The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-19
A CANAL ACROSS FLORIDA.

WHAT FOREIGN CAPITALISTS UNDER THE LEAD
OF NJ. DE LEssEPs PROPOSE TO Do-ADvAN-
TAcEs TO THE WEST FROM THE SCHEME
sAyrNa IN DISTANCE AND INCREASED FA-
CILIrY OF NAVIGATION DELAYS THE
PROJECT.
ST.. LOUIS. July 16. 1879.
'.On Change" to-day Mr. George II. Rea. President
of the Mississippi Valley Transportation Company.
mado statement to your correspondent that is very
important and remarkable in character Mr. Rea
whose company floats an immense number of grain
and merchandise barges on the Mississippi between
New Orleans and ST. Louis. recently went to Europe
to what could be done in the way of helping the
water transportation trade from Now Orleans to
New York and Europe. He had lost heart until
the Eads jettes became a success and opened up a
channel for large ships to New Orleans. But this
morning he received letter from Of the chief
engineers of NJ DE Lesseps proposing to build a
canal across Florida Your correspondent then
asked:- M
How can they construct IL?
"By simply constructing it,"
"But they want y subsidyY
'Not a cent"
.The subject has been agitated for many. many
years. and Congress has always refused to grant a
subsidy"
II know there have been hundred jobs before
Congress in this connection. but they all wanted
money"
"Did they ever get any?"
mo. They did not get money but they got sur
veys. The government paid for surveys. They
took those surveys and made their estimates. They
propose to make it private corporation. The
money and there is plenty OF it enlisted is to
from capitalists in England and France. The
project is two years OLD. The promoters and capt.
talists would have been to look it last year
but Tor the yellow fever scare. II there is epi-
denic this year they will be here in October"
ROUTE OF
"Where do they propose to run the canal?"
"If you will take the map you will notice that on
the left shoulder OF Florida the Suwanee River runs
up thirty miles. Higher up, lonHitudnally, on the
right shoulder, the St Johns River runs down. and
they propose to tap the bayou thirty miles below
jacksonville They propose to start up the Snwanea
from Bradford's Island thirty miles. The distance
across from bayou to bayou. over the ridges that
separate the waters. is sixty miles. This it pro-
posed to cut and then deepen the bayous. There is
no trouble about water and the great past objection
improved machinery which will cut a stump and
roots as easily and quickly as light SOIL
ADVANTAGES THE CANALS.
''What Is the advantage of all ths?'
'To MS. from Sioux City and the Upper Missouri
and mississippi rivers down and around to Charles
ton. it is of great advantage. The saving of in
surance every article worth eight cents q
pound especially cotton. would pay the tolls through
the canal. and they tell me that the traffic would
several times exceed that done through the Suez
Canal. Ny correspondent. mind you. is the best
engineer De Lesseps had the Suez Canal work,
but DE Lesseps is not promoting this in connection
with his proposed Panama Canal"
'How could such canal do more business than
the Suez Canal
because the saving Of distance would be 100
miles around the dangerous coast of Florida, and it
would bring New York and New Orleans within three
and half days Of each other by steamer. You have
idea of the local business that could be DONE be-
Europe. which. with the Eads Channel and the
easy and rapid canal facilities would be largely n-
creased"
REASONS FOR DELAY.
IF they are so sure. why do thcy not 60 ony'
"Ah! There is the point. They to tho
general idea They have the money to 20 on with.
but they want to be sure that they win be protected
in their rights"
"They would gain their rights by purchase Of
right OF way-wouid they not?'
Yes. and as the government owns most of the
land they want they could probably get the right Of
'rhe State of Florida would encourage by legisla-
tive act any such scheme?'
"Of course 1t would, but they afraid that
OF the canal"
'what. them do they want2"
guarantee the protection of the United States to
their property, and then they win buy right Of way
and cut the ship canal through to accommodate the
largest ships that can get to its mouth In year
and half from the turning Of the first spadefu Of
earth"
INTEREST OF ST. LOUIS
'what interest have the st. LOUIS people in itr'
Patriotism! These men propose to spend m-
mcnso sum Of money to benefit us. for the Ohio.
Missouri Red. Arkansas and other rivers bene-
fitted by any increased advantage the mouth OF the
Mississippi has, and every heart in the Mississippi
Valley beats proudly in favor OF rapid and cheap
water transportation as check railroad charges
We think the canal would help we must help
the canal. II it benefits the constructors and
owners, as We hope it WILL it must benefit u.s.
COST.
"what would this costs'
II do not know. They gave me q rough estimate
and have forgotten it. They do not know. 1t il
enough for any body to know that they have plenty
of money. and that tue spade sinks IN the soil the
moment Congress will guarantee protection to this
property that foreigners want to acquire and make
valuable"
Your correspondent is satisfied that this affair
means business. Mr.. lea objected to giving the
of the capitalists who will send engineers
this October to follow the government surveys but
he says he intends, he gets time. to give
the st. Louis and New Orleans people the full bene-
tit of his information the subject. the pith Of
which information is given above.