The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-30

will be reduced to such an extent as
will enable them to own one. This
country is only beginning to see the
automobile used as a means of pleas
ure
After the long and tiresome winter
that has just closed in the North 1
predict that two or three times as
many tourists will visit the South
next winter as did this winter. Sa-
vannah, therefore, in order to enjoy
its portion of this increased travel
must be in position to offer such ad-
vantages as will capture the people
and hold them.
AutOmObiIists Spend Money.
Those who are now automobilists
are persons of large means who, as
has been shown by the Florida resorts,
bring their friends and families with
them on their trips, and spend several
weeks at attractive resorts where they
spend many thousands of dollars. BY
having this speedway Savannah would
become the subject of conversation of
every automobilist in the North. 1t
would be given special prominence in
the new railroad guides. 1t would re-
ceive chief mention in all the automo-
bile journals during the winter months
and, at the time of the races, it would
be mentioned in all the newspapers
of the country. l say, therefore, that
from proper expenditure to build such
a speedway more and better results
could be obtained than by the most
careful and painstaking system of adj
vertising that might be gotten up by
this Chamber of Commerce at an inn
mense cost.
Great Local Interest.
For over a week / have been can
wasting the matter of a speedway
among the business men and other
residents of the city, and not once did
l secure dissenting opinion from the
view that to build one would be one
of the best things Savannah could
do.
Yesterday afternoon in company
with one of your directors Mr.. Bat
tey, l followed as near as possible the
route which, to my own mind, seems
the most available, and which seems to
me to be the one that could be rsade
into a speedway at the earlist date
and the least expense. This route be-
gins at the Waters road, about an
eighth of a mile west of the street
car line, joins the Meridian Road, al
Smith & Kelly's place. and follows
that thoroughfare to the MONTGOMERY
until it parellels the railway of which
1t is within half mile the entire dis.
lance to Montgomery.
Would Cost About $4,000.
II propose that the speedway be
constructed seventy feet wide, with
bicycle path five feet wide on each
side and a roadway fifteen feet wide
1t appears to me that the most ad.
visable means for raising funds fol
this enterprise would be to have the
County Commissioners issue bonds fol
the road and / would suggest to the
| president that the committee be en-
! powered to consult freely with the
! County Commissioners and secure the
exact cost of the proposed speedway
| Roughly speaking, / believe that al
/ the expenses of roadway, grading, etc
would not exceed $75, 900, as / think the
owners of the property through which
/ this speedway would pass would glad.
i ly contribute a hundred feet of LAND
free of charge, inasmuch as their Other
| property would be greatly enhanced
in value.
II have consulted the officials o,
! both the Ocean Steamship Company
and the Merchants and Miners Trans.
| portation Company, all of whom as
sure me that everything that can b,
| done will be done to insure low rates
anu 6oOu accommodations Tor autOmO
bilists. Savannah offers great induce
ments as to low freight rates on au
| tomobiles. For example, the rate from
New York to Ormond via the Clyd,
Line to Jacksonville and the Floridf
East Coast Railroad. the remainder o.
the way is S3.S1 for a machine set up
To Savannah the rate is less than one
half, being S1.65, while a rate of 81 II
can be obtained II the machine Il
knocked down. The rate via rail from
New York, Philadelphia or Baltimor,
is S2.46 set up and $1.64 set down.
Auto Makers Might Help.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Foster
presentation Of the subject Mr.. Batter
/ said he would like 10 see the matte
taken up by the Chamber of Commerce
| in business like way and the plai
carried through TO a successful con
summation. SIR. Baldwin thought tina
IN addition 10 making efforts 10 secun
the money for building a speedwa,
/ from Local sources that many nf IN
large automobile factories could be In
1 duced 20 contribute 10 the cause par
/ ticularly na they would. in a larF
measure, reap benefits from a. II wal
/ aecloed 10 allow the COMMITTEES np
pointed 10 consider the matter % TAX
such action ns its members might Hel
o.
Mr Battery in lettsr 90 NJ Foete
I FlYiuE some ~ he reasons fOr wAnfinl
/ q speedway "a thia rify HHya p 49,
lirmlf ~ fhe qpinlon fhaf nofhing cai