The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-14
WAREHOUSE ROOM
is SCARCE
ATHEISTS GROWTH OF PORT.
TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES BUSY
HANDLING FREIGHT.

Merchants Who Wish to Purchase
in Quantities Know How Cramped
Present Facilities Are-Yards and
Wharves Exhibit Busy Scenes ana
Stringency Must he Met Soon.
Projects on Foot Insure Even
Greater Growth of Port.
One indication of the degree of pros
perity now being experienced by Sa-
vannah merchants is shown in the fact
that warehouse room is at
premium. All places for the stor-
age of merchandise are crowded to the
limit, with little prospect for early res
lief in the congestion.
Mr.. William J. Donlan, secretary of
the Chamber of Commerce, is hearing
daily of this condition. The conges-
ton means outgoing and incoming
freight shipments have outgrown the
warehouse conditions in the city and
that something will have to be done
at an early date to increase warehouse
capacity.
Never in the history of the COM
merce of the city has such great
amount of freight been handled by
the transportation companies" said a
transportation man yesterday. 1T is
piling up, too, about as fast as it can
be well handled"
Steamers Go Out Loaded.
The Merchants and Miners Transport
tation Company is handling an unus-
ual amount of merchandise with its
steamers. Its wharf is crowded with
goods for shipment to Philadelphia
and Baltimore and every incoming
steamer unloads full cargo. The
officials are well pleased with the
handsome increase of their business to
and from this port and are working
like beavers to keep their consign-
ments moving with dispatch
The Central of Georgia freight yards
are crowded with freight and the full
equipment of the road is occupied In
handling the business. This road has
a big cotton trade to handle and daily
brings to Savannah for consignment by
water vast amounts of the product.
Cotton is not kept stored in the city,
but is Immediately shipped out and it
does not materially affect the ware
house problem.
also rushed in the demands made up
on its service. This company takes
shipments to Boston and New York
and also brings into the city much of
New England's manufacturing prod
ucts. The vessels are doing a rush
ing business, every steamer each way
carrying large cargoes. Their wharf
exhibits an especially busy scene.
Storage Room Necessary.
The Atlantic Coast Line and the Sea-
board Air Line report that freight
shipments are far above the records
with them. The Seaboard brings to
Savannah much pig iron from Northern
Alabama, and also has much inland
Coast Line has a good fruit trade the
year around.
Local merchants in commenting upon
warehouse conditions. say the question
of storage is fast becoming a serious
one Some desire to purchase commod-
tiles in large quantities when the mar
ket is favorable. and then they meet
face to face the warehouse problem
when they have none of their own.
Again merchants feel how serious the
question is at a season of the year like
Christmas when they necessarily buy
in large quantities.
Shipments for distribution by water
and shipments here for local merchants
often conflict. Knowing they cannot
at all times be assured of quick con-
signments they are tempted TO order
more when they do order. Naturally
this surplus must be stored when it
reaches the city. and this increases the
difficulty.
Principal among the causes for the
storage stringency is the 'ase in
shipments from inland poll to Sa-
vannah for distribution.
1.-The port is growing com
mercially in importance, and the
railroads are capable of bring
ing in products of the state faster
than they can be shipped out by wa
ter" said one merchant. Consequently
the surplus Is stacked up wherever t
can be kept in safety. This makes an
other demand upon the storage quar-
tiers of the city.
Merchants Will PatrOnize.
1.-THE inevitable conclusion of this
condition of affairs is that more ware
house room must soon be provided.
That there is a good and profitable in
vestment open in this direction there
can be no doubt. The Chamber of
Commerce is hearing from many mer-
chants on this point and they would
gladly assure patronage for additional
warehouse accommodations. There is
no danger of the port decreasing in
Importance as a point of distribution
for inland freight.
In fact there are under considera-
ton projects that are to bring more
Southern products than ever before to
Savannah. The establishment of the
wood turpentine distilling plant here,
the promised branch of the Sherwin-
Williams Paint Company and the pig
iron specials of the Seaboard are a
few of these projects. The shortage
in warehouse accommodations is the
best indication of the growth and pros
perity of the city evidenced In many
days. Something must be done to keep
II up to the demands of the continued
commercial growth of the city,"
s-o-s-
students Rates During the Holidays.
Atlantic Coast Line is prepared to re-
ceive deposits for tickets for students
from colleges in the East and West.
such tickets to be furnished through
to Savannah and return and baggage
checked through.