The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-10-23
Gulf Ports Terminal Railway
President Convinces Business
Men That Line to Mobile Is
Valuable.
OFFERS ENTIRE ROAD
SECURITY FOR ISSUE
President Blocker Authorized to
Appoint Committee to Attain
End Desired-Senator Bank
head Approves Plan.

Following a meeting yesterday af-
ternoon, at which President McLaugh-
4 lin of the Gulf Ports Terminal Rail-
| way Company, outlined a proposition
| for Issuing bonds to the amount OF
100000 President Louis DEM. Blocker
Of the Chamber of Commerce, was au-
| thorized to appoint a committee to de-
wise ways and means to accomplish,
| the desired result.
The Gulf Ports Terminal Railway
extends from Pensacola to within IS
miles of the east side of Mobile bay
| The 18-mile stretch, which is uncom-
| pleted, and for which the bond issue
| is desired. is ready for steel, the right
! OF way being ready, grading completed
and no encumbrances of any sort out
standing.
Mr.. Mclaughlin appeared before
the Chamber of Commerce yesterday
| and explained in detail his plans for
completing the road including the
trestle and draw-bridge across the
head of Mobile bay. He assured the
chamber that the completed road would
pay large dividends, and answered
| numerous questions which were fired
1 go AAAiAA ~ iiSiiiDCiS pIcSeHI. his re-
port impressed the chamber and Judge
Hoffman introduced resolution
! which puts the chamber on record as
| favoring the project
Among the chief reasons set forth
by Mr.. Mclaughlin as to why and
how the completion of the road would
benefit Pensacola, were the following:
There are approximately 5000 miles
= 0f tn
| freight destined for Pensacola, and
| all other Florida points, originating
west of the Mississippi river south
of Memphis, transportation charges
for A miles of unnecessary rail haul
| are now paid, and all tonnage for Pen
sacola from st. Louis, charges for 73
mile of unnecessary haul are COL
lected. On all traffic with Pensacola
as now done south of Chicago and
!! west of Mississippi river charges are
paid on unnecessary and circuitous
rail haul. This has restricted the
city's commerce.
"All tonnage of coal and fabricated
material from the great Birmingham
mineral district, destined for Pensa-
cola and the navy yard is now hauled
by rail approximately 25S miles, Com
pletion of this line of railway in con-
nection with the Warrior river barge
line. now owned and operated by the
federal government. will reduce the
rail haul to So miles.
The increase in wealth, population
and railway mileage, west and north
west of Pensacola has been very great
during the last twenty-five years, but
the city's connection with these pros
f,,c mr. oofi io,l
| changed from what it was fifty years
go. A northern connection then was
all that was desired and the roads
| We're located to serve that. The city's
commercial importance has suffered
on account of this.
by arranging to use the trestle
bridge across the head of Mobile bay
for highway traffic as well as for rail-
way traffic, Pensacola is put on the
great national east and west high
ways.
"The time required from here to
Mobile for passengers will be short
ened more than one hour and the cost
is never likely to be more than cents
per mile.
Satisfactory assurances have been
given me that Mobile and Baldwin
counties will take at par s15O.000 of
my proposed bond issue when the line
Is completed.
IF the citizens of Pensacola will Join
me as partners in completing this un-
dertaking, we can keep this so miles
of railway as an Independent line that
will be operated in the interest of
Pensacola and bring four new lines of
railway here.
| Completion of "a" street line in
Pensacola gives the belt line for which
the city voted bonds.
Mr.. Mclaughlin has received the fol
lowing letters from Senator Bankhead
of Alabama, and from Chairman
Batchelder of the Automobile Asso-
citation of America, endorsing the
project:
Washington. D. c., July 10. 1919
Mr.. Elwood Mclaughlin. President
Gulf Ports Terminal Railway Co.
Pensacola, Fla.
maps, plans and other exhibits sub
mitted by the Gulf Ports Terminal
Railway Company, whereby it is pro-
posed to make the eight miles of the
railway company's "trestle bridge"
across the head of Mobile bay, oppo-
site the city of Mobile. serve all the
purposes of automobile traffic in ad-
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