The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-04-10

Mr. Waterman. the vice-presidents and
members Of the Executive State Commit
tee, shoulder without hope of personal
ftecompense obligations which require
Some one in Pensacola said people who
did this kind of work had no better sense.
am inclined to believe that some mem
bers of my own family agree with this.
FLORIDA SHIP CANAL.
estimating roughly, as to the quality OF
Irelsht that vii! pass through the pro-
posed Florida ship canal when completed,
1t may safely be put as follows:
Cereals, 5000, 900 tons coal, iron and
other minerals 1000 900 tons: lumber. cot
ton, sugar. etc, 5000 600 tons; total 15.-
10000 tons annually: one way, from the
United states gulf ports alone. But as
nearly every sea-going vessel engaged IN
this commerce from the gulf would neCes-
Sariiy have TO pass through the canal in
both directions, it would double the above
registered estimated tonnage to pass
through it, and would make 10000. 900
tons for the year, upon which Il toll could
be charged and collected
To connect St George Sound on the
west coast of Florida, with the Mississippi
of canals. would re required The re
mainder of tho distance of over 10 miles
consists Of inland bays, bayous. etc. in
which some dredging viii have to he done
to secure a depth Of nine feet, at cost
possibly, between s.. 500. 0n0 and S.. 600 0G0.
a ship canal thirty feet deep can be
constructed across the peninsula of Flor
ida, according 60 Robert May ChaffalI. for
$4,000 goo and would carry 30000,o00 tons
The state of New York has expended
S110. 600. goo on q canal to connect the
great lakes with the Atlantic; and Illinois
is CNpending $4,000, geo 10 connect by
water the Mississippi river and the great
lakes. Surely the United States would be
justified in eNpcndinE $53o00,0o0 to con
meet the Atlantic with the mouth of the
Mississippi and all rivers to the east
emptyinE into the gulf, possession over
10000 miles of naVigable water lines.
GIGANTIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
which MlSS1SGiDni
to Atlantic Waterway Association was
organized. is realized, Jacksonville will
secure more than the equivalent of d
trunk line of railroads from New York,
Pittsburg, Duluth, Chicago. Albany Ro-
chester Syracuse r1 Buffalo, KEIngston
Detroit, West Superior Milwaukee, Gin
cinnati, Cairo. Louisville. st. Paul, Du-
buque, Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City.
City. Misbork, Great Falls. Fort Benton,
Galveston, Brownsville, Mobile, Chatta-
nooga, Pensacola; Montgomery, Columbus,
Ga, Tampa. Key West, savannah,
Charleston, Washington. Wilmington,
Boston and i'll short all cities along the
lakes. with all of the naVigabe rivers run
ming into them. This is provided the con-
templated improvements of the MISSISSIPPI
pi river and its tributaries with connect
ing canals to the great lakes and the
construction of the Atlantic inland water
way with the Improvement of their later
ais and tributaries are contaminated
"In like manner every city or location
touched. or in the proximity of the pro-
posed inland waterway from the Missis-
sippi to Atlantic across the peninsula of
Florida or it's Ia teralS and tributaries, will
far it's own consumption and pro-
duction is concerned. be the terminus of
this gigantic line of transportation, which
will belong to no trust ro combine which
will possess no fluctuating rates. which
will require less time in the dispatch of
freight than by rail, and carrying freight
cars, each of which will have the capaC-
ity of ten freight trains. at a cost of one
sixth to one-siXteenth that of rail trans
porta ton.
This trunk line connection likewise af-
fects every place on eaCn waterway of
the numerous ports Iirectl" or indirectly
| tributary to the Mississippi to Atlantic In
| land Waterway.
I'm addition to the commercial advan-
| tage derived. this connecting link makes
possible. safe transportation of troops;
| ammunition and supplies to all parts of
the country east of the Rocky Mountains
| in the most effective and quickest man
| ner. While congestion of traffic will be
practically impossible at any. point on
| the great lakes, the gulf or Atlantic, the
entire resources of the country may be
| collected, while the navy, in peace or
| war may find safe anchorage in the in
terror of the Peninsula of Florida, invul-