The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-18
FILLED WITH VISITORS
FIVE THOUSAND EXCURSIONISTS
ARRIVED LAST NIGHT.
CROWDS IN GOOD HUMoR.
LARGE NUMBER HANDLED WITH
OUT SINGLE ACCIDENT.

Came from Augusta, MncOn ana
Along the Atlantic COnsT Line to
MontrOmery, AInbnma-HOteIs
and Boarding Houses Crowded TO
the Roofs-PIeasure Seekers win
Co to the Resorts To-day, Where
Special Preparations HaVe@Been
Mmde-VisitOrs Will Remain In
City Two Days.
Five thousand excursionists came into
Savannah yesterday afternoon over the
Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air
Line. and Macon Dublin and SaVan-
nah railways. This is record breaker
in excursions for this season.
At o'clock when the first train ar
rived over the Atlantic Coast Line from
Augusta, the Union Station took on an
aspect of activity that has seldom been
witnessed there. The train of nine cars
was packed almost to suffocation with
rolored excursionists.
At 10 o'clock a train of fourteen
coaches over the Seaboard Air Line and
the Macon, Dublin and Savannah ar
rived and poured its hundreds of visit
ors into the crowds in and around the
station. This train had hardly pulled
out of the station when the first section
of the excursion from Montgomery over
the Coast Line arrived.
FOrty-thrce Carloads.
Three trains containing total Of AZ
cars brought the tremendous crowd that
brought the tremendous crowd that
came from along the lines between Sa-
vannah and Montgomery. 1t was esti-
mated by Assistant General Passenger
Agent Leahy that something over g.
600 people came on these three trains,
and added to the number that came in
over the Seaboard Air Line and Macon,
Dublin and Savannah from Macon, and
the Coast Line from Augusta, the fig-
ures will easily foot up 5000.
At II O'Clock West Broad street from
the Union Station north to Oglethorpe
avenue, was crowded with excursionsts
seeking lodgings. Every hack was on
the go carrying tired eXcursionists to
their destinations. The hotels were
crowded to the roofs, and many visit
ors had difficulty in getting places to
sleep.
Where They Came From.
OF the 5000 visitors it is safe to say
that 1000 came in from Augusta, most
of them being colored. The train over
the Macon Dublin and Sa-
Vannah from Macon brought
LOO. All of the intermediate points
were represented i'm the crowd which
came down to spend a few days at
the seashore, and in Savannah. The
remainder of the visitors were from
Montgomery and intermediate points.
Thomasville was largely represented on
the Coast Line specials from Ala
bama's capital. Every village along
the line had one or more representa-
tWes aboard
Crowds Were Good HUNDRED
All of the excursionists were in good
humor. They got off the trains with
happy faces and laughter on their lips.
The customary separation of friends
and relatives who had agreed to stick
together in the crowds occurred, and
not few of the residents from some
of the more remote districts found suf-
ticient excitement in patrolling the
streets the entire night. Not a single
accident occurred to mar the pleasure
of the visitors on their stay in Savan-
nah.
The greater part of the crowds will
go to Tybee to-day. This win be the
Initial experience in surf bathing for
many. All of the resorts have made
preparations for the crowds, and
special programmes have been hastily
gotten up for the entertainment of the
visitors. At Tybee there will be mu-
sic, surf bathing and dancing. There
will be a special excursionists' matinee
at the Casino at Thunderbolt, and
Manager Barbee has prepared some
special features for those who go down
to Isle OF Hope.
Hotels Packed.
After II o'clock there was no room
available in any of the. hotels. All of
the lodging places were filled to the
doors, and many private boarding
places received visitors. Though many
spent the larger part of the night on
the streets the police did not report an
unusual number of cases of drunks or
dsorderlies.
The majority of the exeursonists
will remain in Savannah two days,
which is the limit on their tickets.