I know of no city in the North, having a
population corresponding to that of Charleston or of Savannah, which has
clubs comparable with the best clubs of these cities, or of New
Orleans. When it is considered that of the population of these southern
cities approximately one half, representing negroes, must be deducted in
considering the population from which eligibles must be drawn, the
excellence of southern clubs becomes remarkable in the extreme.
Savannah, by the way, holds one national record in the matter of clubs.
It had the first golf club founded in America. Exactly when the club was
founded I cannot say, but Mr. H.H. Bruen, of Savannah, has in his
possession an invitation to a golf club ball held in the old City Hall
in the year 1811.
The commercial ascendancy of Savannah over Charleston is due largely to
natural causes. The port of Savannah drains exports from a larger and
richer territory than is tapped by Charleston, though new railroads are
greatly improving Charleston's situation in this respect. Savannah is a
shipping port for cotton from a vast part of the lower and central
South, and is also a great port for lumber, and the greatest port in the
world for "naval stores." I did not know what naval stores were when I
went to Savannah. The term conjured up in my mind pictures of piles of
rope, pulleys and anchors.
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