The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-03-31

the Gulf coast The Omitted States
tCoast Pilot" issued by the u. s. Coast
e. Geodetic Survey, corrected to May,
| 1913, shows the following channel
depths, and the charts show approx
mate distances from the gulf as fol-
lows, for the ports mentioned:
| Tampa -. -. "a TT 81 miles
Mobile :. :. 80. 81 TT so miles
| Galveston :. % tt miles
New orleans -. 81 lilo miles
| Pensacola :. .30-32 TT 71A miles
| An examination of Coast & Geodetic
Survey Chart No. 40 will show that
Pensacola harbor contains over IS
| square miles of anchorage of over so
| feet depth No other Gulf port has
| anywhere near such an extent OF deep
| water anchorage, except, perhaps,
| New Orleans, II you count the river
| far enough UP and down. A report
| made in August, 1913, by the Board of
Inspection for Shore stations OF the
Navy Department, says: From the
entrance to anchorage off the city of
Pensacola, a distance of nearly seven
miles. not less than 80 feet of water
can be safely carried"
The distance from the center Of
population OF the United States at
Bloomington, Ind, to the Panama
through any other port. so that this
the best port on the Gulf, is also the
logical gateway to the Panama Canal
from the heart of the country.
Pensacola is the nearest seaport to
Birmingham, Ala. 1t is the principal
bunker coal port on the Gulf, and has
a lower freight rate ($1.10 per short
toni than any other seaport in the
United States, except Mobile, which
has the same rate.
The Louisville & Nashville Railroad
Co. does most of it's export and import
business through Pensacola, and has
three large, well equipped double
wharves, each over a quarter of a mile
long.
The Gulf. Florida & Alabama Rail-
| road is under construction from this
city to Jasper, Ala. fifty miles north
west of Birmingham, where it con-
meets with the Illinois Central and
Frisco Systems. One hundred miles
of this road is already completed and
in operation. 1t has plans approved
for five modern piers, including one
equipped with the best coal handling
machinery, and the work partially
completed.
Pensacola has voted bonds for
$400, 900 to build a municipal dock and
| belt railroad The city owns over a
mile of water front.
Another railroad. the Pensacola,
| Mobile and New Orleans is under
construction to Mobile, and COM
pleted more than half way between
| the two cities.
The Board of Engineers for Rivers
and Harbors of the United States
| army has recently recommended that
Pensacola and Mobile bays be con-
nected by a canal. The distance is
about thirty miles, and the route fol-
| lows present waterways. which will
| be connected. The project can be com.
| pleted in eighteen months. at a cost
of about $350.000. and will give Pen
sacola water connection with the Ala
bama, Tombigbee, and Black War
| rier rivers. Coal may then be brought
from the Birmingham district to PEN
sacola by all water freight. Pensa =
cola has now about Cf1e hundred miles
| OF internal waterway connection with
West Florida and Southeastern Ala
bama.
am sending you under separate
cover. pamphlets and maps. which will
inform you regarding Pensa cola's re-
sources and possibilities. 1t is prob
able that the growth of this city as a
port, and as a jobbing and manufac-
| turing center, will exceed that of any
of its rivals on the gulf during the
| next decade.
| Very truly yours.
'a;>r c. E. DOBSON.
| President.