The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-12-15
A MUNICIPAL DOCK AND
BELT LINE RAILROAD
BY William Chipley

There g. nothing more anurinE 20
fHe man whn has nursed hobby
through the best wears 90 hia montal
visor flan Ca opportunity % discuss
mat hobby through the columns ~ a
widely e.rraiatsd newspaper. There
fore. yoer Invitation ro nae 20 prepare
fH article Cor the Christmas edition
rI The Journal upon a subject ~ my
uwu choice, "a one which I cannot
resist
As me hired man ~ the CONNER
tal interests Of Pensacola, during my
intumhenrr ~ I've years ~ the Sec
tnffrvHhir nf The old Pensacoia cham
Deg OF Commerce. 49, was my comcup-
Sen 90 one of fhe multitude % duties
Incident f8 ms employment. that I
Should fHnrolehIv invest gate aac
ffHdE as cue uf tHe foatBrca necessary
e. prnaseo'a.F deNeiouu aut. the
rHe1uae. ~ fha ciu'E iorkaEe facni-
fies Hence in season and out -
faaaon. during my Hecretaryshfp ~
che Chamber ~ Commerce. neNt Co
ere then cKIaiiue necessity fof better
hufeI facilities in Pensacola there
wlH ru subject which claimed more
Hr mF attention. no question OF pub
f.r concern which resolved more
,Hiuaakne Invesurnfisn AZ ny hands
fran the auhtnrt ~ this citV'a tacliI-
U.s for the hHbd3lnR see export ana
import commerce And 40 Hubiect OF
mv Investigation during that period
fapmed larger On its outlook and pos
HIhiiflea FOR the development %
sfery interest ~ Pensacola. whether ~
commerce ur labor. than the question
~ system 0f municipality owned
eursn connected wIth TIE railroads
ruterinr fhn ritv and the privately
nrintainea d0eka alonE the water
Front. hy a cts owned belt lire rail-
RED.
Almost sen years have elapsed since
fhe subject first attracted my affen-
tIun Thea. ths isthmus % Panama
ssaH e iunalo of tanEied and feaierinE
tropical teTetntion-u death hole.
3 aNFaflnH 90 the contemplation ~
f.Ienro and TIE Panama canal was
tHt the dream 81 a coteris 81 states
nat at WaHhinHtan. te be counted
tIun aues Fingers Today. the iath-
mus of Panama presents a panorama
81 tropical beauty impossible q de-
d lptIan. and its ouvirons. through
ono ssui of man and ths expenditure
uf money are not eNcslief anywhere
nn ere Western Hemiaphore for
tHHlfhfuinesa And the Panama ca
nat ere enHineerinE marvel ~ az the
raes. ia en- buf en- aecurnr ilwhed fact.
iHftad. uith.m the twelve months
wnich VIII eiapae after the puhuca-
con ~ tHia. t1e tides 90 tha Atlantic
Hud Pacific oceans ufI have been
turned. sac ore into fho other. thrnuKh
fHe gates 10 Oafun ana ne Panama
c.rai eH te a fact
Ten years ESQ Pensacola was under
thr fhrali1om uf spell which a.
WuuId seem must ho visited upon eve
erY community Which has been pc
cauHriv blessed Wlfh natural advant-
HH,s 80 location and environment. ~
ufs e zone railroad town" with a
commerce confined practically 90 ona
C.mmodily. be- mereantiie interests
hHd received but meaggr attention.
nnd consequently had been hut super
nHlaHv developed o. street. and other
Tghuc improvements. had been al
lut totally neglected. its public utiii-
tIeH Hud facilities Tor comfort. con
500 ieneo and sanitation. were none
UF them. adequate ans an % them
auUuue. both in conception and con-
rrugt.ou Gee hotel facilities and ac-
DammodAtiona were r. Joke. " not a
fspr0ach.
Indeed. ta one whose business 81
tts 20 boost ana boom. and through
nHiinE and booming 90 help e.
hUui cIty. tha Pensacola of ten
tTars aEa. afforded an outlook which
vta tinted u hueH that were anything
tuf rnav
However through Influences Tor
uhrch % particular Individual may
Justly claim credit Pensacola unaiiy
came 60 realize her Shortcomings. and
rIthin the past ten years-durinN the
period which has witnessed the trans