The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-20
DEAL LITERALLY WITH THEM.

As we have said. the purpose to be
accomplished by extending the city's
limits is TO arrange for its growth in
populat ton. commerce and prosperity.
/ 1t is not a question of the immediate
raising Of public revenues. 1t is well,
therefore. to proceed with these ideas
clearly in mind. What we want is to
build UP savannah to make it truly
great city in every respect, not to
squeeze every possible dollar out of
property owners to put into the tax
/ tills Thus il will require conserva-
! tive and careful thought in framing
/ the measure that is to be presented to
/ the Legislature.
Just beyond the present corporate
limits there are several enterprises
that are not now subject to munich
pal taxation. There is no doubt that
many of them were influenced in the
selection OF their sites by the fact that
no city taxes would have to be paid by
them. These enterprises are very good
things for Savannah. They mean the
bringing of new money here, and the
addition of a considerable number of
wage-earners 10 the population. Take
the case of the Seaboard Air Lines
terminals on Hutchinson's Island as
an instance in illustration. Only two
or three years ago the island was not
only absolutely reproductive, but a
menace to the health of the city. In the
hands of the Seaboard it has not only
been drained and made healthy, but
has become a hive of human industry.
Its wharves, warehouses and docks
are scenes of lively activity every day,
and the pay of the many employes-a
new element in the population-does
much to swell the business of the city.
Thus, while the Seaboard is a foreign
corporation in so far as ownership Is
concerned it is doing a great deal fol-
Savannah And the prospects are
good for it to do a great deal more.
The scheme for a steel bridge connect
ing the island with the city has not
been abandoned. With the bridge con-
structed and a number of manufacture
ing plants on the island, it is easy
enough to see what the profit would
be to Savannah.
But is it likely that the Seaboard
would have built its magnificent ter
minals here if there had been any rea-
son to think heavy municipal taxes
would shortly be levied on the prop,
erty? 1t must be remembered that
while Savannah has first-class facil-
ties as a port, it has not a monopoly
of port facilities. There are other ports
which the Seaboard might have used
that would have been glad, and would
still be glad. to have the system come
to it and make great terminals under
a guarantee of long-term. if not per-
petual, exemption from municipal tax
alton. To take Hutchinson's Island in
to the city corporation now and levy
taxes against the road would be apt
to throw a wet blanket over its plans
for improvements and additions, and
have i'll effect for a long time to come.
We have taken the Seaboard for an
Illustration because it is the biggest
and best known of the new enterprises
just outside the corporate limits. The
reasons which apply to it apply also
| to the several manufacturing plants
east and west of the city. All Of these
money makers and wage payers are
wanted here. We need them, and more
like them. The way to keep the ones
we have and induce the coming of 9TH
ers is to deal literally with them-as
literally as we possibly can with jus.
tice to ourselves.