The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-07-19
BAYsHoRE SERVICE MUST IMPROVE.

BAYSHORE SERVICE MUST IMPROVE.
Transportation facilities to and from the gov
eminent reservation constitute the most serious
problem which has confronted Pensacola in
long time.
Having an important military establishment
and the largest naval air station in the country,
adequate means of transportatin must be pro-
vided.
The protest of the civilian employees was justi-
fled as was Capt. BENEFITS protest to the city
commissioners. Unless those protests are heed
ed il is quite reasonable to believe that the size
Of the government establishments will be re-
duced-to meet the transportation facilities.
That would be sad commentary upon the pro-
Qressiveness of Pensacola and it must be avoided
Admitting that General Manager Hanlon, of
the electric company, has done all in his power
to improve conditions, he states frankly that he
liz unable to meet the situation unless large sums
Of money are made Immediately available.
Being unit in great public utilities system,
the Pensacola Electric company cannot make its
financial arrangements independently, but must
follow the dictates of Boston headquarters That
nuts the matter sqnarely up to the Stone & Web
ster interests They can relieve the local situa-
ton quickly and effectively if they will But,
seemingly they do not intend to finance the
adequate equpping of the local plant if they can
avoid doing so. The needs of the bay shore line
have been recognized for more than two years
Stone Webster had ample opportunity to make
the needed improvements before the scarcity or
materials and labor became acute. But it seems
their policy to make no improvement that may be
enthusiastically none which would call upon
them for funds. When the war finance corpora
ton was formed. they were quite willing that the
local company should borrow from the govern
ment, but that seems to have been as far as their
financial plans progressed The application for
government funds not approved and the To-
cal company was thrown upon it's own resources
which the management states are practically
NIL
Mr.. Hanlon has gone ahead and secured some
rail for the new bay shore line, but his great
need is for motive power and heavy equipment,
together with a new sub-station. These, he is
unable to provide. Meanwhile, the service con-
tinues insufficient.
The conferences of Wednesday and Thursday
offered no definite solution of the ploblem. Mr..
McAdoo is to be asked to supply some needed
rolling stock and motive power but that will not
provide the sub-station, the little bayou draw.
and the other improvements essential to salts
factory service.
Clearly, this must come through Stone & Web
ster. They Were quite eager when we entered
the war to place their entire engineering organi-
cation at the disposal of the government-on a
basis of cost plus 10 per cent Now, let them car
ry their patriotism step further by offering to
80 improve their local property as to make it of
real service to the government They have the
means and the ability to do it and to do it quickly
If they do not show disposition to improve
the present deplorable condition. it would not
be aniss for the government to take over the
bay shore line, under the authority recently