The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-06-30
THE FREE FACTORY SITE
PROPOSITION IN PENSACOLA

Editor Pensacola Journal:
The suggestion of free factory sites,
made by the mayor in last Sundays
issue of The Journal, is now week
old, and we have not heard from even
the opposition which the expression of
such a sentiment is bound to create.
Pensacola has never been a large
city. because there was no necessity
for it becoming such.
The march of progress has rendered
it imperative that Pensacola now get
into line and assume its place among
the great cities of this country and
of the world.
Volumes have been written and pub
lished on the subject of Pensacolas
wonderful harbor, and the writer
wishes to emphasize the fact that it Is
a wonderful harbor, the capabilities
of which are unlimited; but even a
wonderful harbor does not make
great city unless that harbor is pro
ductive or is the means of bringing
business to the city.
Lumber and turpentine. at present
constitute the backbone of Pensa-
cola's Industrial significance, but the
time is rapidly drawing near when
these products will have been
exhausted and something else must
take their place.
What will Pensacola have to ship
to the corners of the earth when her
forest products have become exhaust
ed. and what will be the value of her
wonderful harbor without commercial
and industrial traffic?
City Outgrows Her Past.
The time has come when Pensacola
must realize what the rest of the coun-
try already knows, that some half
dozen, light draft small capacity
steamboats,, propelled by surface pad
die wheels at a speed of from six to
ten miles an hour; similar number
of harbor tugs; a few sailboats and
gasoline launches, with now and then
a tramp steamer, is not the twentieth
century equipment for one of the finest
harbors in the world
The local armament is hardly in
keeping with "33 feet Of water on Pen
sacola Bar at mean low tide" and what
does Pensacola nope to gain by con-
SANITY H7fEe&R%h the depth of water
on the bar, WThen there is SO little in
side the bar to be shipped over it?
1t is not the purpose of this article
to belittle what already exists, for 1t
is useful, to a certain extent. We
must not lose sight of the fact that
products of other sections, which are
brought to Pensacola, by rail and
water, for e-shipment in ocean-going
vessels, are of great importance, but
this has its limitations, while the pro-
duction, right here on the harbor OF
commodities for shipment is unlimit-
ed-there is no limit to the possibili-
ties of production.
1t is high time for the citizens of
Pensacola to get down to business
the business of production, both indi-
rectly and directly. Indirectly by in
creasing the volume of shipments into
Pensacola, for reshipment, directly by
creating commodities at home.
Pensacola Mobile Canal.
BY way of increasing what might be
termed indirect business" We should
hasten the construction of the Pensa-
cola to Mobile inland waterway.
The are unnumbered tons of coal
and iron which logically belong to Pen
sacola and which this canal should
Law at her feet, to say nothing of vast
quantities of cotton, grain, tobacco,
forest products and miscellaneous mer-
chandise.
Let the railroads continue to bring
to our water front, all they can carry
and let US encourage them to their ut
most capacity. Let US get more rail-
roads. There is a great deal of mis-
sionary work to be done by the citi-
zens, just standing by the railroads in
their effort to get terminals in Pen
sacola.
An inland waterway can bring
greater tonnage into this city, in
week, than half a dozen railroads can
bring in a month, and at less eX-
pense for carriage, but we need the
railroads. also.
Nevertheless, we should hammer
away at the canal proposition until we
get the canal, and we cannot get it
too soon.
Greater tonnage passes the city of
Detroit than passes any other city In
the country, and mis- tonnage reaches
the water route from only four states.
The Panama canal will, no doubt, rob
Detroit of her distinction, and the ton
mage through that canal will be oVerS
whelmingly great. Every state in this
union will be shipping via the Panama
canal All these states are, just now,
bearing down on Pensacola. and look
ing to her for an outlet, and she must
either furnish the outlet or be surely
crushed.
Time For Action Now.
Tt is past the time for action. There
is no reason why there should not be
millions of tons of freight at Pensa- .
coIa's waterfront, ready to move when
the Panama canal opens, and we
should be busy. righhnow. preparing to
accumulate this freight
Indirect business. however. will
never do: for cost of production or
money expended on labor for indirect
business is divided among producers
all over the country.
EMPLOYERS and employees. The money
realized by the sale, of home products
comes home to be used, at home. by
those who produce.
Payroll The Thing.
The payroll is the thing
Every effort should be made TO ere |
ate the largest possible payroll for |
Pensacola
There are enough merchants in
Pensacola for city twice its size, and
we should get away from the idea that