The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-21
TROOPS MEANT MILLIONS.
UNCLE SANS MEN BROUGHT OVER
S4,O0O,OOO TO SAVANNAH.

Business Houses Made Money-ThS
General Tone of Trade Excellent
and Is Attributed to the Troops
and the Governments Expendi-
tures-Figures of the COmmissary
and Quartermaster Officers and
Estimates That show what Savnn-
nah Has Got Out of the Army.
Never in its history did Savannah have
such run of business as that which pre-
vailed from the middle of last October
until the muster out of the Thirty-first
Michigan Regiment last Wednesday. In
the bright future that exists for Savan-
nah may be seen extended limits, great
business enterprises, magnificent buildings
and an enormous population, but it is not
reasonable to think that the time will
again comes when a volume of general
business VIII be transacted commensurate
with that brought TO Savannah in the
present stage Of her growth through the
governments selection of camp sites in
the vicinity and the port as that for the
embarkation and Decentralization of sol
diers
The effects of the stay of the troops in
the city and the money the government
has expended in a hundred and one diff
ferent ways are shown in the general
tone and finances are easier than they
have been for years. People point to the
real estate sales that have been had lately,
and others that are advertised as evil
dences Of the prosperity the troops
brought and long bank accounts are now
the pride of many merchants. 1t is said
business houses that were not in the very
best condition Jared so well during the
months of unprecedented activity that
they are now on easy street. having
large sums 20 their credit with the banks
and their Indebtedness cleared up.
The troops came to Savannah the middle
Of October. Practically all have now gone.
That means six months of the soldiers and
during that time the expenditures of the
men and officers and of the government
ran up 10 an immense sum. To tell exactly
how much has been spent is impossible,
but figures have been secured from the
two departments that made the greatest
expenditures outside of the paymasters,
and with those and estimates more than
100000 has been received from the gov
ernment by Savannah as a place for t1e
encampment of the regiments of the Sew
enth Army Corps and others, and the
movement of troops 10 and from Cuba.
The money has been generally distrib-
uted. Not business in the city has failed
TO get its share. Banks, hotels, groceries,
haberdasheries, tailoring houses, dry
goods houses, barrooms, and in fact every
thing that makes a dollar in ordinary times
has made two during the stay of the
troops and the coming Of the transports
that have passed back and forth between
Savannah and Cuba While no fortunes
have been made. there have been winnings
IN the game that would appear to be for
tunes to many. 1t has been said that there
ore business men whose establishments
have cleared amounts running away up
into the tens OF thousands through the
soldiers stay.
In the struggle for the money that the
soldiers Were turning loose there were
many opportunities for live men to get in
their work. and some who had no more
than hundred or so as capital on which
to start finished with a thousand or so
ahead. Leading business houses got IN
with the government at the start, winning
i'm the bids to supply food or labor or
other necessities, and the quantities with
which they furnished either the commits
sary or quartermaster departments were
such as TO clear them splendid results.
Twelve regiments of the Seventh Army
Corps came to Savannah from Jackson
vile about the middle of October About
the middle of December they got away for
Cuba. Those regiments brought money
with them from Florida, having been paid
off few days before they left for this
city. The pay roll of a regiment is about
$4,000 for month. Assuming that their
pay was but half gone when they left
Jacksonville, ii is safe to say that nearly
ell of the other half was expended here
Half the pay of twelve regiments for a
month is about $lS0O00 and Savannah
therefore. received that money into the
cash drawers of her merchants.
The twelve regiments were paid Off
twice while in Savannah, The result was
that about three-fourths of their pay was
Get rid of right here. That is about the
right estimate, as soldiers do not send
much o. their pay away. Some send
nearly all, but they are largely in the mi
nority Three-fourths of the nav of
twelve regiments for two months is $780,
go Therefore. from the Seventh Army
Corps pay before it left for Cuba. sa-
Vannah received $55000O.
Other regiments not in the oorns u,aro
here while il was encamped, there HAVING
been 400 troops at one time ARTILLERY
ana cavalry We're both located near the
clty Tor couple of months. there HAVING
been two regiments of artillery ana two
OF cavalry. the latter coming later ana
waiting for the arrival of a transnort 10
take them away. BY those men 500 ono
must have been spent in the city.
The Third Connecticut was encamned
mere for two months before being nusta,-
ed out. Probably $4,000 was exnended
oy the command before its discharge OH
er regiments came through. remaining hnt
a day or two in the city before sailing
They spent varying sums. though wbat
was spent personally hardly deserves ~
be considered among the great ano,,nts
mat nave been named The supplies our
chased from Savannah merchants ana
ioaded on the transports for them We,
what represented the expenditures in con-
hectlon with their sailing for the eoYsrr-
nent has always seen TO it that a vess.,I
leaves Wen equipped for the VOYAGE ana
win sufhcient aboard for the mainta
nance OF the troops for some time. Partto
ulafiy was that true when the transoorts
nrst began making their trips. for tbero.
= nau tneh been no depots established. and
II was necessary for supplies for Sew
months to be taken 'S'a al
every resiment that has returned to this
country