The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-05-21
BY j. II. Reese.

Magnificent in it's depth and area,
splendid in its commercial potentiali-
ties, Pensacola Bay was exhibited TO
the legislators of Florida yesterday af-
ternoon in a comprehensive journey
from the foot of Palafox street TO the
location of the battleships in the har-
bor past Forts PiCkens and McRae,
heaving within sight of Barrancas,
getting a good view of the navy yard.
and reaching an anti-climax at Santa
Rosa Island, where the bounding bill
lows thrilled the bathers with that eX-
hilaration which only the surf gives.
The legislative party was chaper-
oned by Speaker T. Albert Jennings
and Senator John P. Stokes, both OF
the good county of Escambia and the
progressive city Of Pensacola. There
were other notables aboard, among
them being the Hon. ]. c. r. Foster.
adjutant- general of the state national
guard, and the Hon. Cromwell Glib
bons, colonel of the First regiment,
Florida national guard. It was, In Fact,
notable party, composed Of twenty
five members of the Florida. legislature
and their wives, with respect, be IL
duly noted, as to those members who
have wives with them, and there were
several
The excursion started from the foot
of PalafoX street, and a most delight
full trip was made up the bay to the
position of the battleships. The eX-
cursion steamer was the Baldwin,
owned by Capt. Bennie Edmundson,
manned by Ed Brown as captain,
George Wilson as engineer, and Chas.
Heard IS pilot. The brief voyage was
made without the slightest mishap,
and the good steamer Baldwin an
chored midwater between the great
battleships Minnesota and Vermont,
another great battleship, the Missis-
sippi, lying off to the far right. To the
deep right lay a collier.
The Baldwin had no sooner anchored
than launches in command Of midship-
men, and manned by jack tars from
the Minnesota and Vermont, swarmed
about the steamer and relieved il OF
its $50 passengers in very short order,
taking some to the Vermont, others to
the Minnesota, where the officers In
charge held an impromptu reception
and still others went to the Mississippi.
REFRESHMENTS SERVED.
Refreshments were served, but IL
may be ventured that these were not
that which afforded the greatest pleas
ure to the guests. There were many
of the excursionists who had never be-
fore seen a battleship, and to these the
sight was one Of rare occasion.
For half an hour the launches
scudded over the bosom Of the bay,
scurrying to and from between battle
ship and excursion steamer. conveying
the interested spectators. The flagship
with the abbreviated fleet now lying in
the bay is the Minnesota, with Adj
miral Ward on board. The Minnesota
and the Vermont are of equal draft.
being "a feet. The Mississippi is a
smaller vessel, drawing only 26 feet.
1t has been asserted frequently that
Pensacola Bay could float the navy OF
the United States. and this statement
seems amply justified by the very
small compass as compared with the
area taken up by the battleships now
in the harbor.
Secretary G.. A Waterman, of tho
Pensacola Commercial Association,
was active in his endeavors to enter
tain the visitors, and he saw to IL
that each one of them wore a white
badge in addition to the red badge
rival in Pensacola, designating them
not as guests only but as guests OF
extraordinary honor.
After the stop at Santa Rosa Island
upon the return trip, where a picnic
party of school children was taken
aboard, the trip was made back to the
landing I'm the cleaning, the string OF
lights from the leviathans of war and
their attenders standing out i'm sill
houetted contrast against the low shore
line, marked by a dark fringe Of wa
ter shrub, showing in black contrast
against the azure and amethystine
horizon, streaked with a stream Of
glowing opaline running into gold.
Among the arrivals Of Legislators
yesterday were Representative Middle
ton Of Putnam and Representative Nc
Leod OF Lake, and also J. A. Boke and
r. K. Elliott.