The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-08-06
VOx POPULI
r. M. GRAY WRITES OF
PROGRESSIVE SPARTANBURG
Ssartanburg, S. c., Aug. 1, IL

| Editor Pensacola journal:
Responding to your request for
! line from Pensacollans who are away
amongst other peoples and scenes for
the summer, and who may find some
| thing of interest to your readers con-
nected with the welfare of our beau
tiful home, l enclose an article clip
ped from the Spartanburg Herald,
which needs no explanation or
apology:
The question considered and the
evidence it submits on the pernicious
influence OF the liquor habit and the
beneficial results from prohibition in
large city embracing in city limits
and suburbs about 10000 people are
so pronounced for the general good
and upbuilding of individual charac-
ter and usefulness, that [ trust you
will give it place.
| beg the indulgence of your read
ers, both wet and dry, whilst l speak
in all kindness and candor of what l
hear and see among these people
who, having tried both plans. unite
almost to a man in saying that under
no circumstances or conditions would
they again open the city to liquor in
any shape or form.
Here one finds beautiful city
of $4,000 to 10000 people, business
confined to one street mainly as in
Pensacola, =, crowded with people,
vehicles, bicycles and automobiles.
Adj are quiet, orderly, peaceful. You
may listen in vain for profanity or
loud vulgarty. Every one is polite,
the young people showing great defer
ence to their elders, rarely passing
gray hairs or feeble steps without
lifting their hats. Public schools and
two colleges, male and female, a
dozen churches, some very fine archi-
tecturally and better than this are
devOut wOrshippers.
This city, so beautiful, is rapidly
being made more so by an increasing
population and business. Why? Be
cause the laboring man owns his
home, as a rule. He spends his earn
ings for clothing, food and comforts
for wife and the toll demanded by the
beer or liquor man goes into the
hands of the little woman who waits
and watches lovingly for husband and
father to come with smiling face and
full purse, rejoicing in his strength
among men.
A city so situated commands the
attention of those seeking schools,
colleges, and such influences as build
up and sustain all moral influences
upon the children of our love. natural
ly draw a class of people into its citi-
Zenship who make up social life
strong and lasting in its influence
from which drunkards, gamblers and
vagabOnds 10 not come.
This i what has set this queen If
the mountains a moral and physical
gem for beauty, a commercial and
manufacturing giant in an infertile
and stingy soil.
Spartanburg is also noted for the
public and individual pride in its
splendidiy paved streets, and as this
is but recently done and Pensacola IS
debating this subject, let me say that
the system here is giving great salts. |
faction ard L more beautiful or plea s. |
ant roadway faS never come under |
my observation
Your readers will remember that |
last year a road builder from Jack |
sonville graded a few hundred yards
on Romano street with crushed |
granite. This is just what Spartan |
burg has done, covering the rock bed
with a tar, ''Bitulithic" acid, mixed |
with sand, at a cost of s175 per
square yard. This secures a plant, |
earthly feeling for the horses feet, |
giving that spring and noiseless mo- |
tSOl SO fine in a spongy clay rad |
led.
For two years these STREETS have
hHP1 n6 fn
nc evidence of wear or tear. With !
thermometer up in the 100 degree |
no running or sickness has been |
seen.
l know but little of such things |
but believe Pensacola would do well |
to try it. Obtaining stone for the |
base is the only difficulty occurring |
TO me. l also believe a substitute |
for granite may be found in great |!
abundance at your door, the sand /
rock of volcanic origin if | mistake |
not is found in great lodges on the /
bluffs around Bayou TeXar, AID in |
deed throughout your county and will |
make an ideal foundation for the
"Bitulithic tar" Having a large iron |
percentage and indestructabIe in its
other ingredients 1 can see no reason
why You cannot utilize it cheapIy and
effectively. You should not go away
from home for anything to beauty |
or strengthen if it may be had on
equal terms and quality on YOUR own
ground. This IS good sense in busi-
ness and applies as we'll to a city
as TO the individual
Pensacola and country adjacent.
suffers from pubic misa apprehension
OF climate and topography. nine men
in ten you tan, TO about Florida Will
speak of. its lcw-lying, fiat. sraky
swanipS. its neaSmatic fevers, insect
lie. etc. When you tell them that
Tie coast line from Mobile. 70 the
ChattatoOchee river. 300 miles. Is but
a succession of pine ridges sweeping
in graceful land billions to the sea
they are too polite to dispute the
point but stand unconvinced all the
same.
Your recent publication, embracing
the more eastern counties, is a happv
step in the right direction. Pensacola
should see that they have large cir.
cuiation. So should your county OF.
hc:als. Do not leave so important a
matter 10 nnWSnaOpr mich apd o,+1- |