The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-12-24
NEW INDUSTRIES ARE
NEEDED IN PENSACOLA
BY w. cHiPLEY JONES

Editor The Journal:
In the holiday edition of The Journal,
under the caption: New Industries
Should Have" Mr.. A. Greenhut in
PRODUCES a subject that cannot be too
copiously discussed in the columns OF
the press. Indeed, ne strikes the key
mote of a subject that should long
since have commanded more serious
consideration at the hands Of all OF
the people Of Pensa COLA
In prefacing his article, Mr.. Green
hut incidentally directs attention TO
Pensa cola's non-producti>n of the ne
cessities of life that our people con-
sumo. Also, in the same connection.
he calls attention to the axiom OF
economies to the effect that the guam
tity and quality, as we'll as the per-
manence, of any eommunity's pros
perity is based more than anything
else upon the diversity of it's indus
tries. and its produ ctivity of the every
day necessities that 1t consumes.
That Pensacola is woefully deficient
both in quantity and diversity or
either raw or manufactured merchan-
disc produced, save in the one item OF
lumber, is a fact too patent to be
seriously challenged even by a real
estate salesman marketing Pensacola
suburban town lots in distant city.
The facts in this connection are that
Pensacola produces less than one Per
cent with the one exception or lum-
ber) of the necessaries and luxurtes
consumed by its people. An amazing
investment, an incredible condition, to
themselves when they read this. But
let these don their thinking caps"
and figure a bit; their conclusion will
be that the statement in ultra con-
servative, rather than rashiy exag-
gerative.
Ponder just a moment! More than
ninety nine per cent of the consump :
tive requirements OF necessities ana
Injuries of population Of approx
mately 10000 persons, produced away
from home-imported from other com
munitiesi
with such conditions existing, small
| wonder is there not that the idle
| hands to which Mr.. Greenhut so aptiy
refers, exist in such numbers in Pen
sacoIa as only a census enumeration
could estimate?
Worse. however, than the fact of
such deficiency in Pensacola's pro
ductivity, is the apparent oblivion OF
Pensacola to the limitless possibilities
of its industrial development.
Mr.. Greenhut suggests cigar fac
tory; a vinegar botuing works; a
Washing poWd6T ldNlO1ys dA Oyo1Oi
cannery and the canning of okra-
These suggestions are all excellent,
and every one Of such industries sug-
gested, if adequately capitalized and
properly conducted, would yield hand
some direct returns upon an invest
ment, to say nothing if the indirect re-
turns that would accrue from the en-
ployment of hands that are now idle
| in Pensacola
| Due doubtless to the limitation OF
space allotted him for presenting his
suggestions as to the New Industries
that Pensacola Should Have Mr.
Greenhut, however, overlooked the en-
| uIneration of several other industries
that would prove enormously success
full and profitable if established here.
Reading his article with absorbing in
terest because OF the most excellent
and practical suggestions which 1t con-
| tanned, several Of these overlooked
industries presented themselves to
my mental vision.
Among these. was a sweet potato
cannery.
Sweet potatoes are as indigenous to
/ the soil surrounding Pensacola, as
Bermuda grass, and yield enormously
with a minimum Of cultivation as
cornpared with other crops that are
| far less productive both in volume and
value.
And there is q demand for every
| busheI of sweet potatoes that can be
put into a can at Pensacola Indeed
| the normal supply Of canned sweet
| potatoes is enormously short Of the
| demand.
| limit Of SPACE forbids a statistical