Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-03-25
Florida Letter
Gazette Correspondence.
PENSACOLA, FLA, March

| Leaving Iiic Whit mere Ut O.lU u.
IN. today in company with few
friends, on the LEM ayne, the largest
Naptha boat that is in use on the
bay, we headed for the I.ifesaving
Station on the opposite shore and
seven miles off. After making about
five and one-half miles Of the trip
some of the machinery of the Naptha
engine refused to do it part and our
captain, after spending an hour in
his effort, utterly failed to get it in
shape and we, in the meantime, we're
drifting at the mercy Of the wind and
waves and were carried possibly as
far as two miles in the direction Of
the Navy Yard. Finally as last
resort, one of our company, who is a
Nirginian and man of good muscle,
acting aid to our captain, raised a
small flag OF Uncle Sam's and waived
it very uanfully as distress signal.
1t had the desired effect and very
soon the U. s. steam tug "Accomac"
from the Navy Yard was seen coming
in our direction. She drew up along
side and the genial captain finding
out our trouble had rope thrown to
us which was very readily attached
and we were towed in safety to the
Navy Yard nine miles off and made
our way back to the city by rail,
reaching the depot at noon.
Our failure to reach the Life Saving
Station and Fort Pickens, which was
one of our intended points, was the
means of our having the opportunity
of seeing and passing through the
Navy Yard, as well as getting look
at the immense Spanish dry dock
recently purchased from Spain end
brought over from Havana. 1t is
four hundred and fifty feet long and
sufficiently wide to take in the largest
vessel made. Nothing used in its
construction but iron. The ends are
open and the sides are simply water
tanks, ten feet wide, forty feet high
above water and the whole length |
of the dock. Into these tanks water
is pumped by engines and the
immense weight sinks the Whole so
that vessel can be drawn in. Then
the water is pumped out and the
whole rises high and dry. The same
is done to get her off again. This is
the largest dock known. 1t cost our
country u million dollars and will
probably cost as much more to put it
in good shape. Signs are very
favorable for this becoming, in the
near future, a place for general
for warships in the
Southern waters and where all will
resort for needed repairs A building
or the Bureau of Equipment is soon
10 be erected at a cost of $4,000.
have been made for
other improvements amounting to
:9s, 600 making in all $91S,OOO This
means a big thing fer Pensacola.
Uncle Sans boys still enliven the
;ity by their presence, and each day
they come ashore from one of the
)oats and give an exhibition of their
perfection in drill which is much
'njoyed by lookers-on. Then march
ng to their place of landing, with
perfect precision, go aboard their
title boats each one seating about
fifty, to be all towed back to their
lome on the water which is. so to
peak, little floating town, carrying
bout in her mysterious depths more
,eople than it takes to populate
many village which in some of
is hopeful moments calls itself
ity.
The British Squad ron now lying at
Iavana is said to be slated for this
eep water city and, if so, the people !
lere will have spread out before s
hem the glory and pride of the two
reat English speaking nations Of the
world.
| am glad to see from THE GAZETTE
hat you have had q few days of I
UGH pretty weather as to make life
Torth living up there.
Before this is in print | expect to %
c homeward bound, leaving this
enial cline with some regret.
SENEX.