The Pensacola journal., 1917-06-28
Mayor and Commissioners
Go Over Proposition With
Arringdale, Capitalist.
WOULD RENT SITE
FROM THE CITY
Arringdale Apparently Sup
ported by Responsible
People With Money.

Mayor Thos, Johnson and the COM
missioners were yesterday carefully
studying the proposition made bv J.
E. Arringdale relative to the use Of
the lower portion of Alcaniz street
for a shipbuilding plant. In fact,
the commissioners during the day
were in consultation with the city at
torney about the proposition. and
were assured that the next stem will
be the ordinance which will be in
troduced granting certain rights to.
the applicant named. The latter sn-
nounced that ne would have his COM
pany incorporated in due time, and
the charter would in all probability
be under the laws of the state of New
earliest practical moment. It is
said, with view of getting this part
OF the program over with at the
earlltst practical moment. Il Is
claimed that under the laws of the
state named a company may be in
corporated in the shortest time.
The proposition is that the applf-
cant be given the privilege trough
franchise of building a wharf and
shlpbuilding plant at the foot of AL.
canlz street, and property now owned
by the city of Pensacola there would
be used for the purpose. The city
owns Aots SO, Isl, 152 and 1853, and
these. are what Mr.. Arringdale and
associates would make use of, it is
claimed.
Mayor Johnson stated that the ut.
most encouragement would be given
any new industry, taking the position
that every wage-paying corporation
IS help to the city. He stressed the
fact, however, that full guarantee
must be given before franchises are
awarded, the city's experience in the
| past with railroad and other fran
chises being none too encouraging.
Yesterday Mr.. Arringdale was in
the mayors office, seeking informa-
tlOn as to franchise rights, etc. He
did not appear to care for certain
sections of the ordinance, granted to
the Bruce Drydock Company, for in
stance, but the franchise voted to that
last-named was acceptable to the COM
pany and there will be no deletion
of any measure which the commits
| sioners vote on, it is automatically
stated.
/ The proposition as brought before
| the commissioners in a concrete form
as Mr.. Arringdale presented it, ap-
! pears to be all right, but the COM
missioners, before granting any such
| franchise, will not only require that
| the movement be made to appear 4
! conclusive and stable one, but will
probably insist that all parties to the
/ contract be made known.
L.
/ ed on the subject, it is said that the
/ movement has the backing of sub
/ stantial men of money, and it ia
thought that Mr.. Arringdale, speak
! ing for the new company, does so
with the utmost authority. This be-
| ing the case, it is asserted. there
will be little difficulty in getting a
! favorable ordinance through the board
of commissioners. Said ordinance
| was in course Of preparation yester-
! day, and will likely be brought 10
I the attention of the commissioners in
! legal form at the meeting to be held
next Monday afternoon.
/ Mr.. Arringdale was quoted as say
| ing that his company would con-
struct a dozen or so wooden ships for
| the United States government When
| it was mentioned that Goethals would
hardly look with favor on the ques-
tion of building wooden ships, ne said
that there would be many wooden
vessels constructed.
Should the commissioners see fit
to grant the necessary privilege for
the contemplated shipyard at the
foot of Alcaniz street, it would mean
the employment Of many hundred
men if the tentative plans, already
made public, are successfully carried
orr. A wharf and shipbuilding plant
are planned. This would mean the
| Improvement of that part of the
waterfront, which for many years,
outside of little woodwork and man
ufacturing plants and a fish house,
has been at a great disadvantage for
use by vessel other than those Of linn
tied size and tonnage, because of the
shallow water, extending for hundreds
of yards into the bay. II is an ex-
cellent mooring ground for small
craft, it is said, but an industry which
the company proposes to install there
will not only mean the improvement
of the section denoted, but will mean
deepening of the water approaches to
the shipbuilding site, also an activ-
ity much desired there.