The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-03-22
Advantages of Pensacola
to Be Made Known
CONTINUED from First Page.)

for more than twice the present popu-
lation in the next 30 years.
2. In order that the foreign com
merce Of the United States may not be
laid liable to partial or discriminatory
treatment on the part Of foreign YES
sells and nations, we earnestly recon-
mend that remedial laws be at once
provided, or plans ina1gurated to en-
courage the construction OF a ner-
chant marine for the United States,
and the carrying of the foreign com
merce Of the United States In Ameri-
can bottoms
INTERSTATE CHARGES.
We oppose any restriction or charge
on interstate shipments whether by
water or by land.
8. Pensacola Is to be the chief beno-
ncfzrY because Of the Panama canal
for the following reasons:
The center of population La nearer
to Pensacola than any other guM port,
the distance being 754 statute miles.
This means that the centers of popu-
lation. commerce. industry and capital
which all lie east OF the center of
population, are nearer to Pensacola
than any other gulf port The total
distance from the center OF population
to the Panama canal is less via Pen
sacola than any other gulf port, the
being 1yS44 nautical miles.
WATER POWER SUPPLY.
The archasan edge of the gulf marks
the line Of southern water power. II
approaches nearest to the gulf north
Of Pensacola at Co1rsohuS, Ca, on the
Chattahoochee: near Montgomery. on
the Coosa, and south Of Birmingham
ON The Black Warrior.
Water power being the cheapest for
manufacturing. and THESE great pow
ers being located near the extreme
southern enc CT the Appalachian coal,
iron and hardwood region, II is logical
that this regton should be an import
ant manufacturing canter. The APP
palachian coal. iron and hardwood re-
center OF the United States, because
here the raw materials and power are
found toYsther. Ths Alabama cool
and iron fs%ids ara the southern CEN
tiers for the coal and iron industry.
The closer proximity of Pensacola &c
this industrial locality indicates that
Pensacola Is the natural gateway for
exports therefrom-
The proximity Of coal and iron Will
also make Pensacola a manufacturing
center, especially In furniture Ma
hogany and South American hard
woods are now shipped north through
Pensacola to be manufactured into
furniture, and returned to Pensacola
| and other southern points for distribu-
ton and export. With cheap coal ($g
per ton, or less, at Pensacola) freight
rates on the raw material and return
| rates on the manufactured article
eliminated, it becomes apparent that
Pensacola occupies an impcr tant posi-
| ton for the manufacturing Of furni-
| ture.
In addition TO the above, the com
merce OF the head-waters of the Ten
nessee river, which river threads the
Appalachian mountains arriving at a
| point in Alabama a few miles down
the river from Chattanooga rs 1000
miles nearer the gulf and Pensacola
than by following the river to the
| Mississippi and down the MississippI
to the gulf. The Tennessee river can
be connected with the Coosa from
this point by short canal, thus
giving an af1-water route from Knox
Vile and Chattanooga to the gulf
about 1000 miles shorter than that
now in existence
The Columbus water power and
| nanufac turing district now has an
year water navigation to the gulf
| The Black Warrior, from BIRMINGHAM,
to the gulf, is being opened by the
| government. and II Is only a question
| of time until the Coosa, above Mont
1
TREND OF COMMERCE.
| These water courses indicate the
| trend Of commerce, and win tend tc
lower freight rates. The influence Of
| the water courses would seem to In
! dictate that the commerce of this re-
| gion would go to ports at the mouth:
| Of the rivers, and this will be true Il
a certain extent, but the past Ia.
| proven that the water courses serve
| rather to establish rail rates, than Il
carry commerce, and If this condition
continues in the future, Pensacola
/ being closer to this region and havins
superior harbor facilities, VIII draw
railroads TO her, and consequently, tn,
| large majority Of the commerce.
| 4. It is true that the largest cite.
| Of the world are ports, and a larg'
majority of the seaports are located
at the mouths Of rivers The rivers
| provided original means Of transpor,