The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-12-15
ANOTHER OLD
LAND MARK IS
BE|NGWRECKED
LARGE FORCE OF MEN ENGAGED
IN RAzlNc THE EscAMeIA no.
TEL TO MAKE ROOM FOR MOD
ERN BUSINESS BUILDINGS.

Marking the razing Of another land
mark and another mile srone In the
history of Pensacola, the wIeckage OF
the Hotel Escambia will soon be COM
pieted. Then, what was for quar-
ter of q century West F1orida's lead
ing hotel, will be but a memory and
the Hotel Escambia, once the proud
boast of every Pensacolian, will exist
Only in the memories of the past. But
In the passing of this old land mark,
Pensacola takes another stride for
ward. 1t means the further extension
of the business center from the sea,
for, according to the present plans of
tho owners, new and modern business
houses are to be erected on the site
and the broad lawn of the old hOstelry
ultimately.
Like the retirement of the Indian;
like the abandonment of the big
ranches of the west, and the adoption
of the concentrated farming system
and like all results of progress, the
leveling of the old Escambia is in
answer to the demand of progress.
And, while with regrets, the old build
ing is seen to fall to pieces at the
unmerciful hands of cold commercial
ism, it is a toll of progress and BODIES
better things for the city.
The work will be completed by the
first of the new year. For nearly
three weeks large force has been
employed in the wrecking operations.
The timbers of the old building are
being carried off in carload lots. The
once beautiful lawn has been ruined,
the shrubbery ground underfoOt, and
the sod torn up by the hoofs of horses
attached to vehicles engaged in the
transportation Of the lumber. Some
time ago the furniture of the hotel
was sold at public auction.
It's present owners are Messrs.
Baars and Dunwody.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD.
For round quarter of century
the Hotel Escambia stood as the So
cial center of the town and as the
pride Of West Florida. In the town
1t was a show place. AS hotels are
rated now, it was not an up-tO-date
one. It's building was not as complete
as the modern hostelries. and it would
not be ranked now within even the
third or fourth class hosteiries of the
south. But in the days of it's glory it
was regarded as one of the best hotels
of the south. 1t was famous for its
hospitality and its good service and
was very popular with tourists as well
as with Pensacolians.
NEVER SUCCESSFUL.
The Escambia as hostelry was
never a financial success. It's found
ers sank large amounts into it, fol
which they never got the full returns
And, finally, the old structure was
sold. yet in it's prime, for $4,000, to
be resold, few years later, for $3.50,
900. In this last transaction the prop
srty, it is said, for the flrst time net
ted it's owners profit. But as q hos
telry it never paid.
Founded in 1885 by stock com
pany, the Escambia remained open
for twenty-five years, rounding out its
full quarter of century this last sum
mer when it was closed.
In the years preceding that of IS
Pensacola had no hotel worthy Of
mention. The demands for one, with
the rapid development of the city al
about that time, resulted in the or
ganization of a stock company for the
erection of the Escambia hotel, and
the actual work of erection was begun
in "a and completed in the following
year, when it was thrown open to the
public.
SUCCEEDED CHASE MANSION.
AS stated in the foregoing, the town
had no hotels before the erection Of
the Escambia and depended on board