The Pensacola journal., 1907-06-09

which Pensacola Bay has no acknOw-
| ledged equal from Brownsville to Key
| West. Entering the haTbor channel
| where Ft. Pickens, with its mammoth
disappearing guns, frOWns, the great
bay of Pensacola is reached, a noble
| body OF water, varying in width from
| three to seven miles and, with Es-
Gambia bay-a continuation of it
thirty miles in length. Here. behind
the bar of santa Rosa Island, every
ship of the combined nayies of the
world would ride safely at anchor
and with ample sea room. This har-
Dor provided, for many years, the
greatest sailing-vessel port of the
world, when from its channel an
nually emerged the largest fleet. un-
der sail, modern commerce knew.
In Comparison.
Without invidious comparison con-
slider the relative natural values of
the ports of the Gulf. Galveston is
too far west TO serve for the granary
and cOttOn-grOwing region of the Cen
| tral South and cannot serve in hand
ling the great stores of coal and iron
and cement and granite and marble
with which both Alabama, Tennessee
and Georgia are so literally sup
piled. 1t will thrive and grow, with
out doubt, because it is the natural
port of the big Southwest, but is not
of Importance as the real terminal Of
the North and South commerce, GER
tain to develop more and more swift
ly as the Canal more nearly ap-
proaches completion.
New Orleans must always remain
a great city, lying as it does near the
mouth of the Mississippi river (it S
1lO miles from the real mouth of
that great water course) but it is
approached from the Gulf by A mar
row and tOrtuOus channel, through
which the big ships of modern com
merce find eheir way slowly and ut
risk.
Mobile.
Mobile owes its being to the Ala
bama river, at whose mouth it Is
located, but it is AZ miles from the
Gulf, and here, again, a channel is
maintained by the general govern
ment, at great annual COST in order
| that ships drawing even 20 feet OF
water may gain access TO Mobile. II
| is a thrifty, growing city, and, re-
ceiving the maritime burdens Cr~s;-
| tined to greatly increase on the bos-
oms of the Alabama, the TOmbigbee,
I
ton, worthily maintain its repute.
But Pensacola is directly on the
| Gulf Coast. Ships for burdens or,
| for cOaling, are directly in Pensacola
Bay when they leave the waters of
the Gulf. There is no delay, no tow
ing, and never any lighterage.
These are natural advantages, of
prime Importance in the making of a
great city. The Louisville & Nash
vile Railroad has long recognized
the Importance of Pensacola, en-
| phasiZing this recognition in two
ways: in the construction of termi-
nails and the establishment of steam
| ship lines costing many millions of
| dollars. and in strenuously opposing
| the entrance into Pensacola of any
competing railroad system.
New Railroads.
Those who have controlled the
| destinies of this great trunk line
system have thus paid voluntary
| tribute TO the natural advantages of
| Pensacola.
Now, two railroads, with a third
| in sight, are in process of construc-
tion to Pensacola, one directed to
Memphis, the Pensacola, Alabama d
Western, and the other the Pensa-
cola & Northeastern, the objective
point of which is Andalusia, Ala,
| where connection is made with the
Central of Georgia and so all north
eastern points reached thru to Wash.
ington, New York and Boston. The
third road is as yet prospective, It
being predicted on the present Pen
sacola. Alabama & Tennessee. which
not only has standard track,
bridges. etc, TO Muscogee, Fla, but
splendid terminal facilities in Pensa-
cola, loading wharf etc, etc. II is
proposed TO extend this road on thru
to- Mobile where direct connections
viii be made with the Mobile, Jack
son & Kansas City, whose northern
terminal now is Jackson, Tenn, but