davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

and the surrounding country as well
will be greatly benefited by being
furnished a convenient and cheap way
of transportation Of heavy freight.
Saving to Columbus Georgia, and the
towns located on the Chattahoochee,
Flint and Chipola Rivers alone up
wards Of five hundred thousand dol
lars per annum, of which it is esti-
mated that three hundred thousand
dollars will be saved to farmers on
cotton alone each year as soon as the
Improvement is made, by reason Of
having an outlet to a deep water port
by water that will insure a much
lower freight rate than is now being
charged for transportation of freight
of all kinds.
Furthermore, there should be a suf-
ficient number Of railroads having ter
minal facilities at st. Andrews bay
to furnish competing lines and better
facilities for doing business than can
now be obtained at any of the gulf
ports.
At present there is but one railroad
completed to this bay, excepting two
logging railroads: one owned by the
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

and sold in large tracts for prices
ranging from fifty cents per acre paid
by one party for twenty two thousand
acres, to one dollar and ten cents per
acre.
Most of the lands being sold for
eighty-ftve cents per acre by those
syndicates that purchased it of the
state at twenty cents per acre
This was virgin timber land averag-
ing three thousand five hundred feet
or more per acre of first class yellow
pine.
The average price paid ten years ago
was not over ninety cents per acre,
and the average price asked today for
such lands is over ten dollars per
acre.
Ten years ago the. Louisville &
Nashville Railroad Co. owned about
four hundred thousand acres of land
in this vicinity and offered selections
of one hundred thousand acres at
sixty cents per acre; all of which has
been sold since by their grantees for
several times the amount asked for the
lad at that time.
In 1899 the Florida Central and Pen
fnsular Railroad Co. owned a tract
about twenty miles north of st. An
drews bay containing sixty mine thou
sand acres of land which was sold for
fifty cents per acre, and is now held at
twelve dollars per acre, ana Is well
worth the money for the unimproved
portions and some portions that have
been cleared and cultivated could hard
ly be purchased for fifty dollars per
acre now.
The land lying north of ST. Andrews
Bay between the Apalachicola and
Choctawhatchee rivers is far above an
average of Florida land, and nearly all
covered with a good quality of yellow
pine timber, with a very small pro-
portion of swamp land.
Considerable of this land has a clay
sub-soil and will produce good crops,
and nearly all can be used for farm
ing purposes.
Near the bay shore and gulf the soil
is generally sandy and although a part
of il could not be made profitable for
farm land some of 1t will raise splen-
did crops.
Some Of the land lying north of this
bay in what is known as the red level
section purchased by farmers for a
| dollar and a quarter per acre a few
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

sive, hustling towns in the south, will
continue on in a southwesterly direc-
ton through some or the very best
farm and timber lands in Georgia, and
down by Mariana and the'''Red Level
section, noted for its long staple cot
ton fertile soil and good range for
stock as well as for naval stores bust
ness and the high grade Of yellow pine
grown near the Chipola River. It will
pass through large tracts Of virgin
timber Of most excellent quality for
interior or export trade, by reason OF
the fact that it has very large per-
centage of heart stuff with lasting
qualities. Reaching st. Andrews bay
at Dyers Point, at which point after
making a short fill in shallow water it
is only necessary to build wharf three
hundred feet in length in order to OBJ
tain a depth Of thirty feet Of water
or four hundred feet in length to OBJ
tain a depth Of forty feet Of natural
water perfectly protected from storms,
with splendid anchorage or the deepest
draught vessels that float; which
taken in connection with its nearness
to the entrance to the harbor; great
saving in cost Of construction and
maintenance Of wharvesy makes it an
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11
Andre0vs Bay, the Coming Deep Water Port
Written by H Of Mississippi Atlantic @

st. Andrews Bay on the coast of
West Florida, about one hundred and
twenty niles east of Pensacola has
long been known to possess advantages
superior to those Of any other unim-
proved harbor on the Gulf or Atlantic
coast Of this country south OF Mason
and DiXons line, but until recently
these facts were not generally known
except to the army engineers of the
United States government and those
people that have examined the govern
ment charts and visited this bay; and
now that the army board Of engineers
mas recommended an appropriation to
improve the entrance to this harbor
1t is attracting the attention of some
men interested in the largest railroad
system doing business in the SOUTH
and Of business men promoting enter
pr1ses to secure railroad connections
for different points with an outlet to
the Gulf of Mexico through st. An
drews Bay.
In order that the situation here may
be better understood, and to account
for the failure of the government to
take steps to improve this harbor up
to the present time. It is necessary to
consider the facts hereafter mentioned
and bear in mind that It has been the
policy of the government not to i'm
prove harbors until there is sufficient
commerce to warrant the Improvement,
and where there is but little commerce
already established not much atten-
ton Is given prospective commerce,
consequently, ports like New Orleans
with over hundred miles of entrance
to improve from the gulf up the Mis-
sissippi river, with the commerce of
that river and it's tributaries. Mobile
with a three hundred foot channel for
tSirty miles or more, having the COM
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

Dothan, Alabama, to Panama City,
Florida, has constructed a large wharf
for handling cotton and other freight
to be shipped to and from other points
on the gulf and along its line Of road
Also owns and operates the Steamer
Manteo in connection with the rail-
road which furnishes transportation
facilities for cotton, naval stores and
other products from West Florida and
Southern Alabama being shipped to
Pensacola, Mobile and New Orleans.
and general naer chandfse from those
ports shipped to points along the line
of this railroad; in some instances saw
ing to shippers of cotton more than
one dollar per bale now, which saving
in freight will be considerably in
creased when the entrance to this har-
Dor is improved to such an extent that
deep draught vessels can enter.
It is said to be the Intention Of this
company to,build its line into Atlanta,
Georgia. giving that city benefit Of
direct route to one Of the best harbors
on the Gulf Of Mexico through a good
section of country, which If accom-
plished will be of great benefit to that
most progressive and wide awake
town which the people ofShat city can
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

wears ago is now worth from five dol
lars to fifty dollars per acre.
These facts can easily be verified
and are mentioned as tending to show
that a section Of the country in which
the market value of its unimproved
lands has increased in value more than
on thosand per cent in the last ten
years is likely to contribute to make
rapid strides forward in the develop
ment of it's natural resources.
A conservative estimate of the naval
stores and lumber in the imme diate
vicinity of st. Andrews is as follows:
One million two hundred thousand
casks, making two million commercial
barrels of rosin of $50 pounds each,
turpentine, in all worth twenty one
million of dollars when manufactured,
and two billion feet Of standing tim
Der worth when manufactured forty
million of dollars, or upwards of sixty
million dollars worth of timber prod
ucts, making about four million, five
hundred thousand tons of local freight.
and it is estimated that the same ter
ritory, including about one million
acres of land If all planted to cotton
will produce two hundred and fifty
thousand bales of cotton or more per
annum, worth over twelve million dol
lars.
While local conditions warrant the
improvement of this harbor other rea-
sons exist far more important than
those already mentioned making it GER
tain that st. Andrews bay will be one
of the most important harbors on the
gulf coast.
An examination of the u. S. govern
ment charts of the gulf coast shows
that the six fathom curve approaches
as near the shore line in the vicinity
e - Af,a+
and the ten fathom curve indicates a
depth of sixty feet Of water nearer the
entrance to st. Andrews bay than can
be found at the entrance to any other
harbor on the Gulf Of Mexico.
There are no shoals of distractions
of any kind to interfere with the navi-
cation of the largest vessels close up
to the entrance to this bay, making
the approach safe and easy.
Once well inside of the bay and
there is a depth Of over thirty feet of
water in the channel for distance
Of over fifteen miles, extending up the
north arm about three miles beyond
Dyers Point and up the east arm be-
yond Oyster Point the chart shows a
depth of from thirty to fifty-four feet.
but by actual measurement even more
water is found than is shown by the
charts md the bay itself needs no
improvement.
The distance from deep water in the
gulf to deep water in the bay is short,
and is but six miles through West pass
to the town Of st. Andrews, or nine
miles coming in through East pass,
(route selected by engineers,) which is
considerably less than the distance
from deep water to the town at any
| other port in this vicinity; and in this
| bay it is only at the entrance that any
| improvement is needed.
The cost Of obtaining twenty two
| feet of water over the bar through the
| entrance into the bay is estimated to
| be 5000, $4,000, which includes one
| hundred thousand dollars for a suit
able dredging outfit, and cost of main
| tenance is estimated at twenty thou
sand dollars per annum. Appropria-
! ton has been made since this article
| was written and we now have twenty
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

merce of the Alabama and Tombigby
rivers and their branches. Pensac cola
the best improved deep water harbor
on the gulf with a distance Of but
twelve miles from deep water in the
gulf to the town; with the commerce
of Escambia river and bay Yellow
River, Choctawhatchee River and Bay.
ApaIachicola eighteen miles from the
gulf by the channel through West
pass, with the commerce of the Chat
tahoochee Flint and ChipoIa Rivers,
have each and all, been entitled to, and
received large appropriations for i'm
provements, and with the exception
Of Pensacola will require large apprO-
priations for maintenance by reason
of the mud and debris brought into
these harbors by the rivers emptying
into them.
On the other hand ST. Andrews Bay
is the outlet for numerous small
streams of clear water, but no i'm
portant river runs into the bay which
is undoubtedly a disadvantage at the
start. but may prove to be an adj
vantage later on by reason of the fact
that no muddy streams empty into this
bay to I'LL it up. or destroy ~its nat
ural beauty and healthful conditions.
Therefore it is easy to improve and
requires small expense for mainte-
nance.
Less than thirty years ago the title
to more than three fouTths or prac
tically all of the land except a few
small tracts lying within fifty miles
of ST. Andrews Bay was in the state,
or United States government. The
country sparsley settled with very lit
tie business except taking fish and
oysters until title to most of the land
passed to the present owners within
the last ten years.
Strange as it may seem to people
living in sections of the country that
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

not afford to overlook; as well as fur
nishing a large amount of commerce
for st. Andrews bay.
In addition to an Increasing freight
business the Atlanta & st. Andrews
Bay Railroad is running over it's line
two regular passenger trains each way
daily, which are being we'll patronized;
also excursion trains have been run
during the summer months, once, and
part of the time twice a week, bring
ing from three hundred to one thou
sand and averaging between five and
six hundred people carried on each
excursion on this road.
The Birmingham, Columbus & st.
Andrews Railroad, chartered to build
a line of road from Birmingham, Ala,
to St Andrews Bay, by way of Co
lumbus, Georgia, now has in operation
seventeen miles Of road and has sew
eral miles moro of its road graded
south of Chipley, Fla. and although
present, owing to the fact that so
much has already been done. it is rea-
sonable TO suppose that the road will
be built as far south as ST Andrews
Bay before very long, and eventually
completed, by continuing on north
from Chipley, Fla, to Columbus, Ga,
and Birmingham, Ala, over the route
which has been parity SrVeyeu, anu
has been graded for a short distance
north Of Chipley. Is now operated to
Southport.
There are good prospects that a
proposed road, chartered to build from
Albany Ga, to a point in the town OF
st. Andrews, known as Dyers Point
will be built in the near future.
This road-The Georgia, South West
ern & Gulf Railroad, starting at AL
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11
St. Andrews

velop It st. Andrews does not hold
out the glad hand to drones, and none
are wanted.
Business Activity.
Business people in st. Andrews are
now wide awake, not being willing to
depend upon the summer and winter
tourist travel to build up the town.
They have begun to reach out for en-
terprises which will mean business for
the town and the entire bay country.
incidentally they are putting their
own money into projects, and this
gives the outsiders confidence.
Probably the enterprise which will
beneht the town Of st. Andrews more
than any one thing in the near future
is the new saw mill which is to be
erected just west of the city, at Dyer's
Point. This will be a modern and up
to-date plant, and like all manufactur-
ing enterprises, the pay-rolls will help
substantially the merchants and bust
nesses generally in the nearest towns.
This new mill will be erected at once.
Beautiful Location.
st. Andrews is naturally one of the
prettiest spots in Florida It is stu
ated in a, mammoth oak grove hanging
with Spanish moss. On the water
edge are tall palm trees, making a
tropical and inviting scene. Hotels,
boarding houses and handsome priv
ate residences are scattered here and
there along the bayshore, and new
ones are going up every day.
Terminus For Railroad.
ST Andrews VIII not grow as rapid
ly for the next year as it will after
ward on account of having no direct
railroad facilities. The road from
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

At that part of the bay overlooking
the entrance to the gulf, st. Andrews
is located. From the broad verandas
swept by the cool wiNds from the gulf
the residents may Wa tch the giant le-
viathians, the sailing craft and the
motor boats as they come and go from
the safe harbor out into the migty
waters of the gulf
Because of the natural beauty and
location of the town of st. Andrews
has not developed as other parts of
the bay. So we'll have the owners Of
the land been satisfied with their
holdings that they have willingly-for
a hundred years or more-allowed the
tourist and the homeseeker to go else
where.
But the case is different now. The
present owners of the property on this
part of the bay are willing to dis
pose of a part of what they possess if
the purchasers viii improve and de-
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

and about a dozen schooners and fish
ing smacks, besides small sail boats
and about one hundred motor boats
are in use in this bay. Over 800 motor
boats on the bay now.
Much interest is shown here in the
proposed canal, making an inland
waterway from the Mississippi river
to the Atlantic Ocean through st. An
drews bay and other bays. and es-
pecially in that part Oft which will
open up water route from the Apa-
lachicola river to st. Andrews bay of
great value for commerce, for that
river and its tributaries. Since been
provided for and work of construction
is progressing finely.
The survey for this canal is now
being made; and this short canal alone
when completed, should save to peo-
pie living near the Apalachicola, Flint
and Chipola rivers, half million dol
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

Dothan to Panama City really touches
St. Andrews, but the people are not
satisfied with il. They want a road all
their own and unless their plans mis-
carry one will be forthcoming before
many months have gone by. There
are a number of proposed roads which,
if they are built, may have their tr-
minus at st. Andrews, but the road
which is sure to build to this point
is the one from Albany, Ga.
When that road is completed st.
Andrews will become a real city and
an exporting center. Thousands of
bales of cotton from the inland will
go through that port in addition to
will necessitate the employment Of
thousands of workmen, making a
weekly pay roll sufficient to support
city Of many thousand people.
!, And as soon as the Southport road
crosses the bay at Lynn Haven II will
be extended on to st. Andrews, proba-
bly, touching all points on st. An
drews bay and then terminating st
Port st. Joe.
st. Andrews has a bright future. II
is now the place where hundreds OF
families from northern Florida and
southeast Alabama have summer
homes, and where the people Of the
north have winter homes Verify. II
profits going and coming" something
few tourist centers can do.
Resident and business locations In
st. Andrews are selling at low prices
now, probably one-tenth of what they
will sell for in a few years. There
is no time like today for investment
at st. Andrews, a visit to which town
will convince you.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

buyers, and over four hun
dred thousand acres of what is known
as the Sir Edward Reed purchase was
held by a Dutch syndicate and an En-
glish syndicate and their grantees,
which was offered in small lots at one
dollar and twenty five cents per acre.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

German American Lumber Company
at Millville, and the other by the
Southport Lumber Company at South
port. Both of these lines are several
miles in length and eventually may
become part of some system, as they
seem to be built with that end in view.
A railroad is no woperated from Chip
ley to Southport.
The Atlanta and st. Andrews Bay
Railroad was completed in 1909, from
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-11

have been settled for a great many
years. it is a fact that within the last
ten years several large tracts of land
lying within fifty miles of this bay
have been on the market and offered
at prices ranging from fifty cents to
two dollars and half per acre that
were offered for a long time without
La Junta tribune., 1912-07-13

thousand tons of eixhty-five pound
track at various points during the
coming summer. A large sum Of
money has been Appropriated for I'm
proving terminal and junction point
facilities and much side track will
be added during the present summer.
Surveyors are At work permanently
locating . new two per cent. line
to take the place Of the present four
per cent grade on the west side Of
Soldier Summit In Utah. Bids for
this work have not yet been asked
for. but on completion Of the survey.
II Is anticipated that they will be.
La Junta tribune., 1912-07-13
Distinguishes e,.o... My Pay ns-..

The proposed route for next sea.
sons tour BY william A. Becker. the
distinguished American pianist-com'
poser includes our city His New York
manager. Antonia Sawyer. II nov
arranging bookings but the date OF
his appearance here has not been
definitely settled. The tour will BE-.
gin In September and continue up to
New Years. extending through Pen.
sylvania. Ohio. the Middle West and
the South. terminating a, River
side. Calf.
Mr.. Becker will pass the summer
In Europe, where he has enjoyed
many triumphs In preparation for
this American tour. He IL Acknowl'
edged by the foremost critics ss be-
ing one Of the Ereatest living plan
lists. He has appeared A. soloist viii
many Of the worlds famous orchs~'
tras. and a. Q concert pianist has
voa the praise Of both continents
NJ. Becker u not only brilliant rep
resentative Of American talent but
Of American training. lie II more
over, = fine musician ~ evidenced In
his compositions. especially In biz
competitions. especially In his con
ccrto Tor piano and orchestra which
he has played In public on numerous
occasions with distinctive success.
La Junta tribune., 1912-07-13
.. .. Phillips hss SmsIi.Pex.

County Superintendent 8. s. Phil.
lips is down with smallpox and Ii
confined In the pest house up In
Greeley. Mr.. Phillips and his fami.
" went up thers several weeks sso.
where Mr. Phillips plansed on taxi
Ing . course at the summer normal.
He came down With the disease q
short time ago that IL raging up
At Greeley. but none o the cases
have been severe. Mr. Phillips ex'
pecis to be out of quarantine by
July ?sth.-Rocky Ford Tribune.
La Junta tribune., 1912-07-13
su.,.. .. Denver 4 s'e Grand.

Vice -President Brown Of III" Den
yer 4 RIO Grande railroad has just
given out particulars regarding the
isi? budget.
The xroas expenditures Will sp
orosimste sig million dollars. ot
which two and on~-half millions VIII
b. spen, for equipment and the BAL
ancs on double track and improve
peut OF terminal facilities.
Dvring the past week orders TOT
s,.teen Msliet compound locomotives
a ~ srticuiated type were s'sea
The American Locomotive worss Of
sehsnectsdy. New York. ana he
naAvin Locomotive ~orhs os Ph''s'
Ae,phh received an order for sosf'
teen N,ksAo type freight locomotives
A Additional order for six passenger
,ooopo,ives will b. placed WITHIN
ssv days and also . contract Tor eev.
:. hundred boz cars. three hundred
anA fifty coal cars. one hundred ana
my csbooses.
4 eontrses Tor aine miles Of 'ec.
81 track Sstwesn Castle Gate sa. M
Kyvae. Utah. hss been sivea ~. ~"
.strSck Bros. Of Beatrice. Nse wa
~ strseca coapistsd. TIE Dseve'
'A..a1. oeaals WI have eoeasso.'
Ae,Iaae tsack has fron heso. =
Tr1nes. vtsA. . Iissases q INV
eheoe ~ tvetsstAs ni'ss. "
La Junta tribune., 1912-07-13
New Parry ss"sims"s Rampant.

The reason that the Progressive
party 10 sweeping forward irres!sti
bly,. from the very inception Of III
appeal. 10 that It's inspiration ID In
tho lives Of the common people. II
10 coming up from the ranks. Prom
field and factory. from the homcs
from shop and store. the plain ps'o
pie are taking hold Of their o~u
government.
Here Ia Kansas City. ~ else
whore throushout the length and
bsesath d the great republic. nsS
are takiag time from their bssi
sess asA their trs1ss 10 pledge thsii
own ssDeeet asA 70 circsasts psss
tloss epr their eriesAs aa1 sslgh
boss 10 sasa. Their sathustasa. tAet
psblsc spirit. tAeir ceaii1ssce a sue
cess cone froo The fAct that her
at last y soastAins II politics whic>
y really worth vhile. sonsshins VIA
anl sincere.
rroo tAs ussally Dsnocsatl,
raaks ere co0ing tAoes vho are a.
sustsd ae too.ing ajeas vtlh ~ osl
sAaos o. Darty "1t9sesaoof'-tAes'
vho knew tAal ~ boooee eoatso
~ Aeuscsstts Dosly. - ~ beessl
eestfsl ~ rsDubl1roa Dasty.
Al fro0 ~ 80 0Oe roVuool
~ heees eo0aD ~ Oson1 osnv q
vstses vAeoe vis1osy ~ seeaa ~
ssaassl \ ~ DslnAsiss vas ~ q
La Junta tribune., 1912-07-13
defiance BY handful OF crooked poll

defiance by q handful of crooked poll
ticians.
The march Of the people has set
In. The TAFT hearse has no place
In the proccssion. The Wilson band.
wagon II 10 overloaded with Tam.
manys and TsEsarts that II IL lag
ging and the plain people are climb
ing out Tramp. tramp. tramp-the
young men Of the republic. Of all the
republic. are marching under the Pro.
gressive party bsnner.-Kansss City
Star.