1922

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The February 1922 edition of the Stone & Webster Journal gives the following account of conditions in Pensacola:^[1]

Business conditions in Pensacola indicate a brighter outlook for the future than at any time during the past few months. The county has sold one million dollars worth of bonds, which has been augmented by one-half million dollars from the Federal Government and State aid fund for the purpose of building good roads in the county and for constructing a number of concrete bridges. Among this road building program is, first: The Gulf Beach Highway, a paved road from Pensacola to the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of nearly fourteen miles. The completion of this road will furnish an automobile highway to the Gulf of Mexico, and Pensacola will be one of the few places on the gulf coast where such is true, for at practically all of the gulf resorts, it is necessary to take a water trip in order to enjoy surf bathing. Deals are on foot to construct a hotel and a number of cottages at the gulf beach, and it is hoped that a large portion of the road can be completed by late summer of this year.
Another road to be constructed in this program is about one-half of the road from Pensacola to Flomaton. Money will be available to build about fifteen miles of this highway, and to construct six concrete bridges. The Federal aid money will be used in building a three mile dirt fill with concrete bridge and steel draw across the Escambia River, connecting Escambia County with Santa Rosa County, and replacing a very unsatisfactory ferry which has hitherto been the only means of automobile travel between these two counties. The contract for this bridge will probably be let during the next sixty days, but its construction will be a matter of a year and a half. The commencement of this road building schedule will afford considerable relief to the present serious unemployment situation. Export business is beginning to show considerable improvement.
There have been more steamers in port during the past month than during any previous three months within the past two years. Fifteen oil tankers are anchored in the harbor awaiting orders of the Shipping Board. These tankers all have skeleton crews and are ready to proceed on a voyage upon demand. The city of Pensacola has started paving work on North Davis Street, East Blount and North Alcaniz, and a contract will be let next week for the paving of West Jackson Street from G Street to the city limits. Our railway earnings have dropped to a level of about 1914 and 1915, but light and power earnings continue at the high level established during the past few years.