The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-02-19
Inland Waterways Are
Given Good Local Boost
CONTINUED from First Page.)

route connecting with the Mississippi,
| 250 miles to the westward. the great
! river and its tributaries penetrating
from 5000 to 1000 miles. From such
standpoint, the speaker pointed out
| that, in the design of the river men
toned, something had been left off,
Tor it had evidently been designed to
extend to the rivers along the coast,
/ to the delta at New Orleans, to Flor
Ida on the east as far as Apalachicola
and to the Rio Grande on the west, the
evident route consisting Of low outly-
ing islands paralleling the shore from
Apalachicola to the Rio Grande. When
the contemplation of such a water
, way can be fixed in the mind geograph-
lcally, one could easily comprehend
| the purposes of the ASSOCIATION. Civ
| ing, approximately, the amount of
plated canal, Mr.. Blount made the sub.
ject very plain. From New Orleans
through Lake Bourne and the Rigolets.
it was no object. To Mobile from the
Rigolets there were barely five miles
of cutting; from Mobile to Perdido
bay, possibly five miles; from Perdido
| bay to Pensacola bay, four miles;
eastward on the sound and Choctaw-
hatchie bay and through to St. An
dreWs bay, bare nine miles, and then
few miles to Apalachieola. 1t really
involved less than thirty miles for ac-
tual cutting in the 400 miles interven-
ing between Apalachicola and New Or
leans, and this, with the dredging of
the necessary channel depths, would
represent an outlay of 100000. The
building OF the canal, Mr.. Blount clear
ly showed, would help Pensacola's
commerce. 1t would bring merchan-
disc to Pensacola, take it from Pensa-
cola, and would aid in the solving of
the great problem of transportation. a
question that is more to us right now
than actual local production, for it is
acknowledged and confessed that re-
lief will have to be sooner or later
given the railroads. The canal wouIS
bring here barges from the northwest,
from north Alabama, from Georgia, the
Rio Grande possibly. The 10000 miles
touched by the arterial tributaries of
the Mississippi and the river itself
would constribute from every mile to
the commerce, and every mile would
be regarded a nucleus to the COM
merce that would come to Pensacola.
Mr.. Blount, in closing the speech.
threw out the suggestion that letters
| to congressman would call attention
to the fact that not only was the water
way needed, but was desired, and not
only Florida and Alabama, but con-
gressmen from other states could as
well be interested and in the same
manner and means. -.. 49,.
WHOLESALERS ABSENT.
calling attention to the absence O.
representatives Of the thirty or more
wholesale houses, Frank l.. Maves
made the point that the lack of in
terest shown the project by the estab-
llshments needing and wanting more
reasonable transportation, people VINO
nave at interest anything that per-
tanned to cheaper rates of transporta-
tlon, was not a good commentary on
the 'oeal interest in the project. It
showed lack Of interest Mr.. Mayes
also directed attention to the fact that
other communities had been working
Wnlle we were asleep ST. Andrews
pay people had already secured an ap-
preparation Tor the deepening of the
entrance TO the harbor, and it was now
up 10 rs 10 get an appropriation to
complete the work It was for us to
get behind the movement and get re-
SUITS. 1t was certain that Pensacola
could expect no help from Mobile. for
II would mean. if the canal is cut. the
dlVertlng OF many articles and products
TO this point, TO the injury of Mobile,
he said that unless we get right he.
hlnd the movement, and push it, it
would never go through.
VIM. l.. Meyer asked for information
as to the organization of the waterway
movement locally, and Mr.. Waterman
answered it, giving the details as re-
CURED by the bylaws. In accordance
witt his explanation, which included
the selection Of an executive committee
man, Ihos- {. Watson was later elect
ed, with power to name his four as.
slstants, or sub-committeemen
Mr. Waterman asked if it was the
sense OF the meeting to start sinh
scnpt1on for that meeting, but that
feature was on suggestion left to Nj
Waterman.
A vote of thanks was rendered
Messrs. Blount and Henderson for
their able addresses. The meeting
then adjourned, but gentlemen left the
city building with a much clearer idea
Of what was the meaning of the water
ways project than they held when they
went into the meeting. -