The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-28
The AMERICAN
mediterranean
SIGHTS VISIBLE ALONG THE
GULF OF MEXICO.
Mobile a Splendid Instance of the
Old South Touched by New Enter
prises-Charming Pleasure Resorts
Dotting the Itinerary from Mobile
to New Orleans and Full of His
toric and Scientific Interest.

to New orleans ana Full OF HIS
toric and Scientific Interest.
Written for The Tribune.
Y EANING Pensacola westward. Mo-
bile, Ala, is the next city of i'm
portanCc on the main line of the
Louisville and Nashville road, "A run of
102 miles. Pensacola lying on the gulf,
the train runs northward, passing
eight stations for forty-one miles to
Flomaton junction westward sixty-one
miles through five stations. Mobile,
styled the queen of the Gulf" Is
reached. Before entering the city
twenty miles out we cross first the
Alabama river. then the Mobile, both
wide navigablc streams. that empty
into Mobile bay, forming a junction
Just below the confines of the city.
Mobile is 141 miles from New orleans
Q,5j4 from New York;. and now a
close rival to New Orleans as Il cotton
mart, Is the only seaport of Alabama
Before the civil war it was the greatest
cotton port in the world, drawing as
II did the white fields" of several
states. and enriching its people by its
enormous trade: but the war left II
stranded and almost ruined. OF late
the old and indolent town has come to
the front with other industries within
her own borders, in the way of manu-
factories of various kinds, besides
drawing for hundreds of miles back an
enormous production of cotton, timber
ores and other minerals.
Location of Mobile.
,rho r,yo,,bi, lo,atiop or Mobile "a,
to commerce. is seen by a glance at the
map of the Gulf states. Situated OF
the west bank of Mobile river and OF
the north shore of Mobile bay, beau
tiful sheet of water extending to tn,
Mexican gulf, distance of thirt,
miles, with width of from ten I,
twenty-six miles and a channel the en-
tire length, twenty-four feet deep b.
$50 feet i'm width. with six miles of rive
frontage, gives the city superior com
mercial facilities. The Mobile river /
formed by the union of those two grea
streams. the Alabama and TombiEbeC
twenty miles above the city. and /
easily accessible to all ocean Graf
drawing twenty four feet of water. an,
the city reaches through these navig
able waters a territory stretching 80
miles to the north. rich in coal, timber
ore and fruits, and today producin
cotton enough, as one says. ito build
breastwork around the entire state O
Ala bama."
Unlike most of tine cities i'm the OK
tremn south, which owing to the 10y
surface are very deficient i'm all sani
tary features. Mobile, has excellent ia
Cilities for drainage, the land risin
from the bay back to the suburb
reaching an elevation of two hundre
and forty feet in seven miles, offerinl
too. commanding view of the Countr,
city and harbOr to those residing
outlying districts. 1t has ConStruCte
already system of sewers extcndn
siXty-three miles and acquired possess
ion of one of the two waterworks sys
TENS and built a new one covering II
miles with a ten million reservoir an
two six million gallon pumps.
Mobiles History.
Mobile is one of the oldest towns
the south-Santa Fc. Pensa cola and S
Augustine only outranking ii in year
1t was founded in 17O2-named from
small tribe of Indians known as Maj
bllas-and until 1928 was the Capit
of the Louisiana colony. The cffe
of such colonization is seen even toda
Within the present corporate limits
six square miles of territory are 900
population-truly cosmopolitan in /
composition for the sons of Shem, Ha
and Japhet and all the nations of T.,
rope and Canada, the various countri
of Central and South America and
far Eastern Asia, are represented al
occasionally the noble red man is see
Mnh iG .itN Of
houses of the wcll-to-do are for Il
most part built upon wide. deep lot
the architecture being peculiar to Il
south, and somewhat after the sty
of New Orleans, with wide spacio,
Railways. the rooms immense and his
as to ceiling, the windows opening
the floor and many of them with tw
story galleries (piazzas) these screen'
y by lattice work or blinds,
keep out the sun in summer while Z
y inmates enjoy the open air In restf
- retirement. We were charmed wi
the drive along it's shady avenue
passed many of the venerable mansio
OF the last century on which the di
nifty of age gracefully rests. and in
the very suburbs far enough to get
peep at genuine plantations.
Many of the streets are bordered wi
the mammoth live oak trees-wh
marvellous trees?
As to climate, the Gulf of Alexi
has often been likened to the Medite
ranean sea. Like that great body
water, the Gulf is situated in the mi
die OF vast body of land. The Med
erranean has beneficial effect on t
Nclimate Of Europe; here, the gulf mo
crates the heat of summer, the cold
winter and provides for sufficient mo
ture in the air; thousands of invali
flock annually to the shores of
Mediterranean in search of health a
recreation, and thousands seek a
And both here on the gulf coast. WI
is wanted for the invalid is n d