The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-09-09
Vox Pobuk.
PAVING ROAD TO NAVY YARD.

4 Will De dig CWlSC IN our present IL
nancial status as regards both County
and City, should it reach its consum-
nation, which is most devoutly hoped
for. In bringing this subject before
the peopIe-the tax payers-we
should avoid all assembling, and let
it be frank and free, "heart to
heart" understanding, letting the diff
ferences adjust themselves to the bet
| terment of all.
Yes, we are too heavily burdened
now to assume any more indebted
ness, unless it is to take on little
more, and by so doing improve the
present situation. The County of
| Escambia is now in debt over $780,
900, Zone Hundred Thousand Dol
! lars) and have levied a 25 Mill tax.
The City of Pensacola adds to this
a tax levy of Is Mills, totalling 80
Mills, and the present depreciation Of
property say IS or 40 per cent, is by
no means encouraging.
/ Now unless we loosen up and ex-
pend little more it is not difficult to
see where we will drift. Unless your
'comprennez-vous" rope is cut you
must be sadly aware of it already
| Our shipping has been reduced to nil
by the great war. Our docks are
idle, and the greatest feeder to our
| population, the L. & n. Railroad Com
pany, is now helping little as pub
lie carrier, but impoteent to continue
/ its exports like many other business
/ concerns here in consequence OF ship
| shortage, insurance, and war RISKS.
| Instead of the waters of our hafbor
being dashed into a seething agitation
| by the powerful blades of the pro-
pellers of our erstwhile merchant ma
rine. the sea gulls rest un1rlghtened
on its bosom with its ceaseless sink
ing swell, and the myriads of the
finny tribe find it congenial habitat
for spawning and Matching With
CONSPICUOUS absence of factories we
cannot survive their prospective COM
ing when this cruel war is over.
The Pensacola Navy Yard is most
! important factor-as unit in pro-
tecting our national rights, also. in
| cidently, in expenditures it materially
keeps soul and body together in this
our community of interest Not that
we shall look askance or ignore other
! industrial or business pursuits in our
| city, and revert to the status of the
memorable Government Mule and
| imagine we live on the reservation,
| depending on the government for our
rations.
not have paved road from the Little
Bayou to the Government Reserva-
ton? 1t would appear to me that the
business relations between the City of
| Pensacola and the Reservation de-
mand a road of some permanence for
| the reason that the pay roll for of
ficers and men is SOL $50 (Sixty-one
Thousand Five Hundred and Sixtv-six
Dollars); Labor at Yard s5S,842 eff
| Twilight Thousand Eight Hundred
and Forty-two Dollars; and the Pub
lie Bills 1851 $50 1.-TWO Hundred and
Sixty-one Thousand Nine Hundred
! Navy Yard and the pay roll at the
army post nearly as large. These
| figures are staggering, but reason
how much of this amount is spent
! here, hence a justitlable expenditure
| for a substantial road.
! We have small army of men en-
ployed there who reside in the city,
and practically the major part of
their earnings remain here. A large
percentage of the pay roll for officers
and men and the public bills money it
| is fair to presume find circulation
amongst our business people. | think
these are potential reasons why we
| should have hard road to the Reser-
walton. and thus maintain these bust
| ness relations
We all remember some few years
ago when the Navy Yard was dis
mantled by orders of a Secretary of
the Navy, who for political reasons or
otherwise saw fit to abandon it. We
do not know when another Admins
tratlon will decide to trump up
charges against this location as re-
CARDS its strategic value, or, which
is more likely, influenced by political
expediency, and remove to some other
point where greater inducements are
offered them by the civil authorities.
We wish to evidence by this act that
we regard good road | might say
as war measure or military neceS-
| sity.
Such a connection would argue
strongly and incontrovertibly in an
effort made to change locations.
I NJ | am not mistaken short time
ago another part of FLORIDA was IN
spected by representatives of the
Aviation Department of the Govern
ment and received their approval for
| the founding of an aeronautic school.
The people in that locality have
shown a disposition to offer every
possible advantage and facility which
is always attractive even to govern
ments.
1t is very creditable to our County
Commissioners that they are serious
" and in business-lke manner lend
ing their official efforts to the con-
struction of the road. This is not
new proposition; it is one that has
been written End discussed before,
but has never received even temper
airy consideration. as far as | recall,
with former boards.
When the County Commissioners
arrange the details; submit the plans
and specifications; figure the cost
and kind of material and select the