Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-02-14
Pensacola.

A correspondent of the Columbus Times
writing from Fort Barrancas, January 80,
gives the following description Of this city,
towards which so many eyes are turned at
this moment
Pensacola is an ancient town, having been
founded at an early period by the Spaniards.
The houses are built in the olden style,
with low narrow windows and projecting
roofs, which in some cases run into shell
ter across the sidewalk. The old and din.
gy shops, kept by creolea in the same man
ner they were an hundred years ago, are
very suggestive of the past, and around
them more old Spanish legends cling than
ivy berries on the wall. The plan is regu-
lar and the streets quite wide, although mar.
row when compared with the streets Of Co.
lumbus. 1t contains several churches, q
market house, three newspaper Offices and a
custom house. This latter is new and de.
cidedly the best in the city. It isa port
of entry, the Capital of Escambia County,
and situated upon the Gulf of Mexico,
sixty-four miles from Mobile in an eastsrly
direction, and one hundred and eighty
miles in direct line West from Tsllshas.
see. Pensacola bay has rare properties as
harbor, and cannot be excelled on the
gulf, if by any in this country. Itis acces-
sible to frigates of large size, there being
twenty-one feet of water on the bar, and
when once inside, all the ships of our navy
could ride in safety. The channel runs
near the coast across the bar, which is short
and easily passed. The barbor is complete
|ly land-locked, the roadstead cspacious.
The bay is twenty-seven miles in length,
and in its broadcast part twelve miles in
width. 1t lies Immediately at the mouth Of
Escambia river. Running along the front
of the bay for fourteen leagues, nearly East
and West, is long line Of sandy shore,
narrow, barren, and so low that in severe
gale the mad waves dash over it. This is
Santa Rosa's Island, upon the extreme
western end of which is the solid fortress
Pickens, towards which our eyes are daily
turned IN anxious anticipation of some
stormy scenes. Santa Rosa stretches out to
the Chattahoochee river. The western
point, which is one mile in width, is at the
mouth of the bay, and from this point the
land grows more narrow. On an average
| it is not above fourth of mile in width,
although in some places it exceeds this con-
siderably. At high water there are many
places where the waves run over the land,
as have previously stated. Near Pickens
| il is barren for mile or thereabouts, and
then commences a low growth of shrubbe-
ry, soraggy pine, live-oak bushes and small
trees of different varieties. 1t is too sandy
for cultivation, and is of no manner of use,
except to protect Pensacola from the sea,
and to form a reliable roadstead. The up
per arm of Pensacola Bay receives the Vel.
| low. water or Pea river, Middle river and
Escambia river, eleven miles from the Gulf
of Mexico. The outer shore of Santa
Rosa's Island is sometimes dangerous to
incoming vessels.
The peculiar position of Pensacola Bay
makes it desirable as naval station, as ex-
ceIlent positions for dock yards can be found
| in the hsrbor. When the railroad from
Montgomery is completed, the facilities tor
reaching it will be so much increased that
it will present quite another appearance
New stores will be erected, warehouses bulls
and other wharves and docks for the &C.
commodation of shipping. Capital will 60
wherever there is chance for investment,
and if I may claim indulgence for prophe'
cy, here will be an Ell Dorado for fnanciers.
It is true that there is no rich back country
to bring in it's products to enrich the city,
but this is hardly necessary in this case, al.
though desirable in any. The imports Of
such port as this cannot fail to be heavy
when the goods can be easily and oheaply
distributed throug h the country.
Asa summer residence, too, Pensacola
must be delightful for the town is pleas
ant, the drives good, the scenery romantic,
the water excellent, and am told there is
fine breeze from the sea in the hottest day
of summer. The sunset scenes are as beau
tiful to me as any I have witnessed in the
Bay of Naples, and every night when the