The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-11-22

The Floytda Dispatch, published al
Jacksonville, Fla, in its number of Oct.
I'd, contains an article that will be oil
interest to the old friends Of Capt. Ingham
Coryell, formerly of this city. 1t says;
I've take great pleasure IN copying
from the Savannah Nesos, of the Goth, an
extract from its Tallahassee correspond
ent, Leon, in which he very highly
compliments our former citizen, Mr.. |.
Coryell. The facts stated therein are
beyond question correct, and Col. l.
Coryell is entitled to all the credit Leon
gives him. He undoubtedly was t1e
originator of the drainage scheme and was
also greatly Instrumental in influencing
Hamilton Disston in his big land pur-
chase -
That section of country lying west of
Indian River had never been thoroughly
explored, but from the imperfect data of
each survey, it was believed by some that
not only wolld the Everglades, but Lake
Okeechobee itself would DO drained. One
company had been formed with this view,
but failed to do anything for lack of cap
ilal. At last, 10 the winter of 1880 81,
Colonel l. Cory5ll went before the trustees
of the internal improvement fund and
contracted ia the name of the company
he represented, 20 drain the levees in the
region of the great Lake Okeechobee. As
an earnest that the company that Col.
Coryell represented meant business, am
told that So 200 were deposited, to be
forfeited if the work was not commenced
within time limited in the agreement,
Soon after and during the meeting of the
Legislature, this party of capitalists we've
incorporated as a company under the
name of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast
Canal and Okeechubee Land Company,
with capital stock of ten millions.
Among the corporators were Hamilton
Disston and Col. |. oryell. Operations
for the dredging of the Caloosahaichie.
.i.o ....ts....l outfop OF UKeechobee, were at
once commenced under the direction of
Colonel Coryell. The favorable report of
the engineers, and the promptness with
which the new company commenced their
work, together with the capital which it
was known to command, excited general
interest-in other words, 1t was big adj
vertisement for Florida.
The scheme was favorably commented
on by the leading newspapers of the
United States, and public attention more
than ever was turned to Florida. But
Col. Coryell did not stop here. 1t was
through his influence that Mr.. Disston
was induced to make the now celebrated
purchase of four million acres from the
trustees of the internal improvement fund,
thus saving the fund from bankruptcy
aud subjecting to taxation over million
dollars worth of property.
While in South Florida in the interest
of the company, Col. Coryell discovered
to his surprise that wild jute grew in pro-
fusion. aud sending prepared specimens
to Dundee, where it is prepared for
market, he was gratitied by favorable
report. The reclamation of valuable
lands in the Okeechobee region and the
purchase of the four million acres by
Diss.on having thus drawn public atten-
tim to Florida aud the lands in that vi
emily mentioned, there was no longer any
difficulty in tiuding capitalists for the
long talked of canal, connecting the wa
tiers of the st. John with those of Indian
River, and accordingly Col. Coryell sue
ceeded in forming the Florida cast Line
Canal aud Transportation Company,
which have contracted with the trustees
% the internal improvement fund to give
interior water communication from the
upper st. Johns River TO Biscayne Bay
"a distance of about three hundred and
seventy miles. This will open up one of
the most favored sections of Florida, and
those who have heretofore been compelled
to send their produce to a market by a
tedious and roundabout route can now
ship direct. More than this, as the rich
alluvial soils of that section are thus
placed in juxiaposition to the highways
of commerce and travel, settlers will pour
in. and this great work of internal inn
provement must prove success. The
work is being rapidly pushed forward
under the superintendence of Colonel
Coryell, and now, as | write, steam
dredges are possibly in operation. If moi
now they soon will be.
Too much praise cannot be awarded to
Colonel Coryell for his pluck and vim in
all these matters. But for him. South
Florida, in the region of Okeechobee,
would still be an unexplored and unknown
section. The favorable publicity given to
these schemes has attracted large i'm
migation To this State, aud though we OF
Middle Florida are not Immediately inter-
esied, we have been to some exten: bene-
flied by the increased noioriety given our
State.