The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-10-05
And Now Hangs Poised over
Northern Shores Of Gulf
of Mexico.

WASHINGTON. Sept. sO.-1n al
respects the South is the fastest
growiny section of the United states
In all respects Florida is the fastest
growing state in that section. These
two statements do not have to b,
tayen on faith. They are backed VI
by the Department of Commerce ant
Labor and the palnstaking compllca.
tons of the Census Bureau and the
Bureau OF Statistics.
The Star Of Empire has halted IN
it's Westward course, and 1t now
hangs, poised over the Northern
shores of the Gulf of Mexico, with its
brightest rays Illuminating the re-
sources and beauties of the Forward
state.
A boom is on in the South Not
he kind Of a boom whose picturesque
and oftimes Objectionable features
associate the term with the rapid
growth OF the West, but boom, none
the less, that is attracting population
and new enterprises, stimulating the
development OF natural resources and
encouraging the investment of mil
lions by far-sighted corporations as
well as by shrewd individual invest
ors. The visions revealed generation
ago to Flagler and Plant are now be-
ing realided. The Ignorance of that
day that looked upon those pioneer
builders as wild enthusiasts has given
way TO a general knowledge OF the
natural beauty, the fertile soil, the
countless resources and the tremen-
dous commercial advantages which
in the last ten years have made Flor
ida the fastest growing state in the
fastest growing section of the coun-
try.
The approaching completion of the
Panama Canal has awakened the
country to a realization OF the fact
that the old commercial order is
about to change Eastern and West
ern channels of commerce must at
least share their tolls with new lines
North and South.
This hemispheres great inland sea,
tie Gulf of Mexico, comparable in so
many ways with the Mediterranean,
on whose shores have grown and
crulnbled, and grown. again, the
wealth and grandeur of many per-
iods, is soon to be the objective of a
worlds commerce. The argosIes Of
multiplied modern trade will pillow
the waters that once bore the fleets
OF the bullion-laden galleons Of |
Spain, and with freights for all quar-
tors of the globe thousand-fold
more valuable.
These considerations but emphasize
tie Importance OF the few available
good harbors and ports on the Gulf
Of Mexlco-Galveston, New Orleans
Mobile, Pensacola, st. Andrews Bay.
Tampa and Key West. They are but
few, and in all but in Florida
Tampa and Key West are, and viii
be- important shipping points, but the
herbors are INDIFFERENT and dangerous
in heavy winds or storms. Pensa.
sofa is more protected than the two
named, but its harbor lacks depth OF
water and is open to the occasional
ttmpests that sweep up northwest.
erly from the Caribbean. The best
natural harbor on the Gulf is st. An.
drew5 Bay, situated on the broad pro.
lection into the Gulf fro mthe West.
ern arm Of Florida This bay has
deep water, an area OF over over 100
square miles, is land-locked and fully
protected, and Is the nearest harbor
Of its class in the United States to the
Panama Canal. In anticipation q.
the commercial changes that will be
reated by the opening of the Panama
Canal the United States government
is now spending hundreds of thous-
sends of dollars in preparing the
mouth of the bay for deep-craft car
riers and in dredging canal connec.
items with the large tributary com.
merce of the navigable river system
OF the Apalachicola, while already
two new railroads have been com.
menced to give the trunk-lines Of
commerce an outlet on st. Andrews
Bay.
The influence of these facts ant
conditions on the people of the United
States is shown by Florida's growth
in population during the last ter
years Of nearly AZ per cent, or double
the ratio of growth of any othe,
southern state.
Florida has longer coast line ami
more navigable rivers than any othe,