The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-03
nIGnr soRr o. EXpANsIoN.


It is gratifying TO observe Macon's
activity and energy in the line Of greater
industrial development Local capital is
Interesting itself in local enterprises, with
the result thar outside capital is being
attracted. The announcement is made
that large packing establishment viii
be erected there in the near fu.ure. that
an underwear factory win be removed
there from HE East. and that flour mill
win be established. These, however. are
only a few OF the new schemes which
promise success in the Central City; there
are many others all Of which we hope
wul be brought 20 a head az an early
! day.
Meantime, what is Savannah doing ia
the way of charging her industries? Ii
has time and again been pointed out that
large ana well managed packing estab
hshmeut mere would be profitable. South
Georgia abounds in lands which could be
devoted to hog and cattle raising, TO the
great advantage Of owners, and there isn't
city In the South having transportation
facilities superior to those of Savannah.
A packing establishment at this port
would create a market such as is needed
| by the farmers in the Georgia. South Car
oliua and Florida, and would have a ready
market for its products. And the same
statement holds good with respect to the
proposed sugar refinery, which We have
several times recently referred to in these
columns Both of these are industries
which could be established without a
great outlay of money, and which there
are good reasons for thinking would
speedily become dividend-paying.
Then there is the shipbuildiug industry
which, il seems to us, offers exceptiona!
opportunities. It is pretty generally agreed
that there is to be a great revival of the
American merchant marine. Indeed The
revival has already begun, as may be
seen at any of the large shipyards. The
Marine Review says there are at the pres
ent time upon the stocks of American
| shipyards not less than $700000O0 worth of
vessels not including small craft of any
| kind. These are large craft, ships for
the navy and the merchant service. And
nearly all of them are being constructed
of iron and steel. Where are these yes
sells being built? All of the shipyards of
| Importance, except that at Newport News,
| are in the North or on the Pacific coast.
! There IS no shlpyard Of any consequence.
with the single exception noted, any
where in the South. Meantime the South
is supplying, and viii continue to sup
ply. a very large proportion of the freghts
which make The coastwise steamship lines
profitable. Should not the South have
more interest in these lines than to pay
the freight?
That the South can compete success
fully in the shipbuildng trade has been
demonstrated by the Newport News es-
adjustment; and the Virginia port has
not single natural advantage over Sa
vannah as the site for such an industry
Indeed, we are the better situated wher
the great and growing commerce of ths
port is considered in connection with oul
proximity to the coal and iron fields ant
the Alabama steel making ceuters.
A shpyard at Savannah should be abb,
not only to build ocean steamships and Sc
cure a large amount of repair work, bu
also to build river steamers of iron o
steel for the South Atlantic states. Yes
sels of TINS kind are now CONSTRUCTED
, north of Cape Hatteras and brough
, around that dangerous point of land by
sea Steamboats, built at Savannah coulC
be distributed up and down the coast b,
e way of the safe INSIDE route" which eX
tends from the North Carolina line to tn
point of Florida.
! The boom in shipping and shipbuildini
4 is yet young. Savannah should speedil.
o takes steps to get part of the bushes
- and its profits