The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-03-30


joint rail and water rates in coopera-
ton with the Warrior river barge ca
nal, leaves very little uncertainty as
to conservatism in tho estimates made
by traffic experts, that from the first
years operations the gross earnings
will amount to S309,500.
The economic value to the war and
navy departments from the connection
this 60 miles of rail haul win eStah-
lish is patent and unmistakable, The
elimination of all supertiuous rail-
haul from Birmingham and suhStitu-
ton of dependable common carrier
of so miles, connecting the naval air
station and Fort Barrancas with the
inland waterway-the warrior river
barge canal, at the great coal and fuel
oil terminal on Blakely island opposite
the city of Mobile, it is reasonably GER
tain will secure favorable cousidera-
ton and action by the war department
and the interstate commerce commits
sion IL the demonstrate necessity for
completion of this new mileage is
brought to their attention with the
vigor and persistence its importance
justifies.
merce commission for a loan of $780,
600 has been made; section 210 of the
transportation act of congress author
ICES the making of loans by the com
mission for the purposes for which it
was asked. A hearing was had; on
that occasion it was fully explained
that only IS miles. of the line was COM
pleted and in operation-that at pres
ent 1t has no western connections.
That being an unfinished line it is in
the hands of the contractor, and no
tariff sheet had been filed, but that
transportation as a common carrier of
interstate commerce has been unin-
terruptedly and continuously carried
on since 1913. The commission denied
the application purely and solely on
technical grounds; their decision spe-
officially states that the loans author
lied by section 210, the transportation
act, 1920, are allowable only to railway
that had filed a public tar
if sheet. All question of merits, use
fulness, convenience and necessity for
this new mileage was left uRconsid-
cred.
Recently the commission has notified
all common carriers making applica-
ton for permission and authority to
issue bonds, that, as some former de-
cisions have been revised, additional
data and information should be sub
mitted.
Accordingly, this company has asked
permission to issue 100000 first mort
gage bonds.
BY maps and other information and
data submitted to the chamber of COM
merce, and to the interstate commerce.
and to the interstate commerce com
the uneconomical transporta-
ton conditions existing in west Flor
ida and south Alabama have been
plainly and Enthusiastically shown. The
public record shows that more than so
years ago the location of railway lines
i'm west Florida and south Alabama
were made to serve north and south
bound traffic. No effort has been
made during half century by the
railroad company operating in the ter
ritory between Mobile and Pensacola
to correct the uneconomical conditions
that compel payment of transportation
on "A miles in excess of the
so miles of direct distance that sepa-
rates Pensacola and Mobile. Very
likely the result will astonish you if
YOU calculate the gross sum the traf-
&c has paid on the 73 miles of extra
rail-haul from New Orleans and Mo-
bile and all the territory south of Mem
phis and west of the Mississippi river
for so years. Three million dollars is
l conservative estimate. The COM
nerce of Pensacola is taxed with it's
share of the $119,3O4 of annual inter
est charge on this "A miles of unneces-
sary distance Is it not obviously your
plain and imperative duty as intelli-
gent and enlightened citizens to cor
rect this wasteful practice by petit
.ioning the interstate commerce COM
mission to compel the existing line to
this circuitous and wasteful
condition. If this is
found impracticable the commission
should be asked by the citizens of
for a loan mot exceeding
$500. 00O) sufficient to make the con-
lection and discontinue the wasteful
practice of hauling the commerce of
he 10000 people of Pensacola A miles
tut of the proper and direct line over
which it should move.
In no exchange of commerce except
n transportation are the parties to
business transactions forced to become
,ictlms Of the vicious regulations that
nave been dictated and are enforced by
/ combination of security holders, gen
,rally ignorant of the elementary prin-
,iples of transportation, but accom-
llished and skilled in the tricks of in
erlocking directorates, receiverships
md high finance.
There is another aspect of condi-
ions existing here at present that de-
erves your attention. Much discon-
ent prevails among the laboring
lasses. There is widespread feeling
Il dissatisfaction with the present or
sanization of society and industry.
Commerce has to large extent been
,arayzed; productive processes have
emporarily ceased many workmen
re forced into the streets in idleness.
Fhe only known cure for this demon
liking condition is employment. In