The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-13
..MoRE AnoUT SAVANNAH"
some of the Industries and Oppor-
tuuities of This City.


tunities of This City.
From the Sumter Is. c. Waterman and
Southron.
Savannah, Ga, July 30.-Anent my letter
published in your issue of July IS, I have
received quite a batch of letters which
fact speaks loudly for the popularity and
circulation of the paper as well as the at
tention with which it is read. Some Of
these correspondents have caught the right
trend of my meaning while a number have
Inexperienced me, and 1 would beg space
for explanation in their behalf.
1 did say of Savannah that she had cher
prospects, her opportunities, her induce
ments and advantages; her needs of still
other industries and enterprises still neg
lected and undeveloped;" but this had no
reference to mere situations, positions, or
Jobs, as they are termed nowadays, and
though / would not discourage any who
are capable and competent business men
and who are able to come here and cast in
their let with this growing metropolis, and
bide their time for a business opening. Yet
l had more particular reference to the
"undeveloped enterprises and industries
=
which has set in here, among which IS a
vast area of lands adjacent to and sur
rounding the city for miles in every direc-
ton and which could be utilized for truck
ing, briclInaking, timber and lumber, and
which can be bought on reasonable terms
and al reasonable prices, with a cash mar
ket a paying prices within easy reach,
This all struck your scribe as a singular
and abnormal condition of things to exist
here until by close observation and
inquiry l am convinced that the
solution consists in the fact that the
present energies, efforts and whole ambi-
ton of this city are entirely absorbed
by the large business created by these vast
railroad systems which concenter here; the
increased export trade, as also the vastly
increased wholesale and retail trade, and,
lastly, the mint of money left by the
United States troops encamped for months
at this point, and as one of the busiest
business men remarked to me- Il haven't
really the time 10 give to any prospective
business enterprises, because 1 have the
dollars in sight in what l am doing to-
day." and this is every day. therefore 1t
is that Savannah is to-day paying out big
money for Florida vegetables and fruits,
Augusta melons and buying Chattahoochee
brick and lumber from everywhere. There
fore l do emphatically repeat that any
one who has some means to invest and
some hustle and brains about him, would
find very wide and profitable fields OF la
Dor here to enlist ali his energies, but
there is no cotton planted in this county.
Savannahs need is producers rather than
consumers. There IS woefu msappre-
hension as to the climate here. The aver
age annual temperature of this city is G6
degrees, closely approximating the tenn
perature of Bermuda, Gibraltar and Pa
lermo, Sicily. remarkable feature OF
the climate is the cool nights, produced by
the ocean breezes which arise in the late
afternoon, and indeed there is a pleasant
stirring of the atmosphere nearly all the
time, owing to the many open parks and
squares and greens and the broad streets
The average date of light frost for the
past twenty-seven years is Nov. 5, or
killing frost Nov. a. and in 1897 not untn
Dec %.
This is The first market and distributing
center of the world for naval stores; four
states contribute TO this result, Georgia,
South Carolina, Florida and Alabama; re-
ceipts for the past year were 324 269 casks
Of spirits, and l.0Se .626 barrels rosln, be-
sides rosin oil, pitch and tar Cotton re-
ccpts were ,06 bales, and prices paid
were 5ls 10 &c for middhng uplands. Tim
Der and lumber exported 1i62094 3i feet
Rice 3i2 OOJ barrels. Fertilizers shipped
would approximate 100 900 tons. 7O5iO tons
Of phosphate rock and a multiplicity Of
other articles of commerce. the enormous
quantity of which can be better imagined
when il is stated that there are seven
miles Of wharves. The Ocean Steamship
Company operates eight steel steamships
to New York and Boston, and there are
numei Gus other seagoicg craft whose trade
and tonnage al goes TO swell the city's in
dustries and 10 absorb the attention and
hil up the energies of the present popula-
ton, while the surrounding lands, consist
ing of thousands OF acres, lie idle, uncut
livated and unused, and that can be
bought al prices and upon terms that
would surprise our cotton mad population
VINO hold our &c cotton lands at from SIS
to $50 per acre, while with the same
amount OF labor and outlay these lands
could be made to team with vegetables,
melons, Strawberries and all marketable
truck and fruits, besides such '1ong
crops az corn, peas, potatoes. pindars
end no doubt tobacco, too. So much for
the farmer, or producer. Thousands OF
these acres have been drained and are
Wor h a price, and only await the newcom-
eT with energy, means and Judgment 9th |
CT thousands are yet 70 be reclaimed and |
can be obtained on easy terms.
To the manufacturer Savannah offers |
extraordinary advantages. Directly trib- !
utary TO The city are an of ihe elements |
necessary for manufacturing center, I'M |
occupied lands, abundant labor and quick