USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > History of Savannah, Ga.; from its settlement to the close of the eighteenth century > Part 15
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Another business which has grown rapidly and has a promising future is the fertilizer trade. Savannah was for years a mere buyer and seller, a middleman pure and simple. Recently local firms have gone into the
475
COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES.
manufacture of fertilizers from the South Carolina rock, and the city's trade is about $2,500,000 a year.
The shipment of fruits and vegetables is no small item in the commerce of the port. During the spring and summer vast quantities of fruits, melons and vegetables are shipped north and west. The coffee importing trade, which amounted to $200,000 a year, has declined owing to quarantine reg- ulations. Salt, coal, tropical fruits, hides, wool, fish, oysters, pig iron, yarns and domestics form important articles of export and import. Professional hunters come here every winter and trap game for the pelts. Oysters and fish are shipped away in large quantities. The pig iron comes chiefly from the Alabama mines. A fact not generally known is that the " wire grass" wool is the finest clip shorn in America. It is free from dirt and oil, and brings the highest price. Engaged in bringing and carrying away Savan- nah's imports and exports are three railroad lines, and regular steamship lines to New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The steamships and sailing vessels which come here go to every port in the world.
The statistics given below represent the value of the exports and im- ports by water alone for a period of sixteen years :
EXPORTS FOR YEAR END- ING AUGUST 31.
1887.
1 886.
1885.
1884,
Cotton
$ 39.378,480
$ 38.807.726 $ 36.191.441
$ 33,221,875
Naval Stores
3,296.788
3.296.503
2.944.326
3.278,296
Lumber and- Timber
1,094.318
1,015.580
9:4.535
924,454
Rice
271.142
210,367
344.232
855.937
Pig Iron
653.940
193,835
1 86.504
175.612
Hides and Wool
174.647
212 304
228.606
215.314
Fruits and Vegetables
1.723,723
1.834,713
1.767.852
1.790.210
Yarns and Domestics
1.649,000
3.334.950
3 500,620
3.757,311
Miscellaneous
6.522.044
2.127.212
2.225, 100
2,206.504
Total Exports
$ 54,764.082
$ 51,028.190 $ 48 313,216 $
46.425.513
IMPORTS .- Fertilizers
2.460.752
2,238.654
2.709.511
1,626.601
Coal. ..
354.740
224 340
196.870
201,200
Hay and Grain.
350,635
318,250
350,419
346,550
Salts
215.325
126.000
125,000
125,000
Coffee
487.319
512.000
500,000
500.000
Miscellaneous
48,790 462
47,699.280
45.999.280
46,312,965
Total Imports
$ 52 659,233
$ 51.118,524
$ 49.881,080
49, 112.316
$107,423.315
$102.146,714 $ 98, 194.296
95.537.829
!
476
HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
EXPORTS FOR YEAR END- ING AUGUST 31.
1883.
1882.
1881.
1 880.
Cotton
41.773,265
$ 40,495,221
$ 48,019,799
·f. 38,233.425
Naval Stores
2,821,106
2,065.848
2,072,291
1,294,833
Lumber and Timber.
949.031
1.047,524
835,176
853,081
Rice
582.624
914 905
879,480
877,248
Pig Iron
173,560
145,900
158,760
133.312
Hides and Wool.
254,296
241,660
225,390
240,700
Fruits and Vegetables
1,512,302
1,460,205
1, 200, 1 50
1, 140 625
Yarns and Domestics
3,860,450
3,625,460
3.729,605
3.312.412
Miscellaneous
1,989.300
2,007.525
1,865,250
1,750.775
Total Exports
$ 53,915.934
$ 52,004,248
$ 58.985,901
$ 47,836,411
IMPORTS .- Fertilizers
2,270.455
2,370,985
2,870,545
3,838,058
Coal
210,015
219.650
200,440
198,360
Hay and Grain
333.476
360,525
385.415
395,212
Salts.
125,000
125,000
100,000
100,000
Coffee
500,000
500.000
400,000
400,000
Miscellaneous
44,260,850
42.375.945
44,760,500
40,590,850
Total Imports
$ 47,699.796
$ 45.952,105
$ 48.716,900
45.522,480
$101,615.730
$ 97.956,353
$107,702,801
$ 93.358,891
EXPORTS FOR YEAR END- ING AUGUST 31.
1879.
1878
1877.
1876.
Cotton
$ 32.525.777 $ 31.993.123 $ 25,691,547
ef: 32,817,572
Naval Stores
998,682
774.207
577,988
208.176
Lumber and Timber
669.064
772.057
671.863
661,562
Rice .
685,728
581,436
465,990
650.337
Pig Iron
125,200
106,210
95-300
65.250
Hides and Wool
240,915
228.656
206,550
219.400
Fruits and Vegetables
890.220
847.512
628 005
512,940
Yarns and Domestics
2,998,510
2.912.367
2, 166,400
2.349,672
Miscellaneous.
1,767.325
1.813.420
1,600.210
1,400,555
Total Exports.
$ 40,901,421 $ 39,978,988 $ 32,103,853 $
38,885 464
IMPORTS .-- Fertilizers.
2.784,667
3,116,788
2.715.728
2,091.902
Coal
209,840
187.350
190,525
175,450
Hay and Grain.
360,555
382,012
400,880
393.765
Salts.
100,000
100,000
100,000
80.000
Coffee
400,000
400.000
400,000
300,000
Miscellaneous
39.209,410
38,762,315
32, 500 77 5
34,650,850
Total Imports
$ 43 064.472
$ 42.948.465
$ 36,307.908
37,691,967
$ 83,965,893 $ 82.927,453
$ 68,411,761
S 76,577,431
477
COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES.
EXPORTS FOR YEAR END- ING AUGUST 31
1875.
1874.
1873.
1872.
Cotton
$ 44,005,476
$ 47,774,638 $ 61,314.818
S 34,266,847
Naval Stores
110,964
59,029
45.144
Lumber and Timber
660,582
667,189
562,740
548,895
Rice
646,360
531.796
208,250
187,649
Pig Iron
66,310
51,500
40,615
25.500
Hides and Wool
197,320
190,206
175.550
170,410
Fruits and Vegetables
468,500
451,680
410,790
492,015
Yarns and Domestics
2,606,450
2,897,315
3,148,167
2,405.960
Misellaneous
1, 520,320
1,638,200
1,920,325
1,412,440
Total Exports
$ 50,282,282
$ 54,261,553
$ 67,826,399
$ 39.509.716
IMPORTS .- Fertilizers
1,338,509
1.545 860
1,624.427
1,692,60I
Coal.
182,300
170.325
175.255
160,105
Hay and Grain
406,550
408,975
396,210
390 400
Salts
80,000
80.000
80,000
80,000
Coffee
275,000
275,000
.250 000
250,000
Miscellaneous.
38,790,400
35,890,525
35,609 490
30,274,950
Total Imports
៛ 41,072,759 $ 38,370,685
$ 38,135,382 %
32,849,056
$ 91.355,041 .$ 92,632,238
$105,961,781 $ 72.358.772
The above statement does not include receipts and shipments by rail, nor does it include the value of domestic traffic, local manufactures, bank- ing, etc., but is confined strictly to value of exports and imports which have a direct bearing upon our water-ways transportation. While values have decreased during the past fifteen years about one-third, the values in 1886, compared with 1872 in volume, are nearly 50 per cent. greater. This is due to the large increase in tonnage. The item of " miscellane- ous " in imports embraces bagging, iron ties, tobacco, boots and shoes, bacon, dry goods, hats,, clothing, drugs, furniture, hardware, crockery, sugar, flour, cigars, canned goods, and manufactured articles generally.
During the Revolutionary War the river was so obstructed by wrecks and otherwise that at the close of hostilities it became abso- lutely necessary that the obstructions should be removed or Savannah would not have any commerce. So in 1787 an act was passed by the General Assembly of the State "levying a tax of 3 pence per ton on all shipping entering the port of Savannah, the same to be appropriated and set apart as a fund for clearing the river of wrecks." In 1822 steam passenger vessels were exempted from this tax, and the next year
478
HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
it was repealed. In 1772 there were entered and cleared at the custom house 161 sail of vessels. The imports for that year were valued at £810, and the exports at £2,963, a total of £3,773. In 1872, a cen- tury later, the entrances alone were 1,156 vessels, and the exports and imports were valued at more than $72,000,000.
The magnitude of the shipping is shown by the statistics which fol- low and which are for the year 1888 :
VESSELS.
TONS.
CREW.
American vessels entered
8
3,560
111
American vessels cleared.
8
2,583
63
Foreign vessels entered
229
146,075
3,288
Foreign vessels cleared
233
167,836
3,557
Total
478
320,054
7,019
Entered coastwise
411
539,576
14.907
Cleared coastwise
382
507.075
14,231
Total
793
1,046,651
29,138
Total foreign
478
320,054
7,019
Total coastwise.
793
1,046,651
29.138
Grand total
1,27[
1,366,705
36,1 57
Savannah has never had much to boast of in the way of manufactures outside of the rice mills and usual flour mills, foundries, machine shops, and such industries of that kind as are found in every city. Within a few years past, however, the manufactures have grown and not slowly. Planing and saw mills, furniture factories, fertilizer and chemical works for the manufacture of sulphuric acid, a cotton mill and cotton seed oil mill are the most important works. Cigars are made in large quantities, and a brewery is in successful operation. An artificial ice factory is one of the most novel as well as useful industries.
The Savannah Board of Trade was organized in April, 1883. It was the successor of the Naval Stores Exchange of which Mr. C. S. Ellis was president, and which changed its charter and its name and became the Board of Trade. This organization is composed of business men, the most of whom are engaged on the Bay, Congress and Broughton streets. At the Board rooms telegraphic reports of the naval stores, grain and provision markets are received and posted. Statistics are there kept of
479
RAILROADS.
the yearly transactions of the port in the various trades represented by the board. The first president of the Board of Trade was H. Fraser Grant. His successors have been James K. Clarke, Fred M. Hull, (two years) and John R. Young, who is now serving his second term. The superin- tendents have been, R. M. Rieves, George P. Walker, John Henderson, and S. McA. White.
CHAPTER XXXI.
RAILROADS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OF SAVANNAH.
Central Railroad and Banking Company-History of its Organization and Growth -- Ocean Steamship Company-Savannah, Florida and Western Railway-Savannah and Tybee Railroad-Central Railroad Bank-Merchant's National Bank-Savannah Bank and Trust Company-Southern Bank of the State of Georgia-National Bank of Savannah-The Oglethorpe Savings and Trust Company-Citizen's Bank-Title Guar- antee and Loan Company - Building and Loan Associations.
T HE relations of a city to its radiating lines of travel will always indi- cate the measure of its present and future prosperity. Georgia was one of the first States in the Union to encourage railway enterprise, and it is a notable fact that her pioneer road, the Central, made Savannah its starting point. The progress of this road is inseparably connected with the history of Savannah, and not only shows the city's advancement but that of the State as well. Its history is full of interest and instruction, and is well worthy of consideration.
The Central Railroad was chartered December 14, 1835. Colonel Crugar made the first experimental survey in 1834. at the cost of the city of Savannah. In 1835 the Central Railroad and Banking Company was organized with W. W. Gordon, the originator of the scheme, as pres- ident. In 1836 it began work, and on October 13. 1843, the road was completed to Macon, Ga., a distance of one hundred and ninety miles, on which day a train passed over the whole line to the depot at Macon. L. O. Reynolds was chief engineer of construction. In July, 1838, passen- ger trains began running regularly the first twenty-six miles. In 1838
480
HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
the charter of the branch road to Augusta was granted, and Savannah subscribed $100,000 to construct it.
During the year 1842 Mr. W. W. Gordon, the projector and genius of this enterprise, died, and Mr. R. R. Cuyler was elected president. Forty years later the Central Railway Company, in grateful recognition of Mr. Gordon's great service, erected a beautiful monument to his mem- ory in the Court House Square on Bull street. No stronger tribute could be uttered to his memory than the words used by Chief Engineer Rey- nolds in his official report for the year 1842. " The steadiness and deter- mination with which he pursued the great object of benefiting his native' State and this city, and promoting their prosperity, ought to give his name a place among the most distinguished of public benefactors. It was an object which was remembered in his latest aspirations to heaven, but a few moments before he yielded up his spirit to Him who gave it."
In April, 1845, the railroad owed $440,095 of bonds. Its stock had risen from $20 a share to $50, and its bonds from 75 cents to $1.00 value. This year the Macon and Western Railroad was completed. The neces- sity of the connection with Augusta and Columbus was strongly pressed The Central Railroad subscribed $250,000 to the Southwestern Railroad Company. In 1849 William M. Wadley became superintendent, suc- ceeding Mr. Reynolds. The Southwestern was opened from Macon to Oglethorpe in July, 1850. The Central Company invested in 1850, $20,- ooo in the Milledgeville and Gordon Railroad, $95,000 in the Augusta and Waynesboro, and $100,000 in the Fort Valley and Columbus Rail- road. The first named road was opened to Midway in October, 1851 ; the Augusta Railroad to Station I in November, 1851 ; the Fort Valley and Columbus in 1851.
In 1851 the capital stock of the Central was $3,000,000, of which $205,000 was appropriated to banking, The road was valued at more than $3,000,000.
In 1853 Mr. William M. Wadley resumed control as superintendent. In this year the reports show for the first time the statements of kinds of freights. The road carried 119,019 bushel of corn ; 2.709,863 pounds of copper ore, and 77,983 hides.
Although yellow fever desolated Savannah in 1854, but a single trip was lost on the line of this road, the company having at this time 283
481
RAILROADS.
miles of road on a capital of $5,382,000, including the leased branches of the Augusta and Milledgeville roads. The year 1865 witnessed a re- markable growth of business. The reserve fund had grown to $578,260. The cotton freights more than doubled, reaching 390,485 bales ; hides, 179,374; copper ore, 14,348, 146 pounds ; wheat 427,358 bushels.
In 1856 the Central yielded up the lease of the Augusta and Waynes- boro road. In 1857 the Southwestern Road was completed to Albany, in which the Central had $318,000 of stock. The Mobile and Girard Railroad and the Charleston and Savannah Railroad were both under way. The Memphis and Charleston was finished, which gave the Central 737 miles of connection with the Mississippi at Memphis.
Emerson Foote became superintendent of the Central in 1857, but in 1858 was succeeded by Mr. George W. Adams. In 1857 the Central took stock in the New York and Philadelphia steamship companies, thus beginning the policy it has so largely carried out. This was both a bold and politic stroke of financial management. In 1859 this steamship in- vestment was increased to $280,000. This year the company carried 96,000 bales of cotton in one month, and made its first engine in its own works, and built its first passenger car.
Up to the close of the year 1859 the Central Railroad Company had done a great work, not only in the construction of its own lines, but in aiding to build the railroad system of the State. It had paid nearly half a million to the Southwestern Railroad ; $100,000 to the Augusta and Savannah Railroad ; $30,000 to the Montgomery and West Point Rail- road, subscribed all of the iron used in building the Gordon and Eaton- ton Railroad, paid mostly for the steamship lines, and granted nearly $400,000 of endorsement to the Western Railroad, the Columbus Rail- road, and the Mobile and Girard Railroad.
-
The year 1860, the last year before the war, demonstrated a magnifi- cent culmination of prosperous progress. The consolidated wealth of the road was ;$6,590,173 ; railroad capital, $4,366,880; bank matters, $1,236,018 ; bonds and stocks in other companies, $928,441 ; reserve fund, $1,221,095 ; outstanding bonds only $86,067 ; income from rail- road, $1,696,998 ; income from bank, $113,371 ; railroad expenditures, $950,450; dividends, $458,340; carried to reserve fund, $377,050; cot- ton shipments, bales, 413.314; way cotton shipments, bales, 129,405 ; pas-
61
482
HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
sengers, 105,823; lumber shipments, feet, 8, 170,378 ; fertilizer shipments, pounds, 18,540,980 cars, 729 ; engines, 59.
The war put its destructive hand on this great railroad. Its income was reduced at one stroke $657,385, or over one-third. It carried freight for the Confederate government at fifty per cent. under its regular rates, and took into its treasury $342,600 of Confederate treasury notes. In 1862 it leased the Augusta and Savannah Railroad and patriotically subscribed,to various charitable and war funds. The transportation of troops was the principal business, and the cotton fell off almost to nothing.
The year 1864 was a particular severe one to the company. From Gordon to Savannah 139 miles of the railroad was destroyed by Sher- man's army, and for forty miles wide its line was devastated. The pres- ident, Colonel R. R. Cuyler, died, and W. B. Johnston was elected in his place. The latter served for one year when he was succeeded by Colonel William M. Wadley.
At the time President Wadley assumed charge, but little had been done to put the road in running order. . He immediately started ener- getically upon the rehabilitation of the road.
The year 1867 saw the Central Railroad well re-established. Its capital stock was $4,661,800, representing the railroad and its appurten- ances, worth $4,472,000 and $869,803 of stocks and bonds in other com - panies. The loss by war in bank operations had been $485,055. The expenditure in renewing the railroad was $1,357, 140. The cotton busi- ness grew to 272,427 bales.
Seeing in the construction of rival lines and the loss of through busi- ness by competition injury to his road, Mr. Wadley began that far- reaching plan of expansion, which has resulted in the present massive and profitable railway and steamship scheme of transportation. It is at once the pride of Georgia, and has maintained against all encroachments the commercial supremacy of Savannah as a great cotton port. Mr. Wadley projected with a broad generalship, and his successors have carried out his grand ideas. In 1868 he invested in the Montgomery and West Point Railroad, the Western Railroad from Montgomery to Selma and the Mobile and Girard Railroad, and a through freight system with the New York steamers was established. In 1869 the Central Railroad leased the Southwestern Railroad, and bank agencies were established at
483
RAILROADS.
Macon and Columbus as well as at Albany. In 1870 Mr. Wadley bought for the company the Vale Royal Plantation, on the canal next to the river, where the splendid wharves of the road now lie. This year the guano business ran to 90,000,000 pounds. In 1871 Mr. Wadley leased the Macon and Western Railroad as another protective measure in his broad plan of development. He also began branches to Blakely and Perry. In 1872 Mr. Wadley bought six steamships, paying $600,- 000 in bonds. In March of this year Captain W. G. Raoul became as- sistant roadmaster of the company.
In 1875 the Western Railroad of Alabama was bought by the Cen- tral Railroad and Georgia Railroad for $1,643, 128 each. This year the Ocean Steamship Company was chartered and organized with a capital stock of $800,000, and the Central Railroad sold to this company its six steamships and wharf property. Mr. Wadley was elected president.
In 1876 the Southern Railway and Steamship Association was or- ganized with Mr. Virgil Powers as general commissioner. Captain W. G. Raoul was made superintendent of the Southwestern Railroad. The Cen- tral had a prosperous line of steamers on the Chattahoochee River. During this year Savannah was visited by a yellow fever pestilence which desolated the city and cut down the receipts of the road. The road never stopped a day.
The year 1878 was signalized by the resumption of dividends which had not been paid in three years. Four new steamships were bought and put on the line. The capital stock of the steamship company was increased to $800,000, while its property was worth $1,300,000.
In 1879 the Central obtained a controling interest in the Vicksburg and Brunswick Railroad Company and the Montgomery and Eufaula Railroad Company. In 1880 Captain W. G. Raoul was made vice-pres- ident of the company as the assistant of the president.
In 1881 the board issued $3,000,000 of debentures, or certificates of indebtedness, to the stockholders. The Ocean Steamship Company had grown until its earnings ran to $466,442. netting $301, 121. Four new steamers were bought this year, making the investment in steamships $1,598,734. A line of steamers was bought to run to Philadelphia. It had built a cotton press, $60,000; an elevator, $23,254, and a ware- house, $18,268. Among its purchases was the famous steamer Dessoug.
484
HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
which had brought the Obelisk from Alexandria in Egypt to New York, This year Mr. Wadley effected the lease of the Georgia Railroad at a rental of $600,000 a year.
On the 10th day of August, 1882, the genius of this magnificent Cen- tral system, Colonel Willian M. Wadley, died at Saratoga, in the sixty- ninth year of his age, and in his seventeenth year as president of the company. General E. P. Alexander was elected president. His report summarizes the condition of the road : Mileages-1, 150 miles, main sys- tem; estimating steamship company at 250 miles ; connecting system, 458 miles ; total, 1,608 miles; capitalized at $25,995,150 and stocked at $7,500,000, making an aggregate of $33,495, 150, or $20,830 per mile. The 458 miles connecting system were the Central's proportion in 857 miles of railway, making the whole mileage it influenced 2,009.
The growth of the great corporation has been constant. At the close of the year 1888 the mileage of the road was as follows : Central Rail- road proper and branches, 333 miles ; Savannah, Griffin and North Ala- bama Rallroad 60 miles ; Upson County Railroad, 16 miles; Southwest- ern Railroad and branches, 334 miles; Montgomery and Eufaula Rail- road, 80 miles ; Columbus and Western Railroad, 157 miles ; Mobile and Girard Railroad, 85 miles: Columbus and Rome Railroad, 50 miles ; East Alabama Railroad, 37 miles ; Eufaula and East Alabama Railroad, 40 miles ; Eufaula and Clayton Railroad, 21 miles ; Port Royal and Au- gusta Railroad, 112 miles ; Port Royal and Western Carolina Railroad, 229 miles ; Augusta and Savannah Railroad, 53 miles ; Buena Vista and Ellaville Railroad, 30 miles; total, 1,637 miles.
Its lines cover Georgia and Eastern Alabama with a net-work of steel, and run through South Carolina from seaboard to mountains, worth al- together nearly $50,000,000, and giving employment to thousands of men.
The freighting facilities of this road are unsurpassed, and a visit to the company's yard and wharves will reveal a wonderful scene of activity and interest. In the Central's yards in Savannah are 11 miles of track, two warehouses (Soo and 300 feet in length respectively), and a cotton platform capable of holding 20,000 bales of cotton. The company's wharves are a revelation of enterprise, and constitute a scene of business activity not to be excelled anywhere. There are upon the wharf prem-
485
RAILROADS.
ises 30 acres of improvements, viz., 10 acres of platforms on piles, 10 acres under cover of sheds, 5,700 feet of wharf front, including 700 feet of lumber wharves, 5 acres of naval stores wharves, wharf room for 50,- 000 bales of cotton, storage houses for 100,000 tons of fertilizers, 10 miles of track, 4 great cotton warehouses, with a capacity of 30,000 bales, a grain elevator capable of holding 270,000 bushels, a cotton compress compressing 3,200 bales of cotton per diem, and numerous platform and track scales. The working force at the wharves (full complement) is 800 men and 18 special policemen, commanded by a sergeant, who is also assisted by numerous watchmen, assuring perfect order throughout all the departments.
The Ocean Steamship Company, which forms such an important part of the Central Railroad system, has a fleet of ten magnificent steamships plying between Savannah and the Northern ports, making regular sched- ules from this city to New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. The follow- ing steamships compose the fleet : Nacoochee, City of Savannah, City of Augusta, Tallahassee, Chattahoochee, City of Macon, Gate City, Dessong, City of Birmingham and Kansas City.
The City of Birmingham was added to the line in 1889, and was built at Roach's ship-yard Chester, Pa., for this company. She has triple expansion engines of 1,500 horse-power. Her cargo capacity is about 2,400 tons on a draft of 17 1-2 feet. She carries 7,000 bales of cotton.
The Kansas City made her first trip about the beginning of the pres- ent year. She is the fastest and finest steamship in the Atlantic coast trade.
The steamers of the fleet carry 5,000 to 7,000 bales of cotton each, and 100 or more first-class passengers, and have long been known to the traveling public as unsurpassed in safety, speed, comfort and elegance.
The Ocean Steamship Company contemplates building two additional steamers for the line, and in the comparatively near future a daily line of steamers will doubtless be in operation between Savannah and New York.
The line formed by the Ocean Steamship Company and the Central Railroad and connections is already carrying a large freight traffic be- tween the east and Memphis, Kansas City, and other points west, actu- ally competing successfully in rates and time with the all rail routes.
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