The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-30
THE A. C. L. AND THE l.. a. n.
MERGER

The control of the Louisville and
Nashville Railway system by the At
lantic Coast Line cannot be otherwise
than beneficial to Savannah. All of the
railway men who understand the stu
alton take this view of it.
For a long time the L. and N, has
been wanting to reach the seaboard on
the South Atlantic coast. 1t will be
able to do so now. 1t has become a
part of the system of roads controlled
by J. p Morgan & Co., and, as a part
of the Atlantic Coast Line, will be in
close touch with the Southern and the
Central of Georgia Railway. 1t touches
the Central at two important points,
and also the SeabOard. There is every
reason to think that a vast amount of
traffic of the L. and N. will find its
way to Savannah by way of the Cen
trail and the Seaboard.
Savannah's naval stores merchants
are particularly well pleased with the
merger. 1t will enable them to control
a large part of the turpentine and rosin
produced in the territory tributary to
the L. and n. And it is probable that
much of the lumber that is produced
along the lines of that system will be
shipped North from this port. Of
course these two items will be but
small portion of the increase in Sa-
vannah's commerce which win result
from this merger of the two great rail-
way systems.
This merger marks a distinct adj
vance in Savannah's commercial
growth. There are better reasons now
than ever before for saying that Sa-
vannah's future as a great CONNER
cial city is assured. 1t is only neces-
sary for her citizens to seize upon the
opportunities which present them
selves, and make the most of them, to
give her a phenomenal growth.
The merger will call the attention of
the entire country to Savannah and in
vestors will be quick to see the advan-
tages which she presents for business
and industrial enterprises. If every
business man will take it upon him
self to advertise her advantages it
coming from every direction for the
purposes of utilizing them. And it viii
be a mistake for her business men to
think they can do nothing to assist her
growth. There are many things they
can do. In the first place they can
show their confidenceaqn the citys flu
ture by putting their own money into
new undertakings. and everyone of
them has some influence with persons
elsewhere who are seeking profitable
investments.
1t is admitted that Savannah is the
most beautiful city in the South. 1t
is admitted that her situation is the
very best on the South Atlantic coast
for commercial purposes. Her health
record is excellent. And, although she
has an excellent harbor, within the
next tive years she will have, by all
odds, the best harbor on the entire
South Atlantic coast. She has now a
channel to the sea of twenty-six feet
in depth, and advertisements are out
for harbor improvement contracts that
will give her a channel of twenty Eight
feet. Such channel will accommodate
all classes of vessels except the few
ocean greyhounds which ply between
New York and two or three of the
ports of Europe.
There is no reason why Savannah
should not be the seaboard outlet for
a very large part of the South and an
Of ha
railroad situation seems to be shaping
itself to that end Savannah's citi-
zens ought to be ready to act in har
mony upon every occasion on which
they could make their influence felt for
the city's upbuilding. We do not know
of course what the plans of the At
lantic Coast Line are in respect to the
headquarters of the merged lines. Per-
haps it has not given that matter
much, if any, attention yet but it
would seem as if they would not re-
tain them at Wilmington. Savannah
is the place for them, and a little eff
fort on our part might bring them
here.
The city's commerce is growing and
the number of her industries are in
creasing all the time. Savannah of to-
day is far ahead of Savannah of ten
years ago. Businesses and industrial
enterprises have been established of
which the great majority of our people
know very little. The number of new
homes that are being built, however,
ought to convince them that people
are coming and that they are finding
something to do. A little more energy
and little more harmony on the part
of those of Savannah's citizens who
be productive of results that would be
surprising.