The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-08
FOURTEEN VESSELS HAILINe
FROM THIS PORT WILL BE
ENGAGED IN THE WORK
PRODUCT WILL LATER BE
CURED AND SHIPPED FROM
THIS CITY.


A new industry for Pensacola and
one that, in the course of time, may
develop considerable Importance, is
that of spOnging, and a large fleet of
vessels Is now Quitting in the slip
between Palafox and Bayien streets
for the voyage to the west coast of
the Florida peninsula where it will
engage in the business of diving for
! sponges. A number of citizens of
] Pensacola are interested in the pro
/ ject, prominent among them being D.
Kugleman. Others in the deal are c.
/ Mitchell. d. Mitchell, N. Angelo, Ar
thur Peter, n. CorcOielos. John Car
/ lis, John Maltezo, Jos. GIazo and
George Vasso, the latter all being
Greeks.
The fleet which is now Quitting
in the slip is composed of the fol-
/ lowing vessels: Alpis, Olga. Nautilus.
Canary, Sta. Nicola, Bobolina and
! W. NJ. Crawford, and a number of
others will be added as soon as ar
/ rangements can be made. making a
total Of at least "A vessels when all
are in commission. Seven of the
vessels are fitted with complete div
/ ing apparatus for deep water work.
/ as it is the intention of the promoters
/ of the scheme to dive for the sponges
i in water upwards of 125 feet in
! depth. About one hundred men will
accompany the expedition, a number
Of vessels of which are expected to
sail from this port curing the coming
week.
Headquarters Of Fleet.
It is the intention of the promoters
Of the scheme to make the headduar-
/ ters Of the vessels at Tarpon Springs,
which is located on what is known as
sub-peniDEula, in Hillsborough county
and at which place a large number
Of vessels now rendezvous. Tarpon
Springs has for years heen one Of
tie principal sponge markets Al the
state, its only competitor being Key
West, and there are established at
that point immense plants for cur
mg sponges preparing tSam for the
market and making shipment 70
northern points. Later on ware
houses will be established at this
point and the catch of the vessels
I
here, cured and prepared for the
market.
One Of the vessels. which was built
at this port and is owned by G.
Mitchell, Is of a peculiar Grecian rig
known as ''TrOcaderie" and is, posi-
bly the only one if its kind ever seen
here although it is said there are a
number of them in service at the
sponging grounas. This vessel is
forty feet long and is built rather
high at bow and stern. The peculiar
feature about her is the mast which
ranges out over the bow at a sharp
angle, q long boom resting against,
the foot Of the mast and extending
aft at about the angle of the gaff on
an ordinary vessel. In the center of
the vessel. there is a cockpit, square,
in which is the apparatus for supply
ing air TO divers working under
water. The sail is furled on the mast
and when set presents an immense
area to the wind. The vessel also
carries a small jib which couples the
triangular space under the mast and
between the apex thereof and the
deck. but does not extend outbOard
on a boom as is the case with other
vessels.
Accommodations for Men.
Several of the vessels are being
fittaI UP with hunks and other neces-
sary accommodations for the men
who will work with the fleet and. as
far as could be seen from a trip over
the boats, they are complete in every
particular and well fitted for the
business in which they will engage. /
Those connected with the enter
prise viii hold a jollihcation across
the bay this afternoon. chief among
the features Of which will be a big
dinner on the beach, accompanied
by all the good things that go toward
making such an event a success.
Several of the vessels are expected
to be ready. to leave port tomorrow
or Tuesday and will be at work on
the sponging grounds. in all proba-
bility by the end Of the week.
The distance from this port. as the
crow flies. to Tarpon Springs is ap-
proximately. 800 miles.
The. last issue of The Fishing Ca
zette contained the following article
with reference to sponge fishing in
Florila which. in connection with the
dDUNe. VIII pIDhe Ol INTEREST
Greek Sponge Fishermen.
Much interest is being manifested
by the trade in the sponge industry
in Florida owing to the large inva-
sion Of Greek fishermen as a result
of the Turkish government, closing
the Mediterranean sponge beds.
The Greek fishermen have been at
tracing widespread attention owing
to the very large catches Of sponges
made in Florida. and this has result
ed in an appeal to the Florida state
legislature TO close the sponge fish
cries Of the state for the season. It
is claimed that if the Greek fisher
men continue to gather sponges the
beds VIII be cleaned up in a short
time and the Industry destroyed, as il
Is In the Mediterranean waters, un-
less our government acts promptly
Over Eve hundred Greek fishermen
are actively exploring the deeper
waters Of the Gulf 70 gather the high