The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-08-02
Direct Communication
With Baldwin County, Ala.
Continued From First Paqe)

in large quantities. Last springs
shipments through Foley included 81
cars of Irish potatoes and 50 cars OF
sweet potatoes. The larger and more
successful farmers are tTebling and
qUadrUping their acreage for next
crop Next year they Will raise corn
and forage for Pensacola to use
They are selling milk at cents a
quart.
What the farmers have to buy,
they now buy partly in Pensacola,
either coming here in their wagons
by a cirCUitOUs route or shipping by
motor boat across Perdido bay to
Millview and thence by rail to Pensa-
cola Most of their buying, however,
is done in Mobile, where they do not
get satisfaction. and where they usual
" pay more than they pay for iGentI-
cal goods here To go to Mobile per
SOnally Is necessary to get good re-
suits in their buying, and this entails
travelling expense from Foley to Mo-
bile via Bay Minette and return, of
about $3.50, during which, in most
cases, their horses are idle at home.
They want TO put in the same time by
driving here, save the railroad ex-
pense. buy what they need in this
market and haul it home, thus say
ing both travelling expenses and
freight, and having their horses
working instead o. idle while the
farmer is away buying or selling.
Baldwin Farms.
The large farmers, as shippers.
would prefer to make this their head
quarters. and have this city control
their territory. The small farmers.
and especially those closer to PeTdido
Bay than to the railroad at Foley. &C
tUally need this market 10 sell their
products in An idea of the extent
of their business, even now, can be
had from the fact that about a dozen
motor boats of as nigh as two tons
capacity. are now engaged in carry
ing freight on Perdido Bay.
Three years development work by
one of the colonization companies
there are three of about equal import
ance-has resulted in the clearing
and cultivation Of about 900 acres out
of a total OF about 1900 acres sold,
all of which is being gradually cleared
and put under cultivation. which de
velOpment would be faster l. there
were direct communication with Pen
sacOIa-
AS for public roads, the BaldwiniteS
said their county is less progressive
than Escambia in road Improvement
but the development companies clear
and grade public roads along town
ship lines, and that, while not finished,
these roads make good travelling, es-
pecially with the heavy draft horses
that the western farm blood brings to
South Baldwin
Bridge or Ferry?
Mr. Fesler stated that ne had in
quired into both the matter of 4
bridge and ferry between Lillian
and Cummings Point. He believed
a seTviceable bridge could he built
for a Few thousand dollars, but that
such a drawbridge as the government
might require would cost IN the neigh
borhood of $50 600 He had consult
ed a ferry builder of note. who was
familiar with PeTdidO Bay. and his
estimate was $500 for the building
Of ? suitable protected ferry and land
ings- the ferry TO be a dOubIe-endeT
and landing in slips such as railroad
transfer ferries use Mr. FesIeT
however. preferred to use $1,000 as
the estimated cost
The question then turned on a dis
CusSiOn Of whether a toll ferry would
be acceptable to the Baldwin farm
res, and whether it would pay.
Money Saved.
Mr. Vogelgesans again cited the
expense Of a trip to Mobile from the
liberia district, and said thar the
ferry tolls would be a very grateful