The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-25
FOR TOURIST RATES
URGENT LETTER FORWARDED TO
TRUNK LINE ASSOCIATION.
REQUEST WAS SIGNEE
BY A. c. L., S. A. L. AND SOUTHERN
RAILWAY.

Securing of Tourist Rates to Sa-
vannah a Matter That Has Been
Worked for Many Years, but
Not TIL Now Has Success Seemed
Sure-Extensive Advertising viii
Be Done by the Railroads in CO.
operation With Chamber of Conn
merce.
Announcement was made yesterday
that a concerted movement on the part
of the railroads has begun look
ing toward the securing of winter
tourists rates over the Eastern lines
to Savannah, and the outlook is ex-
ceedingly hopeful. The railroads in
terested have done their best and it
is difficult to believe that the trunk
lines of the East will refuse to grant
their unanimous request.
The Atlantic Coast Line, the South
ern Railway and the Seaboard Air
Line held joint conference through
some of their representatives some
days ago and decided that they would
act unanimously in the matter and do
what they could to secure the winter
AS a result a letter was sent. to the
great trunk lines of the East by the
representatives of the three Southern
railways mentioned above and each
letter presented an urgent request Tor
the granting of the rates, and indica-
tions are that favorable action will
follow, though at this date there can
be nothing definite announced.
A Big Thing for savannah
The granting of the rates is matter
of the greatest Importance % Sa-
vannah, and is a concession for which
the commercial organizations have
been fighting for the last twenty-five
years, though they have never come
so near success as they are at the
present time The Central OF Georgia
has winter tourist rates now in effect
and in fact has had them for num-
ber of years. If the trunk lines petl-
toned should grant the request OF the
railroads mentioned Savannah would
be put on a basis similar to Jackson
Vile and other places for which rates
have been secured.
Secretary Donlan of the Chamber OF
Commerce was very much elated When
him, especially as the matter is one
which has been agitated and worked
for for some time, but hitherto with
out success. Repeated attempts nave
been made to induce the great trunk
lines from points beyond washington
to give winter tourist rates to Sa-
vannah, but all requests have been met
with refusal. The nearest approach
to it has been the grantingNof stop
over tickets, allowing passengers TO
Jacksonville and other Florida resorts
to spend short time here on their
way further South.
No StOp-Overs.
This manner of stopping of mas
brought many tourists here, but owing
to the fact that they were allowed to
stop here but comparatively snort
time, the city received little beneht
and nothing near like what would ac-
crue in case the railroads would con-
sent to consider Savannah as re-
sort city.
That the people of this section of
the country and from the more North
ern states do look upon Savannah as
a resort is evidenced by the fact that
during the entire winter the hotels
are crowded with visitors, persons
coming here for no other reason
than pleasure. The city is an excep-
tionally beautiful one. and that is one
of the main attractions for tourists. Its
climate is a delightful one, and there
are sufficient attractions and amuse-
ments here to make the time of the
visitor pass pleasantly.
There was general elation yester-
day among the business men,
when the announcement of the
probable success of the long fight to
secure tourists rates was made, and
all look upon it as one of the most adj
vantageous arrangements to the city
that has been effected in some time.
VIII Advf rtise savannah.
Secretary Donlan of the Chamber of
Commerce said that steps will be
taken toward advertising Savannah
as a tourist point, as soon as
the rate question has been settled,
though just what action will be taken
he could not say. Every effort will be
put forth on the part of the Chamber
to make the city one of the best adver-
tised of all the tourists points in the
South and every possible aid will be
extended to the railroads who have
so aided in the effort to secure
tourists rates. The railroads themselves
will. of course, do considerable ad-
vertising, announcing the attractions in
the city and the rates, etc, and this
will be supplemented by the adVertis-
One who is in position to know
the facts concerning the letter in dis
cussing the probabilities of the rail-
roads granting the petition sent them
said that the letter had been made
as strong and urgent as could possi-
bly, be done and he thought there
would be scarcely any opposition to
the granting of the rates. The letter
was signed jointly by the representa-
tives of the three railroads mention
ed above and then forwarded to the
Trunk Line Passenger Association for
it's consideration. The fact that the
letter comes from the three large rail-
roads running into the city, coupled
with the fact that the Central of Geor-
gia has already seen fit to adopt tour
list rates, will lend considerable weight
to the letter when it is taken I'm nv
the Trunk Line Association and those
in a position to know something about
the workings OF the various passen-
ger associations, stated that thew
could see no reason why the tour
lists rates would not be granted almost
at once by the Trunk Line Associa-
ton.