The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-26
DUG FROM MARSH AND MUD.
TERMINALS OF THE sEABOARD ARE
NEARING THEIR COMPLETION.

NEAHlNG Ift6th 0OhILEIlON.
Clear Conception of What They VIII
Be Ultimately May BE Had To-day.
Much Work still to Be Done, but
the Bulk of the Undertaking Has
Been Left Behind Hutchinson
island as 1t Was Two Years Ago
md as 1t Is at Present-Iatent
Possibilities Transformed Into Ac-
tive Utilities by the Power of
Money and Brains-Comprcss VIII
Begin Operation.
The terminals of the Seaboard Air Line
on hutchinson Island. begin TO wear
something of the appearance they win
have when completed. Though several of
the sheds and larger buildings are untin-
ished, the work is yet web under way and
the magnitude of the project can be
much better appreciated now than has
been possible heretofore.
Savannahians remember the expanse Of
unus, ground that made up the island
as it was two years ago. Along the bank
nj the river, Immediately opposite the
center of the city, a marine railway, a
dock for The revenue cutter on duty in
the harbor two or three rotting wharves
and dozen or more dsmantled hulks
relieved the otherwise unbroken prospect
Possibilities were there, but they needed
the brain OF EN- erpcise to understand them
and the power of capital ard industry to
develop them into agencies for increasing
the trade and business Importance of Sa-
vannah
The brains and the capital were fur
nished by the management of the then I'M
born Seaboard Air Line, and. aroused by
the Jingle of the guineas, industry I'M
curled its slow length and got to work.
Time passed, and change was wrought
in the physical appearance of the island.
though it was not such a one as would
have delighted the heart of the aesthetic.
Instead of marsh and mud. there was mud
and plenty of it. II was piled up along
the banks of the river, transported to
the interior of the island and used in
bringing the surface q. few inches higher
above the level of the sea- dumped in ugly
profuson in every nook and Granny and
plastered. so il seemed all over the face
of the earth.
In the river dredges piled their lengthy
arms from morn till even. and from eve
till morn again. Mud again and more
mud, spurted from the land end of long
tube that dipped, at its other extremity,
into the bed of the river. Save that
large number of persons seemed to be
very busy and that everything in sight
was extra ordinarily dirty, nobody grasp
ed the idea that much had been accom-
plished. The island seemed to be as ugly
and unattractive as before
The change came gradually. Piers and
docks sprang up along the river side, ex-
tending far back towards. the interior,
while sheds an dother buildings were
grouped upon them Ships and lighters
began to run up to the docks and to load
and unload freight, while busy little tugs,
overcome by a sense of their own import
ance, steamed noisily around and about.
The desolation had vanished, and instead
there were the outward and visible signs
Of Industry thrift and a constantly in
creasing commerce.
The sheds became filled with merchan-
disc, to and from every portion of the
country, while bales of the South's great
staple were spread along upon its
wharves If the eye of the aesthetic
would not even now be entirely satisfied
with the sight that Is presented from this
side of the river. that of the up-to-date
business man would be gratifed and de-
lighted.
Five hundred bales of cotton are now on
the wharves of the Seaboard terminals,
awaiting the commencement of opera tons
by the compress that has been erected
The compress has already been tested and
found to work in manner entirely salts
factory. To-day it will begin operation.
The compress has not been completed,
but will be probably within the next week
or ten days. 1t has approached compile
sufficiently near, however, 20 permit the
compress to be operated without much in
reference from the workmen who are fin
ishng up the structure and the bales of
cotton will be formed into the shape ap-
proved of Lloyds without delay or the
danger of unsatisfactory results.
Great things have been done across the
river and Savannahians are now in a po-
sition to appreciate it. The ugly and I'M
slightly island has been transformed into
a place where business methods and the
hum of industry take the places of placid
Indifference to opportunity and the drowsy
sleep OF sloth