Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1903-04-11
CORRESPONDENTS.
The Land of Flowers.

10 the MINING JOURNAL.
Perhaps a letter from Pensacola would
be of interest to your readers, especially
at this time, when so much is being said
and written about the great facilities of
our harbor, as shown by accommodating
the whole North Atlantic Squadron, ii
vessels in all, including battle ships,
ranging from 10000 to 5000 tons, and
this without in the least causing any i'll
convenience to the regular shipping, of
which there is always a large number
of vessels present. But 1.-THE White
Squadron is our pride and our glory
Just now.
We have here the successor of the
old and famous "Kearsarge, lying i'll
peaceful repose alongside the name
sake of her old enemy, the alabama. "
We have the De~ Maine Il more
powerful ship by far than her unfortu-
nate predecessor.
The little "Isla de Luzon,' the resur-
rected witness of Dewey's doings at
Manila, lies almost III the embrace of
the big Massachusetts,, whose part
in giving to Dewey undying fame and
to "Uncle Sam" a new hemisphere, has
already been written and is well known
The illinois rides majestically in
front of our city with her sister, the
Iowa. and shares the well-merited
plaudits of the numerous admirers of
both
The Indiana" a twin sister of the
massachusetts" is conspicuous as
having suffered the only loss of life cone
mani in the unparalleled victory at San
tiago and last, but by no means least in
Importance, is the "TeXas,' none the
worse for having been entangled i'll that
famous loop of your own beloved Schley
There are others, and still plenty of
room for as many more as wish to come,
native and foreign-provided the latter
are on peace intent and willing to cX-
change their coin for our unhamperCd
accommodations, ourcourtesy and the be-
witchlng smiles of our young ladies'.
Since the arrival of the Squadron
there has been Il continuous pouring i'll
of people from every State in the South,
except and only Maryland. At least it
has not been the writer's good luck to
meet any of the people of his old home,
and must confess to a sense of humih-
alton and great disappointment on that
account-yet there must be still some
Southern pride left III old Maryland.
The Louisville and Nashville railroad
offers very generous excursion rates to
PensacOla-tO continue while the war
ships remain, some five or Sin weeks
more. 1t would be a source of very
great pleasure to the writer to meet his
old friends and neighbors of FrOStburg
and vicinity down here during these five
weeks. Should they come-any or all
of them, we shall be at their service to
show them arOund-on board ship, or any
hat Il Il
to them, and 'all fire" gratis for H0thing.'
Eight battleships in one squadron and
together in the same harbor is a sight
that is not often presented i'll time of
peace to the average American. But
great as is this attraction it is only 0Ur
of the many this section of our country,
so abundantly favored by nature. This
sprightly city of Pensacola itself offers
many inducements to the sight-seer, the
pleasure-seeker, the antiquarian, and
growing "by leaps and bounds" if the
expression be permissible. If, as is
reasonably predicted, the greatest in
dustrial development in the next half
century is to be southwark, then Pensa-
cola unquestionably has great future
awaiting it. Already her exports have
population keeps pace with her in
creasing export trade. Shrcwd busl-
ness men from all sections of the coun-
try recognize the great advantages Pen
sacOla possesses as shipping point and
manufacturing center, and are giving
proof of their faith in many permanent
investments that already bring them
handsome returns. Among these may
be mentioned a 800, 900 bushel grain
elevator, a cotton compress, a cotton
seed and oil factory, marine railway
for hauling out ships, three machine
shops-not including the Louisville and
Nashville railroad repair shops, three
iron foundries, three ice factories of 100
tons daily capacity, the largest fertilizer
factory i'll the South, gas and electric
lights, the Warning system of sewerage,
the purest water i'll abundance for all
purposes, and many other advantages,
such as churches of all denominations,
good schools-public and private, IA
climate that leaves nothing to be de-
sired. and genial, hospitable people.
Then we have the Navy Iard-a beau
tiful sight ill itself, especially now with
the big floating steel dock that cost Spain
three -fourths of a million to build and
Uncle Sam about 5000 to purchase,
and $4,000 to tow it from Cuba to this
yard. 1t is an immense structure-ovcr
400 feet i'll length, 80 feet wide and 30
feet high, capable of lifting $1,000 TONS
and yet it is not large enough to accom-
MEDIATE our latest vessels of the navy
A steam road affords ready means for
visiting the navy yard; also Forts Bar
rancas and Mckee, and the light house
at the entrance of the harbOr an impos-
ing structure with its revolving light
that guides the navigator to and through
the straight and narrow way" that
leads to those choice things beyond.
But a visit to Pensacola is not CON
sidered complete unless day or two are
spent on the bosom of Pensacola Bay
and run ont to the snapper Banks"
with line and hook, where sport awaits
all who delight i'll angling for those
beautiful specimens of the finny deni-
zens of old Cuffs salubrious waters.
Then stroll along Santa Rosa Beach
must not be omitted, for many fine and
rare shells may there be still picked,
notwithstanding the shore had been
CLEANED of these curios by old Geronimo
and his Apache fellow captives confined
in Fort Pickens Is years ago.
The Life-Saving Station will interest
the visitor. 1t is located on Santa Rosa
Island and in such way that assistance
may be rendered to imperiled seamen,
either on the Gulf or in the Bay. am
sure Captain Broadbent will be pleased
to give an exhibition of the hazardous
work he and his noble little company