrange
ments that are satisfactory can be secured.
then the said committee is authorized and
instructed 10 communicate with New York
or other companies with the view of hay-
ing steamships run from New York to Sa
Yannah and thence to Cuba and Porto
faco, the wholesale grocers of Savannah
10 hoerally patronize such line as makes
the desired arrangements"
President Joseph Ferst stated after the
meeting that he would probably appoint
the committee to-day. The committee is
expected to see the steamship companies
now here at once, so that it can be known
as quickly as possible whether they will
consider the matter of placing steamships
on between this and West India ports. If
they will not do so, then communication
Will be opened with the Clyde line, the
Munson line, and others There are rea-
| sons to believe that with proper encourage
ment from the business men here suitable
arrangements can be made with one of
these companies. Private letters bearing en-
| this were read at yesterdays meeting
Outside of heavy shipments Of lumber
meats, flour, grains, groceries generally,
| dry goods, hardware, drugs, etc, which
could be made from this port to Cuba
and Porto Rico attention is directed by
MT. l. Is. 1ledenan 10 the fact that both
| islands are very large consumers Of rice,
the supply of which has heretofore been
derived from Germany and English con-
! Germs.
Porto Rico, which will be a possession
of the United States, will be especially
open to rice shipments from this port"
he said last night with a population
of less than a million it consumes about
100000 pounds of rice annually, or twice
the entire crop of South Carolina and
Georgia With the present tariff on rice
in our favor, this great expansion of the
market for rice should induce greater
production of the food staple in this coun-
try. Outside of shipments of our domestic
rice, we could, until our home production
met the demand, send foreign rice into
the markets of that island. 1 merely men
ton this as showing one of the trade
possibilities that lie open to us. Cuba
with its much greater population, is
| doubtless also very heavy consumer of