The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-08-02
MORE ABOUT SAVANNAH.
sAVANNAE, GA, July SO, lss

SAVANNAH, GA, July SO, 1899
Editor Fatekman and Southrosa:
Anent my letter published in your issue Of
July 18th, have received quite batch OF
letters, which fact speaks loudly for the pop
clarity and circulation of the paper. as well
as the atseation with which it is read. Some
of ;hese correspondents have caught the right
trend if coy meaning; while uun6er have
inexperienced me, and would beg space
for explanation in their behalf.
did say Of Savannah that she had 'sher
prospects, her opportunities, her inducements
and advantages; her needs of still other io-
dassries and enterprises still neglected aad
untEeyeioped;;" but this had no reference to
mere situations, positions, or sjobs" as they
are termed nowadays, and though ! would
not discourage any who are capable and COM.
pesert business men sand who are able to
come here and cast IN thG;r lot with this
g,owiag metropolis, aud bide their time FOR
Business opening. Yet had more particu.
lar reference to the 'sundeveloped enterprises
and industries yet neglected, in the busy
rssl, of business which has set in here,
among which is vast area of lands adjacent
TO and surrounding the city for miles 10 every
direction and which could be utilized for
trucking, brickmsking, timber and lumber,
and which car be bought on reasonable terms
and at reasonable prices, With ascash market
ct paying prices within easy reach. .Ihisall
struck yonr scribe SO Singular aud abnor-
NAL condition of things to exist here until by
Close observation aud inquiry am convinced
thai the ISOLATION consists is the fact that the
present. energies, efforts and wbole ambition
Of this city areent,rely absorbed By the large
business creatsd by these vast railroad sys-
tens which concenter here the increased ex-
port trade. as also the vastly increased whole
sale and retail trade, aud lastly, the mint OF
norey left by the o. s. troops encamped for
months at this point, and as one of the b2si.
est Business men remarked to me, ''I haven't
really the time to give to any prospective
business enterprises because have the doll
lars In s,ghs ID whatI am doing today" aod
this is every day; therefore, it is that Sa.
yannah is today paying out big money for
Florida vegetables aud fruits, Augusta mel
ons and buying Chatahoochee brick, aod
srmlser from every where. Therefore, | do
enphaticaiiy repea: that any one who has
some means to invest, and some hustle aad
brains about him would End very. wide
and pro6sabls fields of labor here to
enlist sill his energies, but there is no cot
ton planted 10 this coausy. Sayannsh's
need is producers rather than consumers.
There is woefnl Misrepresentation SIS to the
climate here. The average annual tempera-
sare Of this city is es degrees, closely approx
imating the temperature Of Bermuda, Gibral-
tar and Pa,e:mo. Sicily. A remarkable fea-
.zre of the climate is the cool nights, pro-
drced by the oeean breezes which arise 10 the
late afternoon, and indeed there is 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
81 years is No7ember S, Of killing frost No
yembe, 27, and in 1897 go; until December
2s.h. :.
This is the FIRST market and distributing
csater of tee world fos naval stores foss
states contribute to this result, Georgia,
South Carolina, Florida ard Alabama re-
.ceipts fer the past year were 3z4. .2ss casks Of
spirits and 1882 ,62S barrels ros;a, besides
resin OIL, pitch aad tar Cotton receipts were
/ l,Is2. .o57 bales, ard prices paid we're 81 to
.7c for middiiog uplands Timber and lam
her exported rs. .2o9, ,434 feet. Rice 5000
barrels. Fertilizers shipped would approx.
mate loo.eoo tons, $40 ,ons Of phosphate
rock and multiplicity of other articles o.
commerce, the enormous quautity of wh!ct
can be better imagined when it Is stated thai
there Sare seven miles of whsrves. The
Ocean Steamship compacy operates eight
steel steamships to New York aod Boston,
and sae.e are numerous other sssgoiDg craft
whose trade and tonnage ell goss to swell the
ci,y;s industries and to absorb the attention
and Gil up the energies of the. present popu-
lation, while the surrounding lands, consist
ing Of thousands Of acres, lie idle, unculti-
va;ed and un9sed, and that can De bought al
prices aad upon terms that would surprise
our cotton mad population Who hold oar &c
cotton lands g. from sl5 to $50 per acre,
while with the same amount of labor and
caiay these lands could be made to teen
with vegetables. melons, strawberries and all
marketable 'struck," and fruits, besides such
.slong crops as corr, peas, potatoes, pipdars
and no doubt tobacco, too. So much for
the farmer, o. producer. Thousands Of these
acres hare been drained and are worth a price,
and ONLY await the newcomer with eaergy,
means and Judgment. Othes thousands are
yet tf. he reclaimed sn6 eso no nhfained on