The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-29

Notes ON FIorida.-BY H. nj, BRAcKEN

Notes Florida.-By H. Nj. BRAcKENuP.
Seeing notice of project of railway across the
Florida peninsula, thought of giving you some
notes ON that portion of the Union, where once
resided To begin with the proposed railtoay.
For many years Col White, the delegate OF
Florida, urged in Congress the project of sAig
channel, similar to that which connects the Chesa-
peake and Delaware bays. / have no doubt il can
Be accomplished, and II accomplished, would be
of incalculable benefit. But the time has not vet
arrived for such gigantic undertaking; railroad
may be made, and which will afford advantages
very little short of the ship channel The two
transhipments oppose the chief objection; but this
may be lessened by the of cars not requiring 10
be opened until reaching their place of destination;
at any rate, great improvements be made ON
the usual modes Of transhipment. Admirable sur
veys have been made by our engineers and may
be found IN the proper department AT Washington.
They will enable us choose the general line along
which the more minute working explorations can
be conducted. Some point east of the Suwaney
river may be selected for "a steamboat harbor, and
passing through the beautiful savannahs Of ALA
chua, select another station the st. john
river, and thence 70 ST. Mary's at Its mouth. The
country is generally sandy plain, with the cxcep-
ton OF narrow sandy ridge, which will require
some deep cutting. The distance would not
coed from eighty TO one hundred miles, and the
road can be constructed at fourth of the expense
of our northern railroads If such a conlmunica
ton were completed, the distance from New York
To New Orleans would be reduced to six days; and
that 10 Vera Cruz, or the lsthmus of Tehuantepec,
about the same while the distance from Teuantepec
TO San Francisco would be seven or eight DAYS of
steam passage This would bring New York with
in thirty or forty days of Canton, by the way of
Japan. The whole distance TO the peninsula of
Kamschatka may be made TO Nankin, without
ever being out of sight of land, by following the
Fox Islands, then the Kuzules, and running into the
China sea, between China and the Japanese islands
The great advantages Of direct communication
in SO short a time, between New York and New
: Orleans, have been fully explained by the wri-
ters on the subject; in fact they are SO obvious
that it is enough to call attention to them 1t is
only matter Of wonder that so great, and at the
same time SO practicable an improvement as the
Florida railway has not, before this, occupied a
large share of the public attention. The uses of
railways are becoming every where more evident;
they are destined to supersede canals these, to
some extent, have superseded rivers. Even rail
ways yet in their infancy. Our railways are said
to be greatly inferior to those of England, espe-
cially in the width of the track by which heavier
and swifter transportation are secured.
If this should be accomplished, then a branch of
it might be made direct to the point of Florida say
at Key Largo, as to bring Havana within few
hours steaming of Florida; at least direct COM
munication might be established, by steam and
railway combined, the whole length of the PENN
sua This would lay open region OF one hundred
and fifty miles in length, by fifty in width, adapted
to all the productions Of the West Indies. From lati
tude 27o to $50 there is frost the peninsula,
and therefore the climate is adapted to all the trop
ical fruits, without exception. Four acres, cult
waited by as many hands, in pine apples, bananas,
more productive than cotton plantation of four
hundred acres, with thirty hands, the best soil.
The nature of the EVERGLADES, it may be said,
will render this impossible; but am not a firm be-
lever in impossibties; much may be done by
man in retaining portions OF the earth. Ii these
grassy plains occasionally covered with water,
can be drained, they will be covered with fruit
gardens and villages, occupied by dense popula-
ton, instead Of cotton sugar plantations. Can
this be done? ] think it is worth trial, at least
fair examinations; and under no administration
could it be tried more properly than under that of
Gen. TAYLOR, the conqueror of Florida, than whom
no one has a better knowledge of the country, or
more sound, practical judgment. will attempta
short description Of that singular country, for the
strict accuracy of which will not vouch being
only derived from examination of the maps,
and from the descriptions of those who have passed
over it.
The St. Johns river, contrary to the course ofall
our southern streams, like the Nile, flows from
south to north; while the streams which rise further
down the peninsula flow toward the south, with the
exception of the short rivers which empty either
side into the Gulf or the Atlantic. The Okee-
chobee lake, from kind of central point
ceves number OF rivers, and the outporings OF
other lakes and these lose themselves in that large
sheet of pure and transparent water presume
the country, from Topohecaliga lake, Kissamme
lake and river to the great Okee chobee lake yet
but imperfectly explored. They form system,
apparently unconnectcd with the ocean, east and
west. The everglades, which consist of grassy
plains, occasionally under water, but with long
islands rising few feet above the general surface,
are chiefly occasioned by the periodical overfowing
and receding of the principal receptacle which Is
unable To contain the water accumulated in the
rainy season, and consequently, overf1ows. The
remedy for this would be to make outlets to the
on both sides, and also to connect with the st.
Johns or improve any natural connexlon, III such
exists;) for do not pretend To speak with any mi
mute information on the subject. From the descrip-
tons that have heard, the interior of the peninsula,
south of Okeechobee, is plain, elevated thirty or
forty feet above the sea, resting on a rotten lime
stone madripore rock. The soil formed from Its
decomposition, although mixed with very fine
sand in large proportion, il extremely fertile. The
streams, from the Carolosahatche down, on the
Gulf side, which cut their way through the lime
stone rim, are said to have considerable fall, and
discharge large quantities of water from the ever
glades In which they take their rise. The improve
ment which naturally suggests itself is to enlarge
and deepen all these outlets, as means OF draining
the gladcs. OF course must be understood to
speak with difidence on subject which has not
come under my personal observation II. however,
il be true, that the everglades, instead of being
depression in the centre, elevated above the
ocean on either side, then the practicability of
draining them is evident; and the millions OF acres
thus capable of being turned into gardens of tropi
cal fruits would justify almost any expense. lsaw,
the other day, account OF settler on the narrow
rim of dry land which surrounds the peninsula,
who had received thousand dollars from one
acre of pine apples, at which was not surprised as
the pine apple is easily cultivated as cabbage
a
tobacco the coffee plant, and the sugar cane, may
be cultivated, if the fruit culture should not be
found much more profitable. The lime, the nopal,
the aloe, would be used hedges or fences, at the
same time yielding their rich productions. The
coffee and the cochineal require much manipula
ton, and of course very cheap labor. The produc-
lions Of the northern part of the peninsula WILL OF
course, be different; the orange the olive the al
mond, the fig, the grape, and many other fruits,
may be cultivated TO advantage; while the cane,
cotton, rice, Havana tobacco, may also be cu-
tvated, while there extensive ranges for cat
tie The Peta, or Manila, Sissal hemp the
material of the grass rope, as II is vugarly
called, which, believe, is destined at some future
day to be of great importance to the south OF au-
tude 300. demands separate notice, which pro-
pose TO give in another communication ON the sub
Jet of Florida.
have not mentioned the numerous islands, or
KEYS around the point of Florida, destined to be-
come 50 many island gardens, or the astonishing
number of fish on its banks, shallow coasts, nu-
merous incts, affording amount of wealth near
ly equal to that of the land The peninsula of Flo
rida. without a particle of gold among its sands,
may vet become a richer country than California.