The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-11-16
A FEW QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS

! ~ Adl cities nave IHQntGlpdi uDCkS Z
/ A Practically every ocean, lake and
! gulf port of any consequences, as vel
! as many river cities in the United States
+ and foreign countries.
Q. For what particular class Of BUSH
/ ness are these docks in other cities con-
I structeds
| A. Usually for the class Of traffic Of
fered with suitable allowance for future
requirements.
Q. what are these future require
I ments?
/ A. The estimated development Of traf-
fo to be handled for a period of 20 to SO
years.
g. How are docks Of this character
financed?
/ a. The most common method is by
the issuance of bonds. providing money
for construction, operation and mainte-
nance for given period, after which
the operating and maintenance expenses
must be paid by revenues from the docks
or by increase in taxes.
Q. After what period should munici-
pal docks be self-supporting?
A. Docks Of this character are rarely
self-supporting in a direct manner the
main benefit derived from. control Il
freight rates and the advertising fea-
lures of possessing such facilities.
@. What is the character of traffic
handled over municipal docks at gulf
and south Atlantic ports?
A. At the smaller ports such as PEN
sacola and Mobile, the traffic is largely
through movement. outbound cargoes.
oeing mostly discharged directly from
cars to ships, AID inbound cargoes from
ship to warehouse, moving into cars
within a few days for inland shipment.
Some few commodities such as nitrate
Of soda, bulk salt, etc, must be held in
warehouse for local shipment. Very
little local business is handed. At ports
such as New Orleans and Galveston
there is a considerable amount of local
business handled as wen as the through
traffic.
Q. What are the principal commodi-
ties being handled through the port of
Pensacola which might be handled over
q municipal dock?
A. The answer depends entirely upon
the character of such dock. If the
docks were small, with water of suff-
cient depth for only light draft vessels,
the traffic would consist mainly of such
commodities as are handled by thet1ocal
wholesale houses, for points which might
be touched by small coastwise vessels. /
II the dock were large with sufficient
depth OF water for ocean-going vessels, |
and sufficient available storage space for
cargoes, either in cars or warehouses, /
the principal commodities would be lum-
Der. naval stores and cotton.
O. What is draft of ocean vessels nor /
mally entering port of Pensacola.
A. From 26 feet to so feet.
Q. Can such vessels now berth at any
dock in Pensacola?
a. They can. Both l.. & N. and G. /
F. A. railroads operate docks accom-
modating vessels of this class.
@. What is depth of water on Palafox I
wharf at present time?
A. Maximum of approximately IS
feet at meane low tide.
@. Would it be possible to increase
the depth of water at Palafox, and at
what cost, to care for two vessels on
the east side?
A. 1t would be possible to increase the
depth of water to any desired depth, but /
not for two vessels as the Palafox wharf /
is not long enough to berth more than T
one ocean going vessel. The cost of I
dredging to allow for the berthing of one /
vessel drawing 2S feet based upon an
average depth, alongside of present pier /
OF is feet with a width of rs feet along I
side pier and $50 feet to main channel
at prices now being paid for such work:
100000 cubic yards at zoe per yard, $780,
coo.
@. Would any portion of this dredg- +
ing be wasted if bulkheads were placed
along ultimate development plans?
A, 1t would be necessary to refill all 1
of the portion along the present wharf I
and to the pierhead line, distance of
1.225 feet, a total loss Of approximately
$40. 600.
Q. What can be done with the west
side of the present pier?
a. 1t can be dredged similarly to the
east side at a cost of $4,000 Cat present
prices) and would have to be reflled il
property were developed to full width. 1
Q. What is the total width of Palafox
property for ultimate development?
A. Two hundred and sthirty- feet
eleven inches.
@. What is the total length of prop
erty for ultimate development?
A. One thousand two hundred and
twenty five feet from pierhead to bulk
head line
Q. What is present width and length
of Palafox wharf?
A. Width varies from to 14S feet,
and length about 600 feet
Q. What is the character and condi-
ton OF the present wharf?
A. The present wharf is a combina- +
tion of filed area and timber platform
on pile foundation. The bulkhead on the
east side is in fair condition, a portion Of
the piles having recently been driven.
The filled portion has been made largely
from discharge of ships ballast; the west
side and south end of pile foundation
wharf construction will radically all
have to be renewed at end Of FIVE year
period.
Q. What is average cost per square
foot of wharf surface with pile founda-
ton?
A. Using creosoted pile, about $3.50.
based on present prices.
Q. What is the life Of creosoted pill
ing?
A. The average life is from 90 to 25
years providing standard z. S. govern
ment specifications are used in treat
ment.
Q. Are piles in present wharf creo-
soted9
A. There is a large number OF piles
in the present wharf and bulkhead which
are not creosoted.
Q. What is the life of these green
piling?
A. From one to three years. depend
ing on activity Of marine borers, par
ticularlx teredo.