The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-07-13

, The testimony indicates that only
three schooneTs entered the port of
pensacola during the year 1911, bring
ing freight from the North Atlantic
ports. The total tonnage brought to
Pensacola from Atlantic seaboard ter
r1tory by water during that year was
1,94S tons. The lower scale of rates
made to Pensacola from Atlantic sea
board territory has undoubtedly been
brought about by the desire Of the
Louisville & Nashville Railroad Com
pany to make and keep the rates
thereto upon substantial parity with
the rates made to New Orleans and
to Mobile. There are no published all
water rates to Pensacola a t this time.
Freight brought from the Atlantic
seaboard moves by water to Mobile
and thence by the Louisville & Nash
vile Railroad to Pensacola While
water competition at Pensacola may
be regarded as sufficiently potential
to Justify lower rates to that point
than are afforded to intermediate
points. it cannot be asserted at this
time that the scale applied is neces-
STATED by the actual competition ex-
listing. Certainly no justification ex-
lists for making lower water-and rail
rates through Mobile to Pensacola
than the all-water rates to Mobile
Neither does any justification exist
for making lower water and rail IA ties
are published to Mobile. We are of
the opinion that the all-ail and water
and-rail rates to Mobile and to New
Orleans are necessitated by the water
competition existing between eastern
ports and these points respectively.
We are Of the opinion that sufficient
justification has not been shown for
the maintenance Of the present scale
of water andrail rates to Pensacola
via Mobile or via the South Atlantic
ports. Such rates certainly should not
be less than the rates concurrently
applicable to Mobile. On account Of
the contiguity of Mobile to Pensacola
and the actual and potential water
competition existing between these
points. it would probably be imprac-
ticable to maintain at Pensacola rates
which are substantially higher than
the rates to Mobile and New Orleans"
1t will be noted from the last part
Of this decision that not only should
the rates to Pensacola be as high as
to Mobile, but it is intimated that they
might be slightly higher without vio-
lating the law which requires all rates
to be Just, reasonable and non dis
criminatory
When the high rates go into effect
our wholesale dealers will have to
hustle as they never hustled before
to keep their trade in the territory
where they now have to compete with
freight in carload quantities to both
Mobile and Pensacola will be the same, |
and the outbound rates from both !
points on less carload quantities will |
be the same to great many towns, |
and in favor of Mobile in some cases |
In the past Pensacola jobbers have |
been able to shade prices a little on |
account Of their advanta ge in freights, |
but In future the concern with the |
highest quality of goods and the best |
salesman will get the business.
Another effect of the advance will |
be to turn to the Mallory line a large |
quantity of business now moving by |
Savannah line or Clyde line. The SER !,
vice by the former route will be much |
slower than that we now obtain |
the South Atlantic ports, but !
the saving in freight will amount to |
Csc per hundred pounds on high class |
which is considerable in |
these days of close competition.
Strangers Impression.
A stranger visiting Pensacola and |
the magnificent natural |
of the city with the &C |
would quickly come to the conclusion |
that the citizens and business men |
were woefully deficient in that spirit |
of progress which so many other cities |
have displayed in overcoming almost |
obstacles that stood |
industrial expansion. If he had the !
facilities for comparing the freight :,
rates into Pensacola with rates from
the same points to other rapidly grow
ing cities and the rates from Pensa
cola to various points of consump-
ton with rates from other cities to
the same points. he would be still
further amazed at the apparent lack
Of the spirit Of enterprise.
To use a homely illustration, it is
now a case of root hog or die" Which
is it to be?