The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-03

ygas a town with an uncertain fu-
ture.
War and epidemic and the almost
bankrupt state of the city government
had conspired to cast gloom over
the coming years.
Rut the clouds disappeared before
The progressive spirit and undaunted
denomination of its people, and to-day
savannah is a city pulsing with life
and prosperity, looking back over a
quarter century of development and
forward to an era ct unprecedented
progress.
United in their belief in the superb
possibilities that the near years have
IN store for their city, it's 10000 peo-
ple are working more as a unit for
the upbuilding of Savannah than it's
inhabitants have probably ever done
before, except it be in the thirties,
at the time when its very existence
seemed threatened by the competition
of other ports and it's people, awak-
ened to their danger, began the work
that resulted in the building of sew
eral railroads and the starting of Sa-
vannah on the high road to its present
prominence among Southern. coast
cities.
1t is we'll at times to take a breath
ing spell in the activities of life and
summarize, briefly though it be, the
work that has been done and the
results that have been accomplished,
quarter of a century is a long pc
Rod in times when any day may bring
forth revolutionizing inventions, when
towns spring up over night, and plans
involving millions of dollars are elab-
grated in a few weeks.
Growth Steady and Sure,
But Savannah has no reason to
dread a comparison of it's progress
between 1873 and 1903 with that of
other cities. 1t may not have been
phenomenal, but, what is perhaps bet
ter 1t has been steady, sure, and built
on foundations of whose permanency
there can be no doubt. Populations
IS regarded by many as the most in
fallible sign of city's growth. Bv
this test Savannah shows I'D remark
ably well, its people numbering now.
with It's recently extended limits, fully
10000, against 10000 in 1878, showing
g growth of 1873 per cent. in the TWEEN
ty-five years.
The character Of the population is
an even more vital point, and when
this is considered we find that Sa-
Vannah has largely grown by the in
fusion of energetic, ambitious. nush-
ing blood possessed of American
ldeals and hopes, and while repre-
senung different sections and nation
allIes IN some degree, yet already
welded into homogeneous mass de.
voted to the interests of the civ 30
its adoption. IVY "a
As a Seaport City.
savannah is essentially a seanor+
- cAleI business is the handling Of
me products of the vast area, Of Cow
cy rendered tributary to it by the
IouI magnificent systems of railroads
NeHIeIIhS mere. In any review conn
iieICe accordingly demands first atten-
Uqn' Here Savannah is at its best.
IN 1913 vessels drawing 1917 feet of
Mdter We're the largest that could enter
To-day 251A feet is the depth of water
IN IN 1873 the total freights handled, in
Mard and outward. aggregated SOC. 900
Last years official figures showed a
lolaI OF 100000 tons of freight ex-
p doo and imported, an increase Of
200 per cent.
Is Financial Center,
IN 1873 there entered and cleared.
not including coastwise schooners- / ali
aeSseis' with total tonnage of ], 3O9. $40:
al ISVz they numbered 1924, with a
9 SIS tonnage of 2,507,S41. This item
teIis the effect of past harbor improve
here. 'i"uliis
FROM the beginning of work on the
t 81 too the United States has expended
So'4oZ'6l6, and the municipal govern
tliehI $I9o,f56, of which fully $4,000. 900
,,"o peen expended since 1878. In that
year II is probable that the gross value
81 an SaVannah's commerce was not
We're over $150,O00,0 900.
III 1893 there was no clearing house.
ana the total amount of transa ctfons
tnrough the banks is accordingly not
at hand. But in 1902 they amounted to
oNer $lSl, 100000. For the first ten
NM n6d OF 1903 they aggregated $685.
oUo'VUV AS November and December
oIe months of heavy business it is
probable that the total for 1903 will
reach $200,000,0 900.
IN 1873 Savannah possessed little or
! no manufacturing business. To-day
~ ms Is an important factor in the city's
NE and growth. A number of large
ana small industries give employment
10 thousands of hands, pay out hun
ureus OF thousands of dollars in wages
yearly, and the value of their products
runs INTO the millions of dollars. Sa-
vahnah is not generally known as a
manufacturing point. but in the past
Jew years its development along this
! me mas been most satisfactory, al
ttnough comparatively unheralded to
the world
SWamps Made Way for Homes.
In developed area a quarter Of a CEN
Jury mas worked wonderful changes
Here. Where, at an even later date
man 1878 boys went fishing for min
lows IN pools, or hunted for birds, the
neIds and woods have given way to
thousands of pretty homes of a pros
porous and happy people.
oIiice 1878 the built-up portion of the
Wy mas moved southwark by fully two
!.illes, and the waste lands of that
u'ne are now comprised in the finess
!4eSluence section of the city. Lands
eneH worth few hundred dollars an
ac Io are now worth $1,000 to $1,000 for
eu-1oot front building lot.
ouch facts tell the story of our sub
S'dutlaI growth better than a long ar
10y Oh words. In 1878 the total realty
assessment of the city was $4,000. 900,
%f"u that of personality 5000, 900. Now
At stands Realty, $50 900, 600; person.
atty Sl2,000,OOO.
,,oo l61S the tax rate was $3.50 on the
WV W. To-day it is s1.SO net
en- al ~, 1913 the citys total revenues were
sovo'ooo: This year. at half the tax
f me, eney viii be about 100000.