The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-10-15
FLORIDA WILL
SOON Be DONE
THE SILVER SERVICE COMMITTEE
Is NOW GETTING DOWN TO
WoRk-Is NOW rs PER CENT
COMPLETED.

One of the finest and most powerful
dogs of war" in the world will be put
in commission in the early spring by
the United States government. This
big fighting machine which will proud
ly pillow the waters of the Seven Seas
will fly the Stars and Stripes at her
mast, and wherever she goes will
make the state of Florida famous.
This iron monster is the battleship
Florida says the Jacksonville Me-
tropolis.
When the navy department decided
to name the new hipO'Florida" the
citizens of this commonwealth at once
began to subscribe the money neces-
sary for a silver service, which will
be presented to the ship when she
comes to Southern waters after her
completion in the early spring. Gov
ernor Albert w. Gilchrist appointed a
committee to secure the money and
ago, and much work has been done.
Sending Out Letters.
Today H. H. Richardson, of this
tee, is mailing letters, signed by w.
A. Bours. chairman of the committee,
and himself, to the other members Of
the committe located in different
parts of the state, urging them to gel
busy and raise the necessary funds.
In this letter he sets out plan by
which it is hoped that they will be
able to raise the money Immediately.
The letter is as follows:
Jacksonville, Fla, Oct. 13, 1910.
Dear Sir: The latest reports that
We have from the navy yard at Brook.
Ign is that the United States battle.
ship Florida is now Is per cent.
completed, and there is no doubt that
in the early spring the vessel will he
put in commission and ready to re-.
ceive the silver service from the citi-
zens of Florida. Now that our citi-
zens have returned from their sum-
mer vacations, it is necessary that no
time should be lost in securing sub
scriptions to purchase the silver ser
vice, and we would suggest that each
member of the committee Immediately
start a campaign in his vicinity to
raise funds by personal solicitation
and subcommittee. We trust that
you will approve of this plan and get
the work started without delay. We
feels sure that the local press of Flor
ida will do all in their power to as
sist in this patriotic movement, and
the names of subscribers should be
published from day to day, and a sys-
tenn should be adopted whereby each
committeeman should msSe a report
every few days to the chairman and
secretary in Jacksonville, in order that
publicity can be given here to the
progress of the movement.
We shall be glad to hear from you
to the effect that you will fall in line
with this suggestion of your earliest
convenience. Very truly yours,
w. A. BOURS. Chairman.
H. H. RICHARDSON, Sec'y.
Chairman Bours has written to the
governor of Delaware asking him for
particulars concerning the presenta.
ton made by that state to the battle.
ship Delaware" He has also writ,
ten the secretary Of the navy, asking
about the date of the completion OF
the ship.
City to Be Honored.
In speaking of the presentation Of
the silver service this morning, Sec.
rotary Richardson said that the place
where the ceremonies would be held
had not been decided upon. In this
connection ne SAID. nope 10 see
the ship come to Jacksonville. We
have many advantages over any other
city in Florid/. In the first place
this is the metropolis of the state, and
We have the better means of taking
care of the officers u crew during
their stay here True, they cannot
come up to the city proper. because
the river has not been dredged to the
thirty-foot depth as yet, but they can
come up TO the bar, and We will run
excursions to that point.
IF the department decides to send
the ship to this city We will certainly
take care to hold a big celebration
while it is here. The whole city would
move down to the bar during the day
of the ceremonies. This matter viii
be decided later. however. and what
We are now interested in is getting
the necessary funds raised This will
be done, to be sure, but the sooner {
thing like that is completed the
easier the committee always feels"
Personnel Of Committee.
w. A. Bours, chairman, Jackson
Vile; F. w. Hoyt, treasurer. Fernan
dina: H. H. Richardson. secretary
Jacksonville; E. Y. Blackman, Miami
F. O. Bowyer, Tampa; w w Hamp
ton, Gainesville: w Hunt Harris, Ke,
West; w. J. Hillman, Live Oak; T. A
Jennings. Pensacola: T. T. Munroe
Ocala; F. T. Myers, Tallahassee: W
r. O'Ne2i, Orlando; w F. Stovall
Tampa: A. NJ. Taylor, St. Augustine