The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-02
MUNICIPAL DOCKS
AND BOND MONEY
Captain :. 6. Patterson Tells Why
Pate and Adjacent Property
ls Undesirable.


Editor Pensacola Journal:
geo a communication in your pa
per IA regard to the contemplated
building OF the much needed city dock.
signed Alice Shear never had had
the pleasure OF meeting this lady but
understand that Miss Shear is an
able writer, but / must ask here par
don, I don't think she is sufficiently
vorsed In seamanship to be able to
look at the problem from the various
standpoints in handling ships to and
from without delay or loss OF time. The
applause she mentioned given in the
meeting was not q general one, but
done by three men brought there for
that purpose, I am informed, when
bringing up the matter OF building the
dock on the east side by the Pace
Lumber company land. This applause
WAS made by interested parties. OF
course, Il was TO their interest to have
the project built on that property.
ny object il not to discuss this mat
further than TO point out some er-
rors IA stating. for instance, that
BARS only paid $500 for the property
offered TO the city for dock. This ID
q mistake. Bars paid the city $500
AeHAAN%A4
erty they had gotten from Captain
Aiken.
have no axo to grind. nor have
any strings TO pun, but want to see
the dock built where It would not be
under the domination OF the Louisville
q Nashville railroad. On the west
side there Is plenty OF room and two
railroads, the c., r. & A. and the Me-
Laughlin road, and Mr.. Stewart, / I'M
derstand. has offered to build the
wharf that that win accommodate four
big ship at the time and the other side
TO accommodate small vessels. giving
about $4,000 income monthly to the
city for wharfage for the amount OF
the bonds.
The ships OF today arc large and re-
quire room to handle and on the west
side there ~ very little dredging to
be done. as the pier Line contains 80
feet Of water. The other places on the
east side viii require nearly two-thirds
OF the bonds for dredging. and after
you dredge you viii have to bulkhead
for three-quarters Of d mile to keep it
from filing up with every southeast
and northeast blow. and why two or
four Of our citizens sho0ld advocate
such building I cannot understand
There Is evidently some personal mo-
tive mixed In.
Mr.. r. ". Pierce also comments in
The Morning Journal, ana I agree
with him when he says that the work
started this everlastingly damnable
tomorrow (manana) will never build
anything, and rest assured the Rip
Van Wrinkle family will never start it.
44rrl.~
OF the meeting, It was more OF
carnouhaga
It is an Internal shame and disgrace
that the best and largest seaport In
the United States and the only city
IN the south that don't even own one
dock or wharf or warehouse, and cities
like ST. Petersburg. Tampa and Jack
sonviile own from three to four docks
--St. Petersburg two. Tampa four,
and Jacksonville three. and Pensacola
none.
Don't you know that the commercial
reports and facilities and chances for
shipping at other ports Is on record
and when they come to Pensacola
these reports made that you have no
dock or warehouse to take care OF or
handle corgoes-0f course, that settles
or the world requires and demands
economy ana speed, and Pensacola has
the only port ia the United States
where a vessel in one hour from out
side the bar can be alongside OF any
wharf or dock discharging or taking
cargo. and the coaIing facilities are
unparalleled. Ships can take in cargo
or bunker coal at the same time.
e.ff 4u re-
and Pensacola's slogan should be,
start now" build docks and the Gulf
Coast highway-leave yesterday ana
tomorrow out, and make the slogan
TODAY" All the wonderful blessings
we possess In climate and natural and
unsurpassed advantages can do US no
good unless you put aside selfishness
and graft and fix Immediately upon the
best and most practicable place to
erect a wharf and structure for han
ding the commerce that will come to
our port. Remember. we have the
means TO put up and construct a sub
atantial dock for our present demands
and can increase as commerce de-
mands. BY having a dock that will
handle large vessels on one side and
the other side TO accommodate vessels
OF lighter draft. such as government.
coastwise steamers ana lighters. ana
the city will have couple Of thousand.
dollars a month from wharfage
Now lay aside these high and elab-
crate and expensive ideas that some
individuals have, realizing that those
places advocated on the east side win
require more money for dredging on
by thousands than on the west side.
and after dredging the east side we
win have no money to build dock.
stop this pickering. This IS a matter
that concerns every individual in Es-
Gambia county and the city OF Pensa-
cola, and lay aside selflshness and
graft and come together and start to
work on the best and most serviceable
proposition and build your dock and
warehouses where Captain Stewards
report makes Il feasible with the