The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-15
MANY THOUSANDS LEFT HERE.
WHAT SOLDIERS AND TRANSPORTS
MEAN TO A FIRST CLASS PORT.

Heavy Expenditures Here Last
week Show That 1t Is Worth
while TO Work for Camps and Sc
lection rs n Point of EmbnrlSation.
savannah stands n Good Chance
of Being Further Used for This
Purpose When Lees Corps Is Ship
ped to Cubn.
Many thousands OF dollars were spent
by the soldiers OF the Third Regiment
during their weeks stay in Savannah.
When they came here it is estimated that
the regiment had in its possession some
$4,000, of which a very large proportion
undoubtedly more than half-was seft
in Savannah.
While some of this was spent idly, the
greater part was expended for additions
TO the food supplies furnished by the gov
eminent. for clothing. etc. Just before
the Minnewaska sailed considerable pur-
cfsses were made by both the officers aud
men OF canned vegetables and fruits 10
add to their daily bIn of fare. Large
quantities of tobacco were also bought and
the stock Of liquors for medicinal uses Is
said to have been fully adequate for the
more than a thousand men who sailed for
Santiago
Ten thousand dollars would be, we'll
informed authority says, a modest esu-
mate of the money expended in Savan-
nah, and SIS. OOO it is claimed would not
be passing the boundary OF reasonable
calculation.
What the regiment itself expended,
though, is far from having been all. As
much more would hardly represent the
total of the money expended directly on
behalf of the government. one bill IS
said to have been about 5000, there were
several for a thousand dollars or more,
and when all the accounts are in, the
total, 1t Is understood, may be $25.0O9
1.-THE presence of the aIinnewaska," said
q gentleman, who has been in close touch
with all matters connected with the trans
port, meant anywhere from $1,000 to ST.
900 a day expended, here. Forty thousand
dollars would hardly cover the total
amount of business done in Savannah.
This gives some idea of what it means
to a port to be selected for the embarka-
ton of troops, especially when 1t Is
business center, where heavy purchases
are possible, where the troops have an
opportunity to judiciously spend their
money, and where repairs and alterations
TO the ships can be made IL necessary.
Mai. Wills, who represented the quar-
termasters department and handled the
Rio Grande, Leona and MinnewaSka so
successfully, stated yesterday that he ex-
poets TO be in Savannah several days yet
closing up the business conhected with the
transports Mai. Willis was highly graft
ad wifi hA achieved here
record of three transports sent out in
such a short space of time, two within
twenty-four hours after their arrival
will he believes, draw the attention of
the department strongly to Savannah and
establish 1t in favor as a point for fur
Their use for this purpose.
IF the troops gathered at Jacksonville
ore to be sent 20 Cuba, as seems highly
probable" said Maj. Willis Savannah
certainly presents claims that entitle her
10 consideration. The MinnewaSka went
out from the city to the ocean drawing
twenty-three feet of water, in two hours.
Twenty-Five hundred men could have been
put on such a transport il necessary. The
Rio Grande and Leona were fairly rushed
out. They hardly got into port before
they were on their way to sea. 1t has
been demonstrated that troops can be
handled here expedltiously and under con-
ditions that can hardly be excelled in this
section. Jacksonville, l believe, has but
comparatively small depth of water. Sa-
vannah is nearer to Jacksonville, l believe,
than Tampa. I should consider this ports
chances quite bright if the departments
plans win permit of its use. OF course,
what 1 say is merely based on the good
results We have had here"
At Jacksonville the impression is gaining
ground that the troops there are to be
transported to Cuba as soon as the peace
commissioners provide for the evacua .on
of Havana and other points by the Span
iards. Sounding made at Jacksonville
show sixteen feet of water available, en-
tirely too little for such vessels as the
Minnewaska or other large transports, but
sufficient for vessels of a minor size.
The business end of the matter, il would
appear should induce Savannahians to
see that the advantages of this port, as
already shown, are not lost sight of at
Washington.