The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-05-31
CITY
IN NEW ORLEANS
SECRETARY WATERMAN TOOK
OCCASION WHILE VISITING
THERE TO TALK OF THE DEEP
WATER CITY.

The New Orleans Picayune of re-
cent date contained the following:
G. A Waterman, formerly one OF
the best known of New Orleans news
paper men and now secretary of the
Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, re-
turned to his home last night after a
ten-day visit to this city, including
attendance at the convention of the
Commercial Secretaries.
He is an ardent advocate of New
Orleans for the Panama Exposition,
and in his secretarial capacity ire
quently assists this city and section.
Il have no doubt" said he yester-
day, that our secretaries convention
will result in strong stimulation OF
the Southern commercial bodies in
support of New Orleans. The chief
danger that l can see lies In the very
fact of the indisputable strength OF
the Crescent City's claim, and the
possible tendency of the public to
take it for granted that these claims
do not demand constant pressure to
win federal recognition and support"
Mr.. Waterman is an enthusiast on
Pensacola and that section, in which
the Pensacola Chamber of Com
MERGE stands broadly for the whole
section.
I'VE of course keep closely in
touch with navy yard matters" said
he, and our constant efforts in be-
half of the Pensacola yard are broad
enough to constitute a constant pro-
test against the shameful injustice
of the government in its attitude to-
ward all Southern points as navy
yard sites. In Pensacola and st. An
drews Bay west Florida has the two
finest natural harbors south of Nor
folk, but our efforts are always based
on the principle that somewhere on
the gulf there must be first-class
naval base to guarantee protection of
the most rapidly developing CON-
merce of any Of the customs divis-
ions and to prevent the Gulf States
from being a theatre of invasion in
case of a foreign war. The navy
yard situation today is dominated by
the New England oligarchy. The
reasons are obvious"
Speaking Of Pensacola's progress,
Mr.. Waterman said that Pensacola
had progressed more for its size than
any other of the older cities Of the
South.
Our new hotel alone" said he,
DUllI 6ullI6Iy VIII IeuSdSOId Cdpl-
tai, at a cost of S354,000 for site and
building, represents a white per
capita outlay of about $24. The les
sees put in enough furnishings and
fixtures to raise the cost to half a
million dollars, and our San Carlos
hotel today is second to none of it's
size.
BY public contract, we laid last
miles IF hriHly
block street pavement, and forty
miles of Schillinger sidewalks. We
have Just contracted for six miles
more of paving and thirty miles mora
of sidewalks. Our street car service
is disproportionately extensive for
the population and better in schedule
than net profits would justify in the
average investors judgment. The
city has issued in the past four years
S750,000 of bonds for municipal build
ings, sewerage, drainage and paw
ing, and we have a $4,000 paving
and sewer extension issue now pend
ing. Last year we led the nation in
export of steel rails and import OF
mahogany, our total exports being
$4,000 900, and our imports exceed
ing $1,50O,O00.
Real estate has been very active.
Since January first there have been
a dozen deals involving more than
$4,000 each, and at least half a
dozen involving from 100000 to $685.
600 each.
Two residence sections inside the
city limits and two just outside the
limits are being developed, including
sidewalks and street car extension,
and our real estate men further
prove their faith in the city by CIV
ing literally of both time and money
to whatever helps either the city or
its surroundings.
Our fair last year showed that
our back country can produce from
so to 109 bushels Of corn TO the acre
IL 10-acre tracts, and (Which will
surprise New Orleans) sugar cane
yielding so per cent more sugar mat
ter than the Louisiana cane. Syrup
making is becoming an important
factor in farming in west Florida.
Full of Progress.
Pensacola is full OF progress and
full of self-reliant civic pride. The
city and the country are fairly begin
ming TO cooperate for mutual benefit.
On to- OF all this. We will soon have
two new railroads. One is to Anda-
lusfa, Ala, connecting with the Cen
trail of Georgia, for the construction
of which an agreement has been clos
ed Pensacola furnishing $3.50, 900 cash
and water frontage valued at $780,
600. The other is an air line from
Pensacola across Baldwin county,
Ala, to Mobile, connecting with roads
to Memphis and St. Louis. We will
thus cease to be one-road point.
which has been our worst handicap