The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-16
THRIVING CITY
THESE ARE BUSY. BUsTIING DAYS
IN SAVANNAH.
FINE FRESH WATER SEAPORT.
AND GETTING TO BE A GREAT GEN.
TIRE OF MANUFACTURES, TOO.

the New aho
other Experimentation Folks
Getting Rich so Fast They Them
selves can Hardly Realize it,.
Trade with the North Booming.
Uncle Sam Making n Deep Chan
neI-Tourists Aplenty.
From the New York Sun.
Savannah, Ga, Dec. 1O.-The growth
of Savannah in this era of American
prosperity, in which the South has
borne so conspicuous a part, is in many
respects similar to that of Richmond.
The two cities in their evolution have
characteristics in common. In each
the movement onward and upward has
been a strong, steady progress, a
progress which, particularly in the
case of Savannah, has been one of rap
idly gathering momentum, but quite
free from sensational spurts and dra-
matte crises.
The nearest approach to anything like
precipitate speed in the gait of either
is now in evidence in Savannah as the
result of the recent elimination of GER
tain broad and comprehensive plans
for the city's benefit, plans for part of
which William Whann Mackall. more
than anybody else, is responsible both
in the matter of their conception and
in their successful achievement.
These plans, now accomplished facts,
are the construction of the fine Sea-
board terminal, the drainage and con-
version into firm land of what was the
low, marshy island opposite the city and
the construction at a cost of $3.50, 900
of the new Union Railway station, one
of the finest structures of the kind in
the South.
Mills Quickly Built.
The results that have followed the
accomplishment of these great tasks
are remarkable. An impetus to Sa-
Vannahs growth has come from them,
which is not unlike some of the ster-
ling transformations which have taken
place in the Georgia and South Caro-
lima cotton manufacturing towns
within the past decade. Acres upon
acres of ground in Savannah, which
only few months ago were open
fields, are now covered with great
manufacturing plants which, big as
they are, are still reaching out in all
directions about them along the river
front, and, in many instances, are
doubling their capacity.
Right in the city of Savannah proper
the building of the Union passenger
station has resulted in the building
of what soon will be one of the notable
business streets in the place-the Gre
alton of a new business nucleus What
only a few months ago was an I'M
slightly dirt road lined with little bet
ter than old shacks is now a broad
finelyrpaved street, along which bust
ness blocks of an excellent type are
either already up or are in process OF
erection.
The value of real estate along this
highway fronting the new Cr on sta
ton has Increased by over 100 per
cent since May last. when the sta
ton was opened, while the increase
in values along the waterfront in the
new manufacturing district within the
same interval is even greater
This recent great acceleradon in
Savannah's growth is the only excep-
ton to the steady even pace at which
the city has been going forward dur
ing the last decade, and, withal. ii is
as free from anything in the nature
of boom as has been the citys prog
resS from the time when the life OF
the new era and the New South be-
gan to move in her veins, up to the
present movement, when she is well
toward the front among the best of
tAC oOuthSin StdpOIlS.
Great Seaport.
Savannah is going to be one of the
big seaport cities of the country. The
day of doubt as to that has gone by
Too much has been invested-as for
instance the million and a half dollars
just put into the terlninals-by those
who do not make a habit of going
wrong in those matters to leave any
room for hesitation on the part of the
timid. Quietly. in her own way. and
without fuss and feathers. Savannah
worked out her own salvation and is
now right in the great swim of Amer
lean prosperity, and she is there to
stay.
While the city increased its popula-
ton in the decade ending in 1900 at
the rate of about 25 per cent, ii is only
within the past two years that Sa-
vannah has been gaining in popula-
ton at rate that compares well with
those great industrial centres in the
South whose progress within the past
seven or eight years has been so re-
nlarkabe-with such cities. for in
stance, as Columbia, Charlotte, Green's
boro and Norfolk.
The population of Savannah by the
Government census of two years ago
was but a little over $4,000. A very
conservative estimate places the pres
ent population at over $1,000. an in
crease in two years just about equal
to the increase for the entire decade
of 1S90-l900. It is entirely safe to say
that when the census of 1910 is taken
Savannah will have population of
between $4,000 and 100000.
When city is forging ahead at
that rate; when ii is a central point
for four such great railroad systems as
the Southern. the Seaboard Air Line,
the Plant and the Central of Geor=ia;
when 1t has three capacious and we'll
equipped terminals at which vessels
drawing twenty-five feet of water are
able to load and unload: two fleets
of fine passenger and freight steam
ships furnishing almost daily service
to the great Northern ports: when in
single year C901) the volume of tom
mage entering and leaving its har-
Dor is 2.765,S62 tons and the gross
value of its commerce in the same in
terval amounts to $40, 000, 900. with bank
clearances amounting to 1882, 261 154:
when it is the greatest shipping port
in all the world for naval stores (tur-
pentine, rosin and kindred products);
when ii is one OF the foremost lum-
her ports in the world. and the third
largest cotton-shipping port in the
United States-.when a city can throw
down on the table a hand like that,
even the most doubtful of the doubt
ing Thomases must zee that the game
is already won. that Savannah has
taken her place in the ranks OF the
most progressive American cities TO
stay there. the only question. being
how many Of her rivals that are lead