The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-01-28
VOX POPULI.
SAYS THAT IT'S ALL
PENSACOLA'S FAULT

| Editor Pensacola Journal.
In the main I agree with what you
mad to say Thursday morning about
the navy yard. But the departments
hostility is not entirely due to favor
ltlsm. The idea I wished to convey
was this: 1t is as much Pensacola's
fault as the departments that we have
joke navy yard. Don't believe it?
Listen.
| The Pensacola yard is an expensive
luxury to the navy department Let
us drop the consideration Of possible
war. We have had no war for fifty
years, and war conditions are merely
guess work. Suffice it to say that in
case OF war should the department
need this yard. it could be rehabilitated
IN jiffy. Therefore. a navy yard, rs
this generation knows it, is q place tc
build and repair ships and manufacture
such articles as are used extensively IN
the naval service. Consequently it be-
moves the department to have this
work done where it can be handled
most economically. Two elements com
prise the cost account Of a manufac-
turing and repair plant. to-wit: labor
and material. Labor is about the same
here as anywhere else. but skilled labor
is very scarce. Now comes the great
question of material involving as it
does consideration of market, cost and
transportation.
| To save words we will attack the
material question through concrete
examples, thus dealing in actual facts.
not theories.
| The vitals of the naval service are
motive power, construction and sub
lsistence. These cardinal branches can
roughly be represented by the following
articles: Coal, iron, steel and lumber.
and provisions
Without coal there can be no power
and without power no navy. So coal,
it's price, storage and transportation is
of paramount Importance. Alabama
coal is supplied the navy yard at from
1918 to 1925 per ton. This coal is
hauled from the Birmingham district,
a distance of approximately 260 miles,
transferred to the electric company in
Pensa cola and hauled seven miles to
the navy yard. the contractor paying
$3.50 per carload for this last haul.
lPocahontas, New River, Georges Greek
and other standard steaming coal is
laid down at Norfolk ct from s2.57 to
$2.70 per ton. This coal is mined in
West Virginia and hauled something
like 400 miles to Norfolk. Here We
have nearly twice the haul and still q
saving Of over fifty cents on the ton.
With an open navy yard we would U.s.:
millions Of tons per annum (f1eet ana
plant). Now figure your saving on
this item alone. What's the answer
Freight rates. The rate on coal from
iy-r71 ir,cr Har IS TO
plus $3.50 per carload over the electric
line. This alone is enough to keep the
departmental eyes turned away from
Pensacola.
Iron and steel cost something like
20 per cent more here than at Nor
folk, Philadelphia, New York and Bos-
ton; still the distance from the Biz
mingham district is less than that of
the yards named from the Pennsyl-
wanna district. Yellow pine is cheaper
here than elsewhere. and other lumber
can be obtained for about the same
figure.
Fresh and dry provisions are abou,
80 per cent higher here than at the
northern and eastern yards. In the
case of fresh provisions this is MAIN
I ly due to lack of competition. The
increased cost Of dry provisions is due
to the remoteness Of Pensacola from
the manufacturing centers and the
consequent long haul and heavy
freight rate. Dry provisions on the
Atlantic and gulf coasts for the naval
service are shipped from the assem-
bling point-the New York navy yard.
The cost OF transportation is not added
to the issuing price OF these provisions
at the receiving yard, but comes out
of a separate appropriation set aside
for this purpose. Hence dry provis-
ions are issued at Pensa cola for just
what they cost laid down at New York.
I have made a careful comparison of
local wholesale prices with what is
suing prices 1 could obtain at the navy
yard, and find the Pensa cola pricas
about 35 per cent higher. Allowing
five per cent for competition and the
immense quantities purchased We still
have these articles 80 per cent higher
in Pensacola.
Transportation is poor. On an aver
age three weeks is required from New
York by rail and two by water. Dealers
are loath to bid or material, am told, on
account of the excessive freight rates
and transfers. in Pensacola to the aec.
trio company. Of course you know the
government buys everything fob. navy
yard. Local dealers seldom bid on
government supplies and it is seldom
indeed that they manage to outbfd
out of-town competition.
Now you have it from a fiat-footed
business standpoint. 1t costs the de-
partment from 20 to so per cent more
to do business here than at say Nor
folk or Portsmouth, although natural
conditions are about equal. Consider
the department as an individual in
business. He wants a ship yard and
manufacturing plant. He investigates
and finds that Pensacola possesses al
the NATURAL advantages, but it win cost
him 80 per cent more to do business
there than elsewhere and transporta-
ton facilities are not so good IS at
other points. What would you do?
Much of this could and should be
remedied and it is certainly up to Pen
sacola to get busy if she wants ~.
open navy yard.
MORTIMER CRENSHAW.
1tttc