The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-02-27

81 AuuTeWS ana CnOCCdW1aLcneG
would be heavier than anywhere else
west of the ApalachicoIa river on &C
count of some heavy ridges. There is
very little commerce between the two
bays. This section, therefore, by
itself, would not be commercially JUS
titled, but as a part of the project is
regarded by the engineers as CONNER
cially justified, though they look on it
as both the most costly per mile and
the least needed by present or pros
pectfve commerce of any of the sub
divisions of the work
The Narrows.
This term covers about IL miles OF
present channel Sufficiently deep but
too crooked for convenience) between
points about 9 miles apart on an air
line. Deepening of shoals aggregating
about miles would give a practically
straight channel of adequate depth.
The cost of this work would be small.
What the engineers think Of the COM
| mercial justification" of this sub-sec-
ton as a unit, has not been made
known. Present Pensacola freight
through the narrows into the Chloe
tawhatchee is about 700 tons a week
on deck, on which freight cargoes are
| about $4,000 a year. In addition, con-
| siderable towing is done through the
narrows, one towboat alone collecting
about $4,000 year. The volume and
value of commerce through the mar
rows would therefore appear to Justify
the comparatively small cost of ifnprov-
| ing the narroWs
Pensacola to Mobile. ~.
! This section can be said to REQUIRE
about II miles OF canal, provided con-
nection between Perdido and Pensa-
cola bays is via Big Bayou. 1t would
cost less per mile than between St.
Andrews and Choctawhatchee. How
1t would compare with the cost be-
tween st. Andrews and Apalachicola
has not been made public. The en-
gineers, it is known, report favorably
on the two essential features of this
work, its engineering practicability
I and the commercial Justification. 1t
has definite standing in the senate,
which two years ago voted a survey
to connect Mobile and Pensacola bays,
before the Mississippi to Atlantic In
land Waterway Association was heard
of in Washington. AS an isolated local
project it could not command the at
tention of the rivers and harbors COM
mlttee of the house. AS part of the
general project-as favorably regarded
| by the engineers even as local
project-it now has an especially good
| chance for an early appropriation for
construction on its local merits, and
that chance is enhanced by it's essen
tial value as part of coastal project
that has the endorsement and the &C.
tive good will Of both the Lakes-to-the-
Gulf Deep Waterway Association and
the Atlantic Deep Waterway Associa-
ton. 1t is apparently safe to assert
that this section could have secured
an appropriation for construction
from the present session Of congress
if it had had on the ground a man as
keenly active for it as Hon. J. H.
Drummond was for the connection or
the Apalachicola and the st. Andrews.
West of Mobile.
| West of Mobile there is next to
nothing to be done. The Mississippi
sound rates as inland water. 1t is as
safe, under normal weather conditions,
as any Of the large bays on the coast.
Sentiment in Congress.
! The Alabama, Georgia and Florida
delegations are solid for the coastal
project. The Alabama delegation
wants the connection between Mobile
and Pensacola bays on it's local i'm
portance to Alabama, which is the
| greater because of the nearness to
completion OF the Warrior river route
between the coal and iron fields and
Mobile bay. The coal and iron fields
would rather have inland connection
with both Mobile and Pensacola than
with Mobile alone The Lake Borgne
company, organized to barge coal from
the Alabama fields to New Orleans,
wants the connection with Pensacola
bay An officer of the company writes.
to Mr.. Henderson that his company
will handle coal from the Alabama
fields to New Orleans at a cost to the
carrier of % cents a ton. Wisconsin
capital owns the Lake Borgne COM
pany, and can be counted on for sup
port in congress of steps that would
permit their barges to come to Pensa-
cola.
1t would certainly not cost more to
barge coal from Alabama fields TO Pen
sacola than it would to barge the
same coal to New Orleans. The rail
rate today to Pensacola is $1.10 a ton.
Barges could handle it by inland wa
ter at cost to the barge of 25 cents
a ton. Lower rail rates would be GER
tain. Even if the Warrior section coal
We're not used by steamers calling
here, the barge rates would cause re-
duction in rail rates on coal for local
consumption, and that would bring
down the rail rate for export and
bunker coal as well.
National Sentiment; Its Growth.
| For six years the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress has been col
lecting funds in the waterway sections
and spreading its gospel of waterway
and harbor improvement in sections
where there are few waters, but
where national sentiment has to be
created before congress can be in
duced as body to freely spend large
i sums regularly for harbor and water
i way improvements. The National
Rivers and Harbors Congress advo-
Gates only the national policy or
adequate appropriation. It does not
advocate any particular project or pro-
jects.
! Four years ago-only four years ago
Mr.. Alexander was ridiculed as
much as he was aiued in his advocacy
of deep water from Chicago to New
Orleans via the Chicago canal and the
Mississippi river Less than two weeks
ago, as chairman Of the rivers and
harbors committee of the house, he
not only admitted, but boosted, that