The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-12
QUAINT PENSACOLA
Some Facts About the Great Port
on the Gulf.
CITY WITH PAST AND FUTURE
Beautiful PensacoIa Nay One Of the
Grsndest sheets Of Water
In the World.


Grandest sheets Of water
In the World.
| (Star Correspondence OF New ENGLAND
Newspaper Lcague-)
PENSACOLA. Fla. July a-Ons Of tho
most interesting points visited by the rep
resentativcs Of the Now England Newy-
paper League s quaint old Pensacola
II is one ot the oldest cities Of the
South. In fact. II In claimed by some chat
Il was settled before Saint Augustine.
whach Is credited with possessing che old
est house IN the United States. AZ the
close OF the civil war. however. PENN
cola was only a small village. az n had
been for more than hundred years.
II was without railroad facilities, ana
its great harbor was undeveloped.
or late years the old town has quick
ened with new life, and the magic hand
OF progress and Improvement has been
felt on all sides.
nnest on the gulf coast. and IN destined
70 De the one great harbor of tho gulf.
Many modern buildings Of srone and iron
give the city the appearance Of a growing
metropolis, and the spirit Of enterprise n
plAihiy evinced by the magnifcontly
macadamized and paved thoroughfares.
Inere Ia legend here that in Pensa-
cola bay the feet Of Fernando De Soto
awaited Tor three years the return of
that intrepid explorer from his journey
70 tne West which resulted In the dis
oovery OF the Mississippi river. Pensa-
cola bay was the scene OF many naval
hA
nict between the states shot and shell
often screamed across its pleasant wa
ters. In the days when tho Spanish main
was tho great rendezvous for buccaneers
pirate ships often took refuge In Its In
! leus Tor wood and water, and at times
| when pursued sometimes sought to es-
cape through East Pass into the gulf,
route TO open water only practicable for
vessels OF tho lightest draft
| Magnificent Bay
Pensacola Bay is one OF the grandest
sheets Of water In the world. and con-
sidering It's depth. area and beauty Il 10
! indeed remarkable that II should be SO
| little known. 1t is about 80 miles In
length and parallels the Gulf Of Mexico
for the greater part OF the distance In
places II Is seven or eight miles In width
and Is so deep that almost every portion
ships. It's inhabitants say that IL is the
only natural deep water harbor on the
Hulf, and the channel across the bar to
10 fest, and Major Fiasier. United ststss %
engineer. has made a contract TO dredge
the same to depth OF 80 feet and a
Famous Old Fort Pickens,
AT the entrance TO the bay. and on
Santa Rosa island. is located the famous
Fort Pickens. the only port fort In tho
South which few ths Stars and Stripes
all through the civil war. II maintained q
long and successful artillery duel with
Fort Bsrranoas. held by the Confederates,
and which is on the land side of the har-
Dor entrance and near the old spanish
tort. Don Carlos. This latter fort was
built in the 18th century and Is a surprjs-
Ing example OF old style fortifoation.
Near by are the ruins of Fort McRea-
which was so badly battered by the guns
Union. 'Ao
When that gallant Confederats chief
tam, General Bragg, occupied Fort Bar
rsaeas ran asanna and Fort MeRae, the fort acros:
states soldiers under the command of
Lieutenant Slemmer. He feared that his
anS a9FIe !, was "a sfS to9 small to defend the PLACE
wife, however. would not consent to his
hauling down Old Glory. and animated by
defiance all through the war. "
Popular Winter Resort.
The city Of Pensacola Is situated about
seven miles from the mouth of the bay
and Is just becoming q favorite water re-
sort for Northerners. For that matter.
Its permanent population Ia largely
Northern The mayor Is a Rhode Island
man and several Of the leading citizens
are from New England and tho West.
They say. that the climate here In the
%e5 sorrid b.as s 1Sssd,nEy SnSnny enjoyable that
emphatic on this point and present fig
ures to show that the nominal tempera-
ture for July for IL years was not above
~ degrees. In the winter II is 80 mild
as rule that the severe billiards. Of
last winter which swept almost the
whole country We're regarded as extra
There are some very picturesque
streets and some ve-y ancient Spanish
houses In Pensacola The antique flavor
is so strong that II tinctures even the
most modern aspects of the place. The
streets are wide and In most instances
very we'll paved. OF course. there is
the cars of this line are clean and easy
running. Pensacola can, in fact boast
Of one Of the best trolley lines In the
South.
The town has no electric street Il
Elimination as yet. aid its bufldings. as
q rule. are comfortable rather than or
nate. line fcnsaCOLdns are very nos
pitable. The city s benefited SO much
every winter by Northern visitors that
everybody here Is glad to see a tourist
In town.
Business in Pensacola In steadily pick
ing up. II is already a great place for
exporting lumber. and Its Inhabitants cay
that Il needs another railroad to develop
its resources. The value OF Its exports
IN 1898 was 80. 81, $50.
Pensacola bay Is grand place for
fshlng The big red snapper inhsbits It's
waters in vast numbers. No better place
for boating or bathing than this vicinity
can be found anywhere.
I'm Conclusion.
The people OF Pensacola are alive and
videawake to the many advantages pos
sessed by this community.
They are not slumbering on their op-
portunities. The spirit OF progress and
an,ernrIse is everywhere noticeable Val