The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-21
GEORGIA MARBLE.
A Great Industry Hsmpered by
Freight Rates.
From the Atlanta Journal.

From the Atlanta Journal.
We regret that the Southeastern
Tariff Association which fixes the
freight rates on Georgia products to
all points outside the state has seen fit
to raise the rate on marble to more
than double the former figures which
have been so long in force.
The result is that shipments of mar
BILE from all the Georgia quarries and
finishing works have been stopped en-
tirely because the marble men of Geor-
gia feel that the new rate is extortion-
ate and hope to prevail upon the rail
roads in their associate capacity to re-
duce it.
There has been a suggestion on the
part of the railroads of partial reduc-
ton of the new rate. but the represen-
tatives of the Georgia marble interest
consider that this concession would
still leave the rate unreasonably high
and hope that full review of the sit
nation will cause the railroads to take
off the recent raise. 1t is hard to see
why the transportation companies can
not haul at fair profit the enormous
and increasing quantity of marble that
is now supplied by Georgia to all parts
of the country at as low rate as 1t
gave to freight of this class when 1t
was insignificant in comparison with
its present proportions.
By the enterprise of the men engaged
in mining and dressing Georgia marble
it has acquired markets in a great num-
Der of states They have made very
large investments in this business and
have enlarged it steadily in the faith
that as low rates of transportation
would be given to larger quantities of
their product as were granted to this
industry in its infancy. Never has an
industry developed so rapidly in this
state as has the marble business.
Twenty years ago Georgia was prac-
tically unknown as a product of mar
BILE.
1t is now conceded that Georgia has
larger stores of marble than any other
state and that her marbles are superior
to any others for building purposes.
So fully have these facts been DEM
onstrated that Georgias marble pro-
duction is now exceeded only by that
of Vermont and is gaining on that so
fast that before the next census Geor-
gia will be the first state of the union
in the production of marble if it is
given a fair chance.
1t is true that the freight rate on
Vermont marble shipped south of the
Ohio river has been raised as much
as the rate on Georgia marble for
points outside of this state and to the
North and West. But this does not
give Georgia marble an equality of
treatment, for it has already prac-
tically driven Vermont marble out of
the market in the Southern states and
has rapidly invaded the territory in
the North and West, where Vermont
marble for many years had almost a
monopoly. Even the state of Rhode
Island, herself famous for her build
ing stones, and almost in sight of the
Vermont marble quarries selected
Georgia marble as the material for
her new $1,S00,000 capitol. Minnesota
chose Georgia marble for her 3000,-
900 capitol because, like Rhode Island,
she found by actual tests that it is
the best. The Federal government has
attested it's superiority by making it
the main material of it's new depart
ment of justice building in Washing
ton, and the New York Stock Ex-
change, with unlimited means, when IL
came to find the best material for it's
new s2,500.000 home, decided upon
Georgia marble.
Within the last few years the Cor
coran Art Gallery costing 81 ,000, 900; st.
Luke's Hospital, New York; the Com
rnercial library of Boston, our own
beautiful Carnegie library building and
a number of other splendid buildings
far away from the Georgia marble
quarries have been built of the mate
rial they supply in unlimited quantity
and unrivaled quality.
1t would be a misfortune to Geor-
gia to have this great and growing in
dustry injured by excessive freight
rates and we believe that the South
eastern Tariff Association will not per-
eli In, &c which would fon6 m
cripple one of Georgia's most prom
Using resources so seriously.
"A Strong Man.--"What a very
heavy voice he hasi" Yes; but he's
q Lie % lift II ir, his n1.-u dafance >,