The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-06-03
BLISS ON
DEEP WATER
CITY
Pensacola and Its Advantages
Set Forth in Letter to
Southern Trade Paper.

The following letter from Mayor
Bliss appeared in the last issue OF
The Traoesman, published at Chat
tanooga:
Pensacola is a city of 10000 inhab,
itants. It is situated on the western
shore of Pensacola Bay, about eight
miles from the open sea. Pensacola
harbor is one of the three great nat
ural harbers of the world. 1t is per-
fectly land!ocked and has plenty OF
deep water, in which all the navies
of the world can anchor and still
have room to spare for the merchant
marien. The entrance to the harbor
from the sea is a direct course across
Caucus shoals, through a dredged
channel 80 to So feet in depth, and
500 feet in width; so that all vessels
can enter and depart at all tiGes with
perfect safety. There is safe anchor
age as soon as the harbOr is entered
which is 8 miles from the outside
buoy. The water near the mouth Of
the harbor is about 80 feet in depth,
decreasing to 80 feet at Pensacola.
Pensacola harbOr is protected by a
fort now known as Fort Pensacola,
which comprises old Fort Pickens, old
Fort McR9e and the numerous bat
teres that have been placed along
the Island and the mainland near the
mouth of the harbor. These cons st
of II inch disappearing guns. 10 inch
disappearing guns, 8 inch disappear
ing guns, masked inch mort0rs OF
the moaern type and several bat
ter.es Of different sizes OF the rapid
fire order.
The Pensacola navy yard is situat-
ed half way between the mouth OF
the harEoT and the city OF Pensacola.
Ii is the oldest navy yard in AmeT-c ca
and the government is equ piping it
with the latest modern machinery
and buildings. One building is just
being completed at a cost Of $751; 900.
The yard is equipped with dry docks
one of them being the famous Span
ish floating CRY dock obtained from
Spain during the Spanish-American
war which has a lifting capacity OF
300 tons
Pensacola has always been the
leading port for pitch pine timber.
and of recent years has become one
of the leading ports in naval stores
III the world. The exports amounts
to over S15,000,O00 a year and are
steadily increasing.
The city's manufactures consist
chiefly OF the products of p 'tch Pine.
There is considerable fertilizer, cot
ton-seed oil and whiting manufac
tured here.
The city IS growing very rapidly.
having doubled its population in the
last ten years.
Recently $4,000 were voted for
public improvements, 100000 OF
which was to be spent cjn the con
structiOn Of new water wo"'-" q:
$3.50 900 for drainage and sewers ;
ana S150,00O for street paving. $780,
CO.. Of these bonds we're fecen,iy sOIu,
bearing interest of AZ per cent, and
selling at a little 1O2. These bonds
brought the best prices ever paid for
municipal bonds in the state OF Flor
iGa
Bids will BE- opened On the 21st OF
this month for the construction of q
new city hall, and on the first of june
for the construction of storm drains
and sewers.
The prices in real estate have been
on the up grade for some tine.
A franchise has been granted to the
Pensacola & Northeastern Railroad
Co. and another franchise to the Pen
sacCla, Alabama & Western Railroad
Co., granting certain privi ages fer
certain c0nsiderat' 0ns, which have
been complied with the railroad COM
pany paying the money for the prop
erty for depot site and terminals.
Tho soil about Pensacola is of d
sandy nature. and no dust exists ex-
cept upon the improved streets, which
makes it very beneficial to those al
fiicted with pulmonary trouble. The
climate is exceptionally fine and the
water is the pureset natural water
found anywhere. These things tend
to make a very healthful city. es-
pecially in pulmonary diseases, and
as a result Pensacola has the health
est record of any city in America.
These facts, taken together with
the admirable lOcat on Of the city. be-
ing nearer the various ports of the
world by water than any other port
and nearer the prOsucing centers Of
the United States by land, there can
be only one prediction to be mad >
Of the city, and that is that it is
destined to become the greatest port
in the southern states.
Yours very respectfully,
Chas II. Bliss Mayor.