The Pensacola journal., 1919-10-17
THE BEST DOOR OF ALL

In it's issue of Tuesday october 14th. the Tampa
tribune quotes the following from the Birmingham
Ledger:
There are seven doors to South America
They are Mobile, New Orleans, Jacksonville
Brunswick, Savannah. Charleston and winning
ton. They have been closed because ships nave
been lacking carry cargoes to South American
ports; because freight rates have been adjusted
as though New York were the ordained port or
the entire country; because the goods to ship
were not being manufactured; because Germany
and England had all the banking connections in
that country. But these "becauses" have been
elimnated-the ships have been secured. freight
rates adjusted manufactured products for ship
ment are being furnished; banking sand trade
connections have been established in fact, the
seven doors have just been opened and the
southeast is just entering what promises TO
be an of rich trading with the countries to
the south of us. The government has allotted
nine steeI-constructed vessels to southeastern
ports and promise additional vessels before the
year is over.
The Tribune says:
All of that is true and good, save for the fact
that it persists in ignoring the most convenient
door of ALL Tampa.
1t is a fact that Tampa is the nearest and
most direct port many of the great South
American ports and it has unbeatable advan-
tages far ports on the Pacific side are
concerned.
1t became the habit in past years ignore
Tampa a port, because we kept quiet about
what we have and allowed the railroads to
bottle us up because the freight haul to Jack
sonvilIe and Fernandina gave them hundreds of
miles more for charging That day has passed.
and with the future of Tampa as shipping
point for world wanted cargoes assured we may
begin to call attention to the fact that the most
convenient door is here, and is being opened
wide.
Both the Ledger and the Tribune have overlooked
The fact that Pensacola is nearer the Panama canal
inch mn
Tampa is nearer by airship route, but unless
canal is dredged through Cuba, cannot claim to be
by direct water route.
The nearest ports the Panama canal are Mobile
New Orleans and Pensacola. Pensacola is nearer
than Mobile by 81 miles nearer than New Orleans
by miles distance from the ports to the canal
being. from Pensacola, 134s; from Mobile, 1,S7t
miles; from New Orleans 1895 miles.
Besides this. Pensacola is situated directly on
Pensacola bay, which opens into the Gulf. New
Orleans is 10 miles from the mouth the N1issis-
sippi; Mobile is 1914 miles from the Gulf; Tampa
is 40 miles: Jacksonville 271s miles from the At
antic; Brunswick terminals from to IL miles
Charleston 71s miles; Wilmington. 80 miles, in ad-
dition the long stretch of coast
The figures compiled by the port and harbor com
mission OF the United States Shipping Board give
these facts:
Pensacola channel over the bar is 80 feet; inside
the bar from 80 to 56 feet The width of the chan
mel is 500 feet.
New Orleans: Channel bar, 27 feet; inside
bar. 80 to IS feet About 400 feet width.
Mobile: Coast chart No. 1SS shows the channe
to have been dredged TO "a feet mean low water
June. 1917. United States engineers a
work the project, giving 80 feet inside the
harbor and SO feet the bar. The channe
is estimated at from 27 TO 80 feet There i:
practically anchorage available other than FOL
emergency anchorage in the channel which would
not allow the vessel to swing at anchor. The near
est anchorage is back of Fort Morgan, about 81
miles south of Mobile
With New Orleans Mobile and Pensacola ac
knowedged to be the nearest ports to the canal zone
and with Pensacola much nearer than either. it:
harbor much wider and deeper and its owr
great shpbuilding plant turning out 5000 ton fab
ricated steel vessels. Pensacola may claim to be
very wide door opening not only to South America
but all the ports of the world.
The terA inals of the Gulf, Pensacola and North
ern Railway Company; charter for which has JUS
been issued are the best south of Newport News
This road, originally the Gulf Florida and Alabama
has been completely reorganized. and together will
the great piers and docks of the Louisville ant
Nashville offer docking facilities unequalled else
where in Florida the Gulf coast.