The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-13

5ION-Ik-
This Industrial commission represents
both Georgia and Florida. BY glance
at the personnel il is seen that the men
Included are among the leading investors
of those states They call for great
deal. and it was stated by persons in au-
thority that Georgia and Florida never
in their time have sent out such a strong
industrial representation as has now como
to Louisiana to investigate sugar-srowing
and sugar mills.
Capt. D. G. Purse is the leader. He
has been inseparably identified with Sa-
vannah and her commercial development
for over a quarter of century ana that
he should have taken up this matter so
zealously adds weight to the scheme,
perhaps as no one else could.
I'VE are going to reclaim Georgia for
sugar." said Capt. Purse, opening the CON
versation with the Picayune man, land
in a few years Georgia will again take
front rank in sugar production"
The story of how this commission ever
came to leave the state on this important
mission is exceedingly interesting.
1t was about four months ago the mat
ter came to head The price of syrup
in Georgia was causing a lot of trouble,
dissatisfaction and contention. The
planters were getting for last seasons
syrup from 10 to IA cents a gallon They
determined to stop planting cane entirely:
Capt Purse, as president of the Board Of
Trade. was asked to take up the case. The
rdiculously low price OF syrup was the
cause leading to that action.
"I began looking into the matter" said
he last night, land l found that the So
cret of the trouble was in careless meth
DDS, rather than a question OF syrup
prices. I discovered that we were only
extracting from 40 to SO per cent. Of the
Juice from the cane. I soon arrived at
the conclusion that it was a question OF
taking the cane in the field and getting
the Juice from it as you do in louisiana
and not question of syrups / wrote 20
various parties and could get no satlstac-
| ton l wrote Secretary of Agriculture
| James Wilson, in Washington, and he re-
| ferred me to Prof. Stubs of New Or
| leans then wrote an open letter, which
| made two columns in the Atlanta Const-
| tution in which I asked series OF ques-
| tions, such as: How much cane DO you
| plant? On what kind of land is 1t plant
ed? How is the land feruIized? The
number of tons to the acre? What is
| done with the refuse? and so on In
| Georgia we couldn't answer single one
| Of the questions. The state commissioner
| of agriculture used my letter and sent 1t
out broadcast but nothing could be done
we couldn't answer the questions
"Then Prof. Stubs came to Georgia
and visited me as my guest Owing to the
| quarantine he could not get into Savan-
| nah and so l met him in Atlanta. we
| toured Southeast Georgia and got right
| at the bottom of things. The average
| cane acreage of a planter was about one
acre Think of that! One acre! How
would your planters over here regard such
| a crop? Mr. James had in some $50 acres
of cane and he was the largest grower of
| his section. We found that cane growing
/ had been almost abandoned
| Then Capt Purse explained how he had
| visited Florida, called upon the Jackson
| VILE Board of Trade. and urged that
| hodv to take upon it's shoulders the same
cross. The result was that Florida has
| two of her most representative men on
this trip.
"And YOU believe Georgia and Florida
| will be restored to sugar cane growing
| was asked the Captain
II do, and in a very few years at that
, Georgia has the soil. Our cane Is richer in
| sucrose than the Louisiana cane. Your
| cane is grown upon an alluvial SOIL ours
| is grown in a sandy soil, with fertlllzer.
| Many thousands of acres of land in Geor-
| gia can go into sugar cane very quickly.
We will be bothered about seed; that
will be one of the main drawbacks.
where are the railroads in this enter
prise?"
''They are now right with us-behind the
whole movement, and doing everything IN
their power. After my trip over South
| east Georgia / advocated central sugar
| mills. 1 SUGGESTED the tilONiiS VI S"'AN Is
| far as 200 miles. Knowing of rates and
tariffs from my freight bureau experience,
| insisted upon rates upon similar basis
with cane rates in Louisiana. In two
| weeks time the Georgia railroads adopted
| the Louisiana cane tariff sheets, ana now
they are assisting US in every way posi-
ble.'
s"Cane culture will fit in exactly. 1t is
what we need 1t will take the place OF
the naval stores, which are fast giving out.
| The cotton crop is a most uncertain crop,
and the sugar industry will soon be worth
more to Georgia than cotton ever mas
| been"
cane?'
Gan area equal TO about half the STATE
| taking in sixty counties.
'rWil any machinery be purchased on
this trip?"
81 would net e surprised, as these men
are ready for business. They are here
for that purpose. We will certainly go
hack with estimates. If The question of
| supply of cane was only out of the way
if the supply was sure-there would be sew
| eral mills erected at once; erected In Tune
| for next seasons CROP
Mr. James, one of the members, en-
ploys in his saw min and on his planta-
tons 476 men. He owns railroad forty
five miles in length, and the books rate
him a millionaire.
Mr.. GUNNER owns a large mill at Jack
| sonville. together with a railroad l2O miles
in length. Mr.. Wight could take back a
mill so it is said on his own account
quite easily.
Capt. George r. McRee. 1t is peas
ing feature to note, was the first man 10
ship water melons from Georgia In the car
load lot The first sea son he tried the ex-
pcriment he shipped fifteen car loads and
realized $3.50 an acre on the product
Captain, what is your programme"
I'VE have none. To-day we saw sugar
growing in miniature as found in Prof
Stubs experimental station. Tomorrow
we will go to some nearby plantation and
GET a practical view of the industry on q
large scase. Our investigations VIII DC
gradually extended until we have seen
some of the best mills in the state
And don't forget the beautiful thought
connected with it alive have come Il
borrow from you that which you borrowed
from us In the year 1875. Goodnight"