The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-30
WANTS S. AL. SHOPS
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO TRY
TO BRING THEM TO SAVANNAH.
WIRED PRESIDENT WILLIAMS.
AND APPOINTED A COMMITTEE TO
TAKE FURTHER STEPS IN MATTER.

This Body Will Confer with w. w.
MncIaII as to Best Means to Fur
Their SaVannah's Claims for Con-
sideratiOn shops Would Mean
Large Addition to Savannah's
Population as They Employ 1000
Men who with Their Families
Would Probably Move to This City.
Savannah Would BE UnexceIIed as
Point of Distribution for stores.
Savannah wants the Seaboard Air
Line shops and will make an effort to
get them. The first step in this direc-
| ton was taken yesterday when the EX-
! ecutiVe and Finance Committee of the
Chamber of Commerce, after an en-
| thusiastic meeting to discuss the prof.
ect. instructed Secretary w. j. Don
Ian to wire President John Shelton
Williams of the Seaboard Air Line,
stating that if the shops are to be
moved Savannah wants to receive con-
sideration as a site for them.
At the same meeting a committee
consisting of Messrs. Leopold Adler,
Henry Blum and Lee Roy Myers was
| appointed to confer with Mr.. w. W.
Mackall to ascertain from him the best
method of presenting the qualifications
of Savannah as a site for the shops,
and to secure from him any additional
information and suggestions that may
be Of assistance in attracting to this
| city the attention of the officials of the
Seaboar1 Air Line.
All the members of the committee
are heartily in favor of the plan to
secure the shops if possible, are anX-
ious that the Chamber of Commerce
shall do everything in its power to
bring about this result, and are willing
to lend any possible assistance to fur
Their this end. Mr.. Mackall, who is
one of the directors of the Seaboard
Air Line, was not in Savannah yester-
day, consequently his views on the
matter could not be obtained, but lit
tie doubt is felt that he will heartily
cooperate with the committee.
Employ 1000 Men.
The Portsmouth shops would be an
| invaluable acquisition to Savannah, for
| they would mean not only large ad-
dition to the manufacturing plants of
| the city, but the probable addition of
| from 1000 to 5000 people to its popu-
| lation, for 1000 men are employed in
the shops, and the greater number of
| them and their families would be
| brought to Savannah if the shops be
moved here.
Savannah would not be the only in
| terested concern, however, for it is
| conceded that it would be an advantage
h. C1l,1 or1 Air ina 70 hnx &c
shops so centrally located as they
would be if moved to Savannah. This
| was pointed out in the Morning News
yesterday. A further consideration that
| should count in Savannahs favor is
that it is the best point for the distri-
button of stores on the whole system.
The reply of President Williams to
yesterdays telegram is anxiously
awaited, as upon its contents will de-
pend what further action the Chamber
| of Commerce will take.
Mayor Favors Scheme.
Mayor Herman Myers thinks that the
| Seaboard could find no better location
| for it's shops than in Savannah, and
said that he will in every possible way
help the movement that is being made
| to get the shops here. The Mayor
realizes that the shops would mean a
| great deal to Savannah.
| L read with interest the eQllOr1al IL
| the Morning News on this subject,
said Mayor Myers, and 1 sincerely
| hope that the Chamber of Commerce
will be successful in its effort to in
duce the Seaboard to put up it's shops
here. l think that it is a matter thai
| the merchants should get to work or
| Immediately 1t seems to me that Sa-
| Vannah is just the place for these shops
and that the railroad would make 6
| wise move by coming here"
Col j. III. Estill, president of the
| Chamber of Commerce, through whose
| instructions the matter was brought to
the attention of the Executive and
| Finance Committee, thinks the Savan-
nah offer for the shops will demand the
serious consideration of the Seaboard
Air Line officials as should they move
them to this city, they would be I'M
der no necessity of securing a site
having already a sufficient amount OF
| land near the present shops, or if they
think it preferable, having a large por-
ton of Hutchinson Island on which &c
build.
Mr.. William Kehoe is one of the
most enthusiastic citizens in favor OF
getting the shops. 1t would mean. he
says, that Savannah would materially
increase her prestige as a railroad cen
ter and that she would secure a large
number of most desirable citizens, a
most valuable asset to any city.
Other members of the Chamber OF
Commerce, and, in fact, all citizens
who were asked for an opinion tool
the view of Mr.. Kehoe that to get the
shops is a most desirable thing TO do.