458 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



in the south. Its broad streets and shady squares are 

 luxurious provisions for healthy enjoyment of city life. 

 The position of the town is remarkable. It is upon a 

 sandy bluff 40 feet high, and the only high point on the 

 river in that vicinity. An immense tract of rice land is 

 within sight ; that upon the island directly in front of the 

 city was bought up a few year ago by the corporation, to 

 prevent the cultivation of rice so near the town on ac- 

 count of the supposed injury to the health of the citizens. 



Savannah is a very wealthy and very enterprising 

 place. The railroad to Macon, 190 miles, is one of the 

 evidences of that fact; and although it passes through 

 much comparatively poor land, its business adds greatly 

 to the prosperity of the city. Mr. Cuyler,^ the president 

 of the company, is entitled to be respectfully mentioned, 

 not only for his politeness to me, but for his excellent 

 management of the business of the whole concern. This 

 is a much more pleasant route to reach Macon than the 

 one by Augusta and Atlanta. The population of Savan- 

 nah is now about 17,000. Three excellent daily papers 

 are published with a liberal support, which indicates the 

 elevation of the people — success to them. 



The day I left Savannah, January 3d, was a beautiful 

 sunny day, contrasting strongly with the appearance of 

 the first freight train we met coming down, covered with 

 snow. This railroad grade is worthy of note. It rises 

 very regularly about two feet to the mile, for 70 miles, 

 when it passes a slight elevation and descent to the Ogee- 

 chee River, 101 miles from Savannah, and 200 feet above. 

 Between there and the Oronee there is a grade of 30 feet 

 to the mile, which is the greatest on the road. The depot 



^ R. R. Cuyler, associated with the Georgia Central Railroad and 

 instrumental in securing the completion of the track to Macon in 

 1843. Became president of this road in 1845, and of the Southwest- 

 ern Railroad in 1855, retaining his office in the Central. Active in 

 securing lower freight rates, especially on fertilizers. Martin, 

 John H., Columbus, Georgia, 1827-1865, 160 (Columbus, Ga., 1874) ; 

 Phillips, Ulrich B., A History of Transportation in the Eastern 

 Cotton Belt to 1860, 262, 288-91, 381 (New York, 1908). 



