The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-06
cITYs INDUSTRIAL NEEDS.
REV. MIR. sTRoN6's REMARKS BE-
FORE THE MERCHANTS AsSO-
CITATION.

How SavaDnah's Industry and Com
merce Can BE Maintained and In
creased-SmaH Manufacturing In
dustries the solution of the Cues
tion-He Suggests That the Assoc
citation Enlarge Its scope and That
an Agent BE Put i'm the Field.
ogeechee Canal Might Furnish
Water Power for Many Factories.
Committee Appointed2tO Call on
the Mayor.
The feature of the meeting of the Mer-
chants Association at the Sereyen yester-
day afternoon was the address by Rev.
Charles II. Strong on the Industrial and
commercial conditions at Savannah, and
the need for taking decisive steps for the
purposes of advancing the city's interests,
both indusriany and commercially with
some suggestions and ideas as to how this
might be done. 4.
Rev. Mr.. Strong was present at the
meeting only as spectator, but as he had
given serious thought to the question I'M
der consideration by the meeting, he was
prepared 80 give the merchants the bene-
Mt Of his ideas when called upon to do SO
by President b. II. Levy. :. az a
AS has already been stated the Mer-
chants Association, which has been in
state of quiescence for some time, was re-
Gently called into life for the purpose of
considering ways and means of perma-
nenty bene6tting the citys commerce by
supplying employment to the idle and
building up the community industrially.
Naturally the thoughts of the members
turned in the direction of manufactures,
though other temporary devices for aiding
trade were incidentally discussed. The
presence of Mr.. Strong has given an i'm
petus 10 the movement.
When called upon by President Levy TO
give his ideas upon the question under
consideration, Mr.. Strong said that he was
present with a view to obtaining thoughts
and ideas from the discussion which he
might use to advantage in future remarks
to his congregation. AS a citizen, he said,
he felt deep interest in the welfare and
upbuilding of the city, and as minister
he felt that it was right and proper that
he should manifest an interest in the ma
terial, as we'll as the moral and religious,
Mr. Strong then proceeded 10 give re-
view of the conditions prevailing in Sa-
Vannah and the need of increased COM
mercial and indus trial activity. With COT
ton no longer paying any important tribute
to the city and with the naval stores bus
mess recedlng from the city. it was alb
solutely necessary that those interested in
the city's welfare and its further growth
and development should look about and
see what avenues of trade and industry
could be opened up to supply the places
left vacant by those which have failed or
are about to faii He was aware, MIR.
Strong said, that it was difficult to arouse
the moneyed men OF Savannah upon the
subject of manufactures, because of the
unsatisfactory experience of those who had
invested their money in former ventures.
He thought the failure of these ventures
could be easily explained, and that they
furnished no argument why intelligently
directed effort in the same lines should
not succeed.
Savannah's advantages, Mr.. Strong said.
are sufficient for her growth and devel-
opnent If crystalized in the right direc-
ton. The history of the development of
other cities shows that this was occom-
plished by taking advantage of the natural
conditions in their favor Pittsburg be-
came the great iron and steel center of
America because II had coal and iron in
almost unlimited quantities at its doors,
and because these immense resources had
been intehigently developed In the same
way New York had become the great
commercial center of North America be-
cause its splendid situation as the central
port of the North and East had been fully
taken advantage Of New England, on
the other hand, had proved an exception
to this rule. With the cotton fields a
thousand miles away, it had become the
cotton manufacturing section of the coun-
try. In like manner, WATERFOWL, Conn,
more than a thousand miles from the cop
per fields of Michigan, had become a great
brass producing center. In other lines of
manufacture New England, without the
possession of natural advantages, is in the
lead, because her people early gave their
attention to such Industries, and have
worked intelligently and increasingly for
their development
Generally speaking" Mr.. Strong said
'eSavannah's development depends upon
taking advantage of her natural conditions
and environment. Commerce is naturally
first. With the increase in our railroad
facilities taken in connection with our
harbor, there are large possibilities of
commercial development. which / trusr
will be realized. The present and urgent
need of the city however is manufactur-
ing industries, and to bring this about
we must make small beginnings Small
factories increase population and add to
business. 1 believe that the conditions
here are favorable 10 such industries. The
two essentials are cheap freights and
cheap labor and these we have already
or in easy reach. By reason Of our adj
vantages as a port, we have cheap ocean
freiehts, which give us access to the prin-
cipal ports OF the country. AS TO labor,
there is aboundant evidence that the drift
of our country people is toward the city.
These will furnish the labor needed for the
various manufacturing Industries. with
the exception of intelligent direction,
which can be Obtained from the North"
Mr.. Strong here made very interest
ing suggestion. He was convinced. he
said. that the Ogeechee canal has sufii-
Gent fail from the Ogeechee to the Sa-
vannah river. which, utilized by a series
of locks, would furnish all the power nee
essary for the operation of as many