The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-04-05

NW8wU Me
In conversation with our Jacksonville cor
respondent, DR.. w. II. Babcock, yesterday, we
gained some very interesting information regard
ing two important undertakings proposed for
The improvement OF our sister State Of Florida.
He said that Mr.. Coryell. now in Jacksonville,
WHO is one of the incorporators Of the Company
10 drain Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades,
states that several prominent and heavy Phila-
delphia capitalists interested in the enterprise,
will arrive In Jacksonville about the 9Th Of April
next, and the work will be pushed forwerd Wig
orously. 1t has been ascertaned by proper sur
veys that the water from the lake Is sufficiently
high to permit its easy drainage into both the
Atlantic ocean on the east and the Gulf Of Mex
leo on the west, and the work is therefore already
an assured success. M
The terms also upon which this enterprise is
TO be conducted are exceedingly favorable to all
parties interested Unlike most of the compa-
MES seeking charters from the Florida legisla-
ture, this one did not ask dollar of motley 1t
is expected that about 100000 acres of land
will be reclaimed, and of this one-half goes to
the State and the other half to the company. In
this way the State will receive 5000 900 acres of
the finest sugar and cotton land in The world
which is now and always has been one vast
swamp, and, therefore, utterly valuless-without
the expenditure of dollar of the public money,
while the parties engaged in the work will, if
successful, be amply remunerated. N
1t is needless to dwell on the immense benefits
| which will result from this to Florida, tor q
mere recital of what is proposed to be accom-
plished is sufficient AS the lands TO be re-
claimed are so located that they can easily be
| placed in communication with the outside world,
they will doubtless speedily be settled By an in
dustrous and thrifty population, who will con-
vert that immense marsh into busy hive, and
add untold millions to the wealth of the State
As earnest of The determination and vigor with
| which the work is to be prosecuted, pr. Bal
cock informs us that the company propose TO
erect and have ready for occupancy by next fall
! on Lake Okeechobee, where now there is but a
wilderness with no inhabitants beyond few
Seminole Indians and an occasional boy a
/ large and elegant hotel.
! Another improvement not so extensive as this
but which bids fair to be of almost as great ad
vantage to Florida, as it certainly will prove o.
between the Indian and ST. Johns rivers. The
Indian river is a salt water streams which re-
ceives a large volume Of back water from the
ocean, into which il emptes at point east o
Lake Okecchobec The proposed cara will
only be atout two miles in length, and can b.
constructed at a small cost When completed
it will virtually convert the Indian and St. John!
rivers into one stream. AS result, the people o
South Florida and all along the line of abe pro
posed canal, will have water transportation TO
their produce throughoutneary the entire length
of the State, and this portion of Geetgia will
also be easily supplied with rare and desirable
vegetables at all seasons Of the year.
These Two enterprises will prove of inestima
bic benefit 10 the Land of Flowers, and indee'
to the entire South. We congratulate our siste
State on their prospects, and hope speedily t.
announce their successful completion.