The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-23
sAvGNNAH's FORWARD MARCH.
FORMER sAVANNAHIAN VISITS
THE CITY AFTER 20 YEARS.

works of That city Here a
,-t.tt-He Talks of the Improve
,,ents which Have Been Made.
Mr.. Howell Praises Savannah's
1Vcu Paved Strcets and Their
rleanIiness-He Comments Upon
the Growth of the City and lis
Prospects.
,lr. ]. c. Howell of Chattanooga is in
che civ, visiting his sister, Mrs. T. j.
charlton, on Oglethorpe avenue. Mr..
Howell is a well-known railway man of
,be tennessee city, superintendent
of the passenger station and interested in
a large transfer business. He is also a
member of the board of public works in
chattanooga and has devoted part Of his
time while here to inspecting and admir-
ipg some of Savannah's pub
lie improvements. Mr.. Howell
is a former Savannahian, hav-
inc spent his boyhood here and also hav-
ing begun his business career in sayan-
nah.
my first employment said Mr.. How
I'll Yesterday, was with the late William
Wade. at the Savannah cotton presses. A
number of my old friends and acquaint-
anees are still here and some of them
have evidently done well for themselves
There have been many changes since
left savannah The Savannah of to-day
is great improvement on the Savannah
of twenty years ago. When I left Sa-
vannan the city had no paved streets,
cobble stone and shell. To-day it is one
Of the most handsomely paved cities in the
South. One of the most noticeable changes
TO me is that whereas nearly all the ship
ping business was then done under the
bluff along River street this business is
now transacted almost entirely at the
Wharves, and River street has been de-
serted as a business street. There was
No railroad track on the street then. The
city has grown greatly since / left it, In
NY time, and l am still a young man,
there were very few houses out by the
Park extension, and the section south of
there was not built up at all Now the
Park extension is entirely surrounded by
handsome residences and the section south
OF there is thickly built. Savannah has
evidently not stood still in the last twenty
years. One of the greatest improvements
that the city has made, in my opinion.
is the parking of the old cemetery on
Oglethorpe avenue. l used to board on
Abercorn street and could look right into
the old cemetery from my window. and
it was not the most pleasing view in the
world Now it is a handsome and inter-
esung spot"
Mr. Howell is live, up-to-date business
man, however, and is more interested in
the savannah of to-day than in recalling
"reminiscences of a score or more years
ago.
The thing that has surprised me most"
said he lis to find the number of men
who have come in here from Georgia,
South Carolina and other states and made
/ successes in business. 1t is the same way
In Chattanooga and Atlanta, but then
these are modern cities. l had an idea
that things would be different in Savan-
nan, but it seems that such is not the
case. l miss a good many of the old Sa-
yannah names that l used to know among
the business houses"
Savannah is evidently a town with
future, said Mr.. Howell. "You have fine
terminal facilities here already, but the
new terminals of The Georgia and Alabama
Railway on Hutchinson's Island, will
prove an immense thing for Savannah. I
was up 10 see my friend, Mr.. Gabbett,
and he showed me the plans for the ter
|
the work proposed 1 understand that
they will build grain elevators, and this
means the company must have an as
slred Western connection which will en-
aole 1t to bring shipments of grain through
savannah. The extensive work on Hutch
mSon's Island could not be carried on
without considerable capital back of the
company, and the result is sure 10 be very
beneficial to the port"
AS member of tba hoard Of y,ttb1,o
works OF Chattanooga, Mr.. Howell is in
'eFested in Savannah's public improve
lnents. The Chattanooga board of pub
hc works consists of three members APP
pointed by the Governor. The board has
entire charge of the streets and sewers,
and spends the appropriation which Coun-
eli makes 10 1t as it sees fit. Mr.. Howell
Was also a member of the board of alder
men for several terms
What has struck me most especially"
sad Mr.. Howell, lis the cleanly condition
Of your streets. The asphalt streets; es-
tecaliy, are kept in admirable condition.
ms is accounted for largely by the con-
uauous use of the scraper The asphalt
streets in Chattanooga are swept every
night but this does not seem to give as
satisfactory results as the use of the
sfaper. / think L shall recommend the
introduction of the scraper for the as
phalt streets when I return home. Chat
ldhoOga IS one Of the best paved cities
m the country. We have more different
KINDS of pavement than almost any other
city. We have about two and one-half
niles of asphalt and three and one-half
niles Of brick. besides belgian blocks and
cnert On the residence streets we use
chlely ebert of which a very fine variety
Is found near Chattanooga. / understand
mat your experience with ebert has not
ueen very satisfactory. The material that
we use gives entire satisfaction. Vltrihed
0uek are manufactured within about six
miles of Chattanooga, and we find this
10 DC our best paving material. With
concrete foundation the brick pavement
Vosls about S2A a square yard"
Mr. Howell expressed some surprise
When told that brick and belgian block
MVements are laid in Savannah without
uhy other foundation than the sand of
'ne streets on which they are laid and
mat consequently Savannah can lay Brick
pd'ements much cheaper than Chattanoo-
sa' Notwithstanding the nenrness of that
Ny TO the point of manufacture.
VIII have TO make some inquiry of
DHeclor Gadsden about that" he said. I'm
uaI lanooga we have to lay all our pave
lisnls on concrete foundation, other
Hfe they would not stand. You have a
I