The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-08
sAyANNAH,s oPPoRrIN1rx

A few weeks ago we suggested that Sa
vannah had exceptional advantages
for establishing trade relations with Cuba
and Porto Rico. We understood of course
that our merchants were not in a position
to get any of that trade unless there were
lines of steamers between this city and
Cuba and Porto Rico. 1t seemed to us that
a line of steamers from this port TO those
islands would be a paying one. We did
not of course think that our merchants
could furnish freight enough to support
a line of steamers but believed that suffi-
cient freight could be obtained from the
West to make such line a profitable one.
Our idea was that the Central Railway,
having excellent connections with the
West, should take the initiative in estab-
fishing a steamship line.
The views we entertained then have been
strengthened by the growth of the bust
ness between this country and Cuba over
the lines of the Plant System, by way of
Tampa, and the East Florida coast roads
by way of Miami. An enormous amount of
freight and a very large number of pas
sengers are going to Cuba through Tampa.
1t seems to us that Savannah has advau-
tages as a shipping point over that place.
The government thought so because. af-
ter having tried Tampa, il selected Sa-
vannah as the port through which 1t
would send supplies and troops to Cuba.
Why then should our business men and
railroad interests permit Tampa and Mi
which properly belongs to this city?
When we called attention to. this matter
some weeks ago the Central Railway did
not seem to regard it with much favor. al
though our business men thought that
steps should be taken at once to bring
Savannah into close business relations
with both Porto Rico and Cuba. We can
not understand why it is that the Central
Railroad should regard the establishment
of a line of steamers to Cuba with such
Indifference IL would certainly bring TO
il a vast amount of business Savannah
is as near TO Chicago as New York is and
is much nearer Kansas City than Kansas
Cityis to New York. The articles which
Cuba and Porto Rico want are to be had
i'm the West and South. Those islands
want principally flour, meat, cotton goods
and agricultural implements and machine
ry. The West will supply the provisions,
agricultural machinery and implements.
and the South can furnish the cotton
goods.
The Central Railway has splendid West
ern connections and Its lines run close TO
every cotton factory in Georgia. That
railroad, therefore. is in a position to fur
nish freight for line of steamers 10
Cuba. The line might not be highly profit
able for year or two, but il is certain
that in the very near future there will
be an immense business between the is
lands and this country. There will he
plenty of freight both ways. The islands
will produce many things which will find
a market in the West and South. and the
West and South have what the islands
must have.
1t has been urged that there are great
difficulties in the way of making a freight
rate between Savannah and the Western
cities as low as the rate between those
cities and New York. If the Central con-
trolled the line OF steamers It would be in