The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-24
RAILROADS IN READINESS.
PREPARED To NOV e TROOPS AT A
NOME WIS NOTICE.

Months Ago the Roads Were ASISe ed
for information as TO Facilities for
Hauling Troops Now They VIII BE
Given Chance TO Demonstrate
Them--NOtiGed to Have Cars in
Readiness for Us,e--The Big Move.
ment TO Begin TIL Is Week-Florida
Lines VIII Get " Ost of the BUSH
ness-Icisht EiGht-Tnch Guns win
he SHIPPED to and # rom Savannah.
The railroads have been notified by the
war department to be ia readiness for the
handling of troops. This time it has not
been TO ask them what facilities they can
AFFORD. but they are TO be ready at mo-
ment's notice.
The Florida Central and Peninsular has
been notified that the war department
would need it's services In the transpor-
tation Of large number of troops at an
early dateto Florida. The other lines en-
tering Florida are holding themselves in
readiness.
In answer to the call made by the de-
partment the Florida Central and PENN
sular has arranged to have 100 cars so
placed as to be ready for service at few
hours notice. These will be sufficient for
the movement of 5000 men, and more cars
can be gotten to any point desired on
short notice.
Some months ago the roads were called
upon to furnish information about the ia
cilities they could afford for the rapid
handling of troops. Now the call for in
formation has been changed to a request
that transportation be afforded troops at
moments notice. All the roads have
been notified by the government to be In
readiness.
An official of the Florida Central and
Peninsular stated yesterday that he be-
lieves the road viii be called upon before
the expiration of this week to furnish
transportation for many soldiers. He has
received information that leads him to be-
heve the movement will be on in a few
days.
While there are no troops moving Just
at present, the activity of the war depart
ment in moving big guns has not ceased.
One OF the roads received request yes
terday to furnish an estimate upon the
Weighing $1,000 pounds each. The guns
are 70 be shipped 10 Savannah from New
York, but it is not known what their des-
tination is to be. The teieerams stated
that Information was desired regarding
the facilities that could be afforded for
transferring the guns from the cars to
vessels.
Surmises are made as to the destination
but nothing definite about it is known. II
is thought it cannot be far from Savan-
nah, or the government would not ship by
water from this point. The vessels might
be too easily captured by some hostile
cruiser to admit of the guns being shin
ped to any distapt point Warsaw and
St Simons where Notifications are now
III course or construction, are mentioned
as the places % which 1t may be the in
tention of the department to ship the
guns.
I The bids are to be opened on the ship
ment In few days. Ii is likely that the
movement will follow shortly after the
route is decided upon
Nothing definite has. lately been heard
by the Plant System with regard 10 the
S-inch gun it was proposed to have sent
to Fort Pulaski. kilograms were received
by the general freight Office of the sytem
calling for bids on the gun and its car
rage, and information about transfer ia
eilities afforded for getting the gun from
the railroad to the island. This informa-
ton and the rate was given, but only one
or two kilograms, with nothing TO show
the shipment is soon 10 be made have re-
suited.
The war department seems not to have
abandoned the idea of getting the heavy
gun to Fort Pulaski as a reserve battery
for the guns at the Tybee Notifications,
but IL is slow in sending IL down.
The light battery of artillery, which
spent several weeks in camp at Tybee. left
yesterday afternoon for Chbckamauga
where it will be added to the forces now in
camp there.
The battery left Tybee at
o'clock, sixteen cars being
/ used for the officers, the men,
the horses, the guns and the camp equip
! age. The train came to the spur of the
| Plant System that taps the Tybee road
and then 10 the junction OF the Plant Sys-
| tenn and the Central