The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-07-25
FOR
DEEPER WATER
Citizens Want Deeper Water
Between Pensacola and
Bagdad.


ness men of Bagdad, Milton and Pen
sacola, the lists including the names
of some of the best known business
men of this city, the following petit
ton is being circulated, and is attract
ing considerable local attention.
To the Honorable Duncan Z. Fletcher,
Jacksonville, Fla:
TIE undersigned respectively show
that they are business men o. the
counties of Santa Rosa and Escam-
bia, in the state of Florida, and have
business, directly or indirectly, max
ing ii very Important to them and
their interests that there should be
a deep and safe channel between Pen
sacola, in the county of Escambia,
and Bagdad, in the county of Santa
Rosa:
That the total distance between the
said points Is about fifteen (l5 miles,
and that the channel wnich has to
be used by shipping between the sad
points is. in depth not more than
eight (S) feet at low tide, whereas
the depth, in order 70 properly &C
commodate the shipping of the Fald
vicinity, should be at least twelve
U2) feet at low tide.
That, between the said points in
the said counties, in order to obtain
a channel o. tie said desired depth,
dredging would have TO be accom-
pliShed for a distance of from four
ca to five go miles, and not more
than that
That you have reeentiy, during the
campaign which resulted in .-our nom
inatiOn for the United States senate,
been with some of tho Undersigned
on the steam tug 'Neliie" proceeding
from Milton, in Santa Rosa county,
to Pensacola, in Escambia county.
That the businesses, especially that
of docking, which will be especially
aided by the dredging and deepening
OF the channel as aforesaid, have been
In operation for more than forty-five
(45) years, and the docking facilities
referred to are necessary for local
tugs, and other vessels having bust
ness at the port of Pensacola, and
cOastwise vessels of various
require such docking faciIt-
ties, and such facilities are availa bic
for such vessels from Maine and the
Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico,
and that in many instances docking
and repairs of such vessels which
ought to be accomplished and would
be with the greatest convenience OF
shipping accomplished at Bagdad are
to Mobile and other points, whereby
the port o. Pensacla in particular
and the state OF Florida, in general,
sustainS serious loss of business. and
the public generally is Inconvenience
thereby.
That, for the purpose of docking
and repairing square-rigged vessels,
foreign and domestic, such vessels
have often mad to be dragged up the
present insufficient channel TO Bag
dad. through and across mud flats
two and three feet deep, requiring
for the accomplishment o. such pass
age the services of three or four pow
erful tugs
That the matters aforesaid have
been brought to the attention of the
Chamber of Commerce of the city o.
Pensacola, ard that body has taken
action from time to time for the pur-
pose of obtaining relief, but on &C
count of the want of the proper in
fiuence the appropriations which have
been obtained have not exceeded ten
or fifteen thousand dollars, by use
whereof the channel aforesaid has
been depened to the extent of two or
three feet. in many places, but not
its entire length.
, That, in order to secure the proper
of the said channel, aad
to make the same permanent, there
should be an appropriation o. from
two hundred thousand to two hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars. made
by congress, and that such approprt-
alton would be beneficial not only to
but to all of the interests
Of West Florida, which are to a great
extent dependent upon commercial
facilities which can only be had BY
means of proper navigable water
All o. which is respectfully submit
ted by, yours respectfully.
No Action