The Pensacola journal., 1920-03-17
MORE EVIDENCE FOR DOCKS.

MORE EVIDENCE FOR DOCKS.
The rivers and harbor act approved March 2 1919
contained the following item 1T is hereby declared 10
be the policy Of the Congress that water terminals are
essential at all cities and located upon harbors
or navigable waterways and that at least one public
terminal should exist constructed, owned and regu-
lated by the municipality, other public agency OF
the state and open to Of all equal terms,
and with the view of carrying out this policy to the
fullest extent the Secretary War is hereby vested
with the discretion to withhold unless the public IN
terests would seriously suffer by delay, monies ap
propriated this act for projects adopted mere
in or for the further Improvement OF existing
projects II. in his opinion. no water terminals exist
adequate for the traffic and open to all on equal
terms or unless satisfactory received
other interests will provide such aoe-
quate terminal terminals"
To meet the needs of the situation, the Chief OF
Engineers has assigned to the Board of Engineers
for Rivers and Harbors the duty OF advising ana
assisting local port authorities in planning the lay
out and equipment Of terminal facilities The board
will employ the necessary expert assistance TO en-
able 1t to cooperate. far be desirable, IN
the planning of terminals and port facilities. in
cluding Joint rail and water terminals. taking over
the duties of this character heretofore performed
| by the Port Facilities Commission of the Shipping
Board 1t is desired to make this of the great
est benefit to all localities contemplating terminal
Improvement.
From this act it will be clearly seen that. in the
future those ports which expect government aid OF
any character must have at least one munlclpall!
owned terminal
| There are many in Pensacola at this time, how
ever who claim that Pensacola does not need any
increased docking facilities In refutation of this
claim we would cite the following instances, given to
The Journal by an experienced Pensacola business
man who is considered of the best acquainted
with local port conditions, and one of the most COM
petent to judge owning to his experience in connec
tion with maritime affairs. He says:
1T has been stated by those opposed to the con-
struction of the docks that there s ample dock
and wharf facilities at Pensacola and that thepresent
facilities are used to their capacity take issue
with this point of view. Some three or four years
ago. Messrs G. 6. Baxter and company, lumber and
cross tie shippers opened office at Pensacola. ex
peeting to make this concentration point for lum-
Der ties to by vessel from Pensacola
to coastwise and foreign points After making a few
shipments they closed their office and moved away,
giving the reason the fact that there was nsuffi
cien space available at this port for the accumua-
cargoes either near the waterfront or WITHIN
reach of vessels tackle
GERMAN and company, crosstie shippers with Of
fices at Pittsburg Pa. made investigation of
the facilities this port with the idea of concen-
trating their cargoes of lumber and cross-ties
for foreign and coastwise shipment After an inves
tigation they decided against the of this port
for the same reason that Baxter and company gave
for discontnuing their offices here The American
Tie and Timber company sought to make of this
port distributing point about the time. but
withdrew of lack of storage facilities and
near the waterfront"
Not only has the business of these three concerns
including office rent salaries, freight rent of stor
age space stevedoring vessel disbursements interest
and been lost to the city of Pensacola but
the county and surrounding country have lost the
iimber hiring of teams. purchasing of supplies etc.
solely because no space available the water
front for the accumulation OF cargoes.
1t is not claimed that the amount of money de-
rived from the sale of the dock bonds construct
concrete and steel pier and warehouse with modern
unloading machinery. but it will make a start and
give the city unit to which may be added docks
piers warehouses etc. circumstances demand
The gentleman whose opinion is quoted above Of
fers the suggestion that if the property formerly
covered by the Memphis Pensacola railroad fran
chise is buIkheaded and filled and dredged on the
water side that vessels Of say feet draft can lie
along side the bulkhead, that the money would be
well spent. even IL no pier whatever were con-
structed. Such bulkheading and filling. in his opin-
lon, would provide ground storage for lumber and
cross-ties with nearby space for rosin and would
permit sailing vessels to lie along the bulkhead and
load direct from the ground
THE TRAITOR.
In that most inspiring of magazines The New Sue
GrSOn MorJa