The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-21
SAVANNAH'S ADVANTAGES.
Shipping and Railroad Combinations
Discussed by Editor of The stock

Shipping and Railroad combinations
Discussed by Editor of The Stock
holder.
Mr.. B. w. Dinsmore, editor of THE
Stakeholder" is South on a pleasure trip.
Since his arrival here he has been inspect
ing the commercial advantages of Savan-
nah. Tuesday he was the guest of Presi-
dent Egan on a tour of the terminals of
the Central of Georgia Railway, with
which he was very much impressed.
Speaking of his visit last night, he said
that he is most strongly impressed with
the great system, its economy of opera
ton, the arrangements of the cotton ware
houses, and the practical and economic
plan of classifying cotton.
Referring TO Northern transportation
methods, he said that it costs the New
York merchant more to transport a box
of goods from his store to the railroad
terminals for shipment, than 1t does for
transportation from there to Chicago, once
the goods are delivered at the termi-
mails. He had once been told by Sir Will
lam Van Horne, chairman of the Board
of the Canadian Pacific, that in Montreal
1t costs approximately about a cent and
a half a bushel to handle wheat, whereas
in New York the cost is almost cents.
by analogy" said Mr.. Dinsmore, II con-
cluded that in handling bulk freight des-
tined for export, Savannahs facilities
exceed those of almost any port on the
Atlantic coast. All conditions being equal
1 see nothing to interfere with
the growth of Savannah as a seaport;
the only possible obstacle, and one that
can easily be overcome, is the lack of in
land freight. This disadvantage may be
overcome by the prospective arrangement
of through bills of lading from export
points in Europe to the cities of the
Southwest; make Kansas City, Birming-
ham, and Memphis ports of entry, and in
troduce the bonding system now used in
New York, and it would be possible for
1avannah's imports to be greatly in
creased.
THE only thing that prevents the car
rying out of this plan, said Mr.. Dns-
NOSE, is that Savannah as 1 believe, has
not a through line of communication with
these cities. Certain movements now en-
foot may bring about this connection,
however. The interests controlling the
Atchison System are now at work to Sc
cure the control of the st. Louis & San
Francisco, formerly a part of the Atchi-
son System; and other inter-
ests already have made plans
whereby the st. Louis and San Fran
the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis,
which controls the Kansas City, Mem
phis and Birmingham. If these plans are
carried out and the Central makes
traffic arrangement with these systems
at Birmingham, it will establish the
shortest possible route TO the Atlantic
seaboard from the Southwest. Trade,
Like water, follows the line of least re-
sistance, so such a combination would
greatly increase the business of Savan-
nah. 1t avoids the roundabout way OF
the Gulf and Florida, and also insures
lower rate of insurance"
Mr. Dinsmore said that he has been
invited by Mr.. Egan to go to Birming-
ham and inspect the new extension of the
Tennessee Coal and Iron plant. OF this
he said: while we of the North have
been led to believe that an efficient rolling
mill plant would not be constructed south
OF The Ohio river, l am inclined to be-
lleve from other sources as well as from
Mr.. Egan, whose position is without
cavil, that such a plant will be ready for
operation about midsummer. When it
is completed it will be of material adj
vanfages to all the railways in the South.
From assurances given me by those in
control of Southern Railway interesests
there will be no lack of business for a
Southern rolling MILL
THE people of Savannah, are, of course.
vitality interested in anything that will
increase her business, particularly such
business that she has such great natural
facilities for handling. Savannah's sys-
tenn of waterways reminds me of those of
Venice which made her Queen of the
Adriatic. The further developments of
them is the duty of her people,"