The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-25

The chief object that is sought to be- and doubt
less would be- attained by thus canal Is barge trans,
Valley and portion of the cotton. timber and lum-
Der of the Gulf States to some suitable harbor on
the Atlantic coast for reshipment to foreign and
domestic markets.
The needed supply of water for the summit level
of and the service of its two locks and for
all the various losses incidental to such works.
pected to be drawn from the Okefenokee Swamp. Its
capacity for that purpose is unknown. although be-
canal of the dimensions Indicated If judiciousy To-
Gated and cut TO the requisite depth.
CHARACTER AND LOCATION OF THE LINE.
straight line. measured on the map. from the
mouth OF st. Marys to st. Marks, has length of
about one hundred and sixty five miles. BY taking
advantage of the natural water proximity
to that line. which are either navgable or can pre-
sumably BIO made SO by slack water dams for the
largest class of barges destined to pass the canal the
length will Of course be augmented.
The total length or st. Mary's River. from its
mouth to Ellicotts Mound. where the head of of
its branches is found. is about hundred miles.
but no information has as yet been obtained to
how far vessels drawing nine feet ascend the
stream in its natural low river state or to what ex
tent and for what distance it is susceptible at
able cost OF being converted into slack water navga-
ton. In the vicinity OF Traders Hill, which is
thing less than fifty miles above the mouth.
steamer drawing seventeen feet of water is known to
have been stationed, in the winter Of 1861 re-
ceiving cargo Of cotton from the interior of Florida.
The tide is said to be felt far Barbours some
ten or more miles above Traders Hill.
WATER EXPENDITURE.
Although the capacity of the OKefenokee basin and
swamp for supply OF water Is not known. the volume
that 1t would be required to furnish for canal of
given dimensions, that shall most advantageously
connect the waters of the st. Mary's and Suwanee
Rivers. may be roughly computed.
The length Of the summit and adjacent sections Of
the canal that would have to be fed from storage
Improvement. in 1929. at about forty-fve miles, and
since there no data whatever on hand at this
time to justify require the adoption Of any other
summit line, 1t will be used as basis for calcua-
ton.
The minimum dimensions assumed for the canal
are width of 80 feet at the bottom and ll6 feet at
he VIZ surface giving side SlODes of and
depth OF . feet. 1850 ton grain barge has .
width of 40 feet. Twice that number. or 80 feet.
gives the minimum width at the bottom. The cubi-
cal contents Of the canal prism forming the summit
level will be- therefore. pos, cubic feet, or
1851. 700 cubic yards.
Calculating the losses which might accrue from
various the General calculates that 269
cubic yards Of water must be supplied to the canal
every year to keep it in navgabe order. in other
words the canal supposed to have been filled ready
for service will require an additional volume OF
water amounting to 231 cubic feet per second to
make up for losses.
WATER SUPPLY PROBABLY AVAILABLE
Accepting Lieutenant Hunters estimate OF the area
of Okefenokee basin at 945 square miles Tor
26345 0S8 900 square feet 1t follows that rainfall
of 1892 inches the entire be utilized
of rainfall at Okefenokee basin. Lieutenant
n. L. Smith says. in his report. that at
Il Bay Meade ysar at y
70 inches; at Jacksonville. So inches. giving an
average fall Tor the four places Of ST inches This
agrees with Colonel p. II. Raifords statement in
his examination before the Senate select committee.
December a. 1873 wherein he gave the average rain
fall at. Okefenokee basin during each of the four
seasons, and computed the mean annual rainfall
there at IS inches. Adopting the latter figure. So
inches. and having found 3.32 inches OF rain over
the whole basin to be needed for supplying the
summit level OF the canal, arrive at the, conclu-
sion that whatever be the mode Of storing the water
gathered by drainage 6O4 cent OF the total rain
fall must be rendered available for canalling pur-
poses. in addition to all losses by evaporation. leak
ages. &C.. in the storage reservoir and feeder.
The General then considers at length the work
necessary to render the supply Of water available
and the great advantages to be derived from the
canal.
sH1rscANAL
In reference to ship canal, General Gilmore
says
The feasibility Of ship canal for large ocean
going vessels that shall connect the st. Mary's
River with the Gulf OF Mexico through Okefenokee
Swamp is, Of course, moro predetermined than that
of the large canal already discussed The project
must provide for suitable harbor at each terminus
of the line. On the Atlantic, as in the case OF
the barge line this could possibly be accomplished
in satisfactory way by the construction of jetties
at the entrance Of Cumberland sound, or better still
and with certainty by the enlargement for ships OF
the existing inside passage between st. Marys River
and Brunswick, making this point the shipping
port. On the Gulf side the choice would probably
have to be made between st. Marks and Cedar KEYS.
they tho only harbors all near the direct
line possessing sufficient natural depth of water APP
proach to encourage any attempt to enlarge them to
the required capacity by the construction Of arti-
fetal works, and l am not prepared to
assert that either Of them is susceptible
Of such Improvement. On the. ST. Mark
bar there is depth Of eight feet and the Cedar
Keys bar q depth of nine feet at mean low water II
st. Marks should be selected for the Gulf terminus
the general location of the route would probably
not vary greatly from that of the barge line while
il 1t should run to Cedar Keys the Suwanee River.
from the western end OF the summit level division
to some point near its mouth. would most likely
form part of it, the terminal point being reached
by cut thirteen to fifteen miles long through the
low marshes to the southwark of that stream. This
assumes that the bar at the mouth of the Suwanee
is not susceptible OF Improvement. l am not in
and chart of it has been issued by the Coast Sur
vey establishment. Official reports show that some
years ago it was not considered safe for vessel
drawing over i've feet to attempt its passage, even
on the high tide.
The character and nature of project for a ship
canal having its Gulf terminus ut st. Mark .
would therefore comprise
F1rst-The improvement Of the entrance to st.
Mary's River Cumberland Sound by artificial
works, or the enlargement for ships OF the inside
passage northward from the mouth of that river to
st. Andrews Sound % miles distant or to Bruns-
wick Harbor. 80 miles distant by the channel line
Second The improvement OF st. Mary's River for
slack water navigation or otherwise up to some
suitable point for commencing the ascent TO the
summit point.
Third-The construction of the summit level and
adjacent sections by solid cutting. with the required
number of locks to connect the waters OF the St.
Mary and Suwanee rivers.
Fourn-The excavation OF capacious storage
reservoir for receiving the drainage Of Okcfenokee
Swamp. including the necessary work for draining
the swamp and feeding the canal.
FyfM-The improvement of the Suwanee River for
slack water navigation, otherwise, from the last
lock the western end of the summit level division
to some point not far from Charles Ferry.
SxM-The construction OF q ship canal by solid
cutting from the Suwanee River to deep water In the
st. Marks River. near its mouth
SerenM-The Improvements of the channel OF
trance to st. Mark liver by artificial works.
If the line runs to Cedar Keys the work will DO
the same as above noted from Cumberland Sound to
the Suwanee River. Beyond that 1t will
prise:-
Efla--The improvement to the Suwanee River.
from the western end of the summit level division
to deep water its mouth.
Sist1--The construction of q canal through tho
marsh south of the Suwanee River. near its mouth.
to deep water at Cedar Keys.
SerenM The improvement Of tho channel Of
trance to Cedar Keys BY artificial works.
General Gllmore's report closes with . considers
ton OF tho commercial advantages to accrue from
water route across Florida. which no considers
would be very great.