The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-15
A GLANCE INTO THE FUTURE.
WHAT SAVANNAH MAY BE HALE \
CENTURY HENCE.

Inhabitants. with the boundaries
Extending for Many Miles, with
Hundreds of Mills and Factories
and Engaged i'm Commerce with
All the WorId-With Ids Great Fn-
ciIities and Its Commanding Posi-
ton IL Has Only to Keep Step with
the March of Progress to Accom-
pIish All This and More.
The Savannah Of nifty years hence.
What will be its population. It's resources,
its industries and its position in the world
of finance and commerce? These questions
may we'll be asked on the eve of the new
century. That Savannah win keep step
with the march of the times and that as
the years of the twentieth century gradu-
ally increase in number, 1t will increase
in wealth and prosperity, does not admit
of a doubt But what will be the ratio
of this increase? Can a fair estimate be
made of the prospective growth?
A conservative estimate OF Savannahs
population to-day is $4,000 This is an in
crease of 50 per cent. over the little more
than 1900 with which the city Is credited
by the census of 1890. VIII this ratio of
Increase be maintained during the succeed
ing decades? The history Of the last fifty
years indicates that it will. In 1850 Sa-
vannah's population was a little more than
IA 600. To-day il is more than four times
that of five decades ago. Should the in
crease in population during the next fifty
years be in the same proportion dur
ing the last half century population of
10000 may be reasonably predicted.
Half n Million of People.
1t should be borne In mind, however,
that the growth of the last fifty years has
been slow. There was a devastating war,
and about the entire loss of all interests
in personal property. and practically all
the real growth of the city has been dur
ing the last twenty years. Statistics
show that the population of the United
States has doubled every twenty Ave
years and even estimating on this basis
Savannah's population fifty years hence
should be $50 600. But II should be borne
In mind that the growth of the cities Is
much greater than that of the country At
large and that a growing city goes for
ward with rapid strides, frequently doub-
ling its population in a decade or less.
Savannah is now in the class of growing
cities and should il remain there there is
no telling to what greatness II may at
tain. Estimating on an increase in pop
ulation of 50 per cent for each decade,
the percentage of increase during the last
decade, Savannahs progressive growth
would be as follows; 1900, IS 600; 1910, 81
500. 1920 146 go 1880, 2l9, S75; 1910. 800 ,062,
1850, 1858.
These figures may seem eXtravagant to
some, but it is not unnatural that the
first city of the South Atlantic should
have a population approximating a quar-
ter of a million within the next quarter
of a century. and that figure once reach
ed, the future possibilities would be UNI
limited AT present there is no city of the
first rank in size between Baltimore and
New Orleans, while from Baltimore north
to Boston the great cities are clustered
in a comparatively small area VITA the
rapid growth of American commerce and
manufacture and the new Industrial life
which the South has taken on within the
last decade and which is only in the In
fancy of its development it Is only reason
able to expect that great cities will spring
up along the South Atlantic coast for the
the city which makes greatest use of its
great opportunities will belong the victory
and this is especially applicable TO Savan-
nah.
support of the Population.
Naturally the question will be asked by
what means is this great increase in pop
ulation to be supported. The answer IS
commerce and industry. twin sisters
which go hand in hand. No great amount
of OH 10 In 10 ADV
tages which the future hold out to Savan-
nah. The country back of the city so
long undeveloped, Is increasing rapidly In
population, showing larger gains at the
last census than any other portion of the
state. AS the pine forests are cut away
farms and homes are taking their places
and towns are springing up This in IL
self will mean a large increase in the vol
ume of the city's trade II is true that
other lines of industry must be found TO
take the places Of lumber and naval
stores as these recede from the city. and
that something better than cotton must be
found to rely upon. Perhaps sugar will
fill the bin. At any rate the people In the
large scope of territory tributary to .sa-
Vannah will not be idle and will provide
for their own welfare, and their prosper
ity Will contribute largely to that of Sa-
vannah's. Manufacturing industries Of
all kinds must give solidity to the clty's
prosperity and insure steady en-
ployment to its people at all time
After all, Savannah must rely largely for
its growth and prosperity in the future,
as IL has in the past upon its commerce.
Its gates stand open to the trade of the
word. Already II has ma gnihcent facili-
ties capable of handling many times the
amount of commerce received, and these
facilities are being rapidly increased. The
commerce Ho give employment TO these ia
ciIities must be had Where is it to be
found? The European trade is already
practically moncpolized by the Northern
ports, and competition has largely reduced
it's profits The recent extension of
American territory affording facilities for
the extension of trade In new cimes, must
be taken advantage OF. Cuba, Porto Rico,
Central and South America offer the OPP
porunity for a large and hitherto unde-
veloped trade. Not only the sugar and to-
bacco, but the hides, the wool. the fine
woods, the precious ores, the iron and the
coal, will seek the ports of this country,