The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-04-21
INTEREST IN
BALDWIN co.
IN The CANAL
FIELD AGENT OF INLAND WATER
WAY WRITES ENcoURAGINeLY
OF SENTIMENT IN THAT SEC
TON AS TO CANAL CONNECT
ING MOBILE AND PENSACOLA.

| That interest IN the proposed inland
waterway connecting Mobile and Pen
| sacola is rife in Baldwin county, Ala,
is apparent from letter received yes
| terday by Secretary Henderson, of the
| Mississippi to Atlantic Inland Water
way Association. from Mrs. Maude
Wood Henry. who is at present in thac
| county working in the interest of this
project.
The letter, which is self-explanatory,
folwlos:
Foley, Ala, April Is, 1912.
Dear Mr.. Fletcher:
Dodson has been pressing me for
Baldwin county statistics but he did
| not let me know exactly how long
could have to get them in the hands of
| the senate committee, which he should
have done.
/ have had a hard time In wrestling
| these figures from the various people
who agreed to get them UP, but to-
night ! am in receipt of a bunch of
stuff from John Craft and tomorrow
| will forward everything / have up to
date to you personally to look over and
| then hand to Dodson, if you want him
| to have them. Anyway you will know
what to do with it. Since Dodson has
pressed me so hard for the Baldwin
county commerce, have not taken the
time to arrange this data, but believe
perhaps it will be stronger written on
the letter heads of the boat companies
and the oyster commission. Shipments
from points on the Bay Minette & Fort
Morgan branch nof the L. & N. r. r.
you will find show considerable bust
ness and tremendous increase over
last year.
I suppose I have travelled by team
and launch a hundred miles, making
Foley the starting point, and the farm
ers everywhere between here and Per-
dido and Bon Secour bays are eagerly
waiting for this canal and ready to do
anything in the world to get 1t. Men
who can scarcely write are signing the
petition which put out as feeler ad-
dressed to the army board of engineers,
but they are keenly intelligent when
1T comes to understanding the value of
this waterway. They say, to a man,
that they need it right off quick, this
season If they can get it, and that rs
soon as it is constructed they will put
In greatly increased acreage.
1t is extremely advisable that the
work on this canal begin at Pensacola,
because the Perdido bay section needs
it's transportation far more than the
section near Mobile and a small ap-
preparation expended between Pensa-
cola and Perdido bays would give the
people Of this particular section a
chance to get out to market via Pen
sacola. Foley being the nearest ship
ping point, the farmers around Perdido
bay have from an eight to fifteen mile
haul over. bad roads, and they are
more than anxious to use the water
way.
Also the farmers on both sides of
the Bay Minette & TT. Morgan R. r.
would use the canal in preference 20
shipping by rail and l find all the peo-
nile those Innofa1 CT
points. well posted on the value of
this canal. 1t would mean an influx
OF homeseekers to Baldwin county, an
increase in land values and doubtless
regulation Of railroad rates.
l have spent two weeks going over
this territory and only wish the army
board of engineers could have been
ment than the splendid farms under
cultivation, would have been neces-
sary. / was over this ground four
years ago and there is no comparison
today with the way the country looked
at that time.
You know Of course that these lands
range in elevation from twenty-five to
three hundred feet above sea level.
The entire southern half of Baldwin
county, extending to the shores Of Mo-
bile bay and Perdido river, south of
the main line OF the L. & n. r. r. on
an average not less than two hundred
feet. / enclose a page taken from an
l. & N. r. r. new booklet which may
be of interest or value tolyou. These
are not ordinary fat piney woods lands, |
as rich dark sandy loan heavily un-
derlaid with clay, as one can find any
where in the country exists throughout |
the southern section of Baldwin coun- |
ty, and nothing in the world can keep
Baldwin county waiting for the highest |
possible development but transporta- |
ton. Just cast your eye over the ar
ticle from the Packer" published Al !
Cincinnati, and see what is going on
along the railroad, and note the in |
crease in the tobacco industry started |
here in 1909-and remember that all |
this land was under timber five or six |
years ago.
enclosed letter addressed to me which |
have put in as it stands as part of /
my evidence, offers to go on to Wash |
ington and appear before either the /
engineers or committees and orally /
present the claim of Baldwin county |
for this canal, in case he has tW1
weeks notice. II you can use him / |
strongly advise you to write or wire |
him to come. He is doing his best to
joint river and harbor committee Of
Mobile and head of the oyster corn
mission he is well equipped to argue
our case.
In my talks with the bar pilots ri
Mobile and with captains of boats.
stevedoring and contracting companies
and others on the waterfront I found |
great enthusiasm concerning the Mo-
bile and Pensacola connection. These |
men predicted q wonderful develop- I
ment of busine== along this route. daily
boat service between Pensacola and |
Mobile and consequently many benefits |
to the cities of Mobile and Pensacola.
I have heard so much about the /
voice OF the people" from our repre-
sentatives in Washington that I trust |
the petitions which I am sending Won
personally, to give to the army en-
gineers, will show them that some one /
down here In the state Of Baldwin"
wants and needs this canal. Il
Puts End to Bad Habit.
Things never look bright to one Il
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