The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-17
THIRTY FEET DEEP
sAVANNAH'S CHANNEL MUST BE AT
MEAN LOWER WATER.
MAYOR CARRIES OUT IDEA
HE HAD IN MIND BEFORE HIS RE-
CENT WESTERN TRIP.

After Conferences Some Days Ago
with Col. Quinn, and Others, the
Mayor Wrote the Letter Read to
Council Last Night-MRtter of
Deeper Water for Savannah to BE
Pushed Before Congress in NOvem-
ber-MnyOr Myers Chairman of
Committee of Five from Council.
Following a line of thought that he
had outlined before his recent visit
to the West, and that several days
ago he determined upon after confer
ences with Col Quinn and others, May
or Myers last night read a letter to
Council urging that action be taken
towards securing thirty feet of wa
ter for Savannah's harbor at mean low
water.
The letter was prepared by Mayor
Myers two or three days ago and was
gone over carefully before it was fin
ally written yesterday morning by the
Mayors secretary. After 1t was read
in open Council by Clerk Creamer, up
on motion of Alderman Dixon it was
unanimously adopted and a committee
of FIVE will take the matter. up at
once.
The Mayors letter follows:
TO the Board of Aldermen: l
beg to direct your attention
to the advisability of new and united
effort on the part of the municipality
and the business interests of Savannah
to secure deeper water in our river
and harbor. The initiative should
properly come from this body repre-
senting the entire community, and for
that purpose l desire to lay the mat
ter before you at this meeting in or
der that there may be no further de-
lay. Congress, it is understood will
meet in extra session in November,
running directly into the regular ses-
sion of that body, and Savannah should
be prepared to present its claims to
the attention of the lawmakers as soon
after they convene as possible.
Importance of Movement.
1t is hardly necessary for me to lay
stress upon the importance of such
a movement. We all realize that our
harbor is the life of our city. The
tendency of the times is undoubtedly
toward vessels of deeper draught,
cheapening the cost of transportation
and commerce inevitably tends toward
those ports which offer the advantages
its -eminence and continue to secure
its legitimate share of the increasing
prosperity of the country, Savannah
must have its river and harbor i'm
proved. The national government
stands committed to a policy of i'm
provements of this nature as bene-
fetal not only to local and state in
terests, but to the interests of the en-
tire people of the United States. We
can feel that all that is needed is
proper presentation of Savannah's
claims to secure consideration al Wash
ington.
SOuth's Great Strides.
The South is making enormous
strides in every direction. Agriculture,
manufactures and mining are rapidly
expanding and the volume of its inn
ports and exports must grow vastly
in the next few years. The construc-
tion of an isthmian canal will serve to
augment our commerce many fold. Sa-
vannah should be in readiness to keep
its position as the first port of the
South Atlantic. To do this we must
have, and are entitled to, thirty feet of
water at mean low tide from the city
to the sea. 1 am informed by high au-
thority that this can be easily obtain
ed. l would accordingly recommend
that your honorable body appoint a
committee charged with the duty OF
memorializing Congress to this end,
and that the aid of the Cotton Elk
change, Chamber of Commerce and
Board Of Trade be invoked in this
work. Your committee could affiliate
with the committees of these CONNER
cial bodies and report to Council such
further steps as it may be advisable
for the city government to take"
Committee Named.
Upon motion of Alderman Thomas
the following resolution was unani
mously adopted:
Resolved, That a committee of FIVE,
of which the Mayor shall be one and
chairman, be appointed by the Mayor
to take such steps as may be necessary
to carry into immediate effect the
recommendations made by him in his
communication to Council of this date,
and that the three commercial bodies
of the city be requested to appoint
committees. and otherwise exert their
influence toward securing thirty foot
channel at mean low water from the
city to the sea.
Besides Mayor Myers the committee
is composed of Aldermen D. r. Thomas,
James M. Dixon, w. H. Wright and r.
J. Davant. -