Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-19
Barge vs.. Shin Canal.
.eTnandillo lFIa.l Mirro1

Mary's river, under General Q. 4. Gilmore
will be Of interest to al who are desirous o
seeing an outlet (almost natursl) for Western
river steamboats, and bsrges opened from
the Mississippi river to the Atlantic sea
board:
Fort GEORGE ISLAND, FLA, july 4, 1882
Mr.. Joseph Shephard, S. Mqyy'S. Ga:
DEAR SIR am In receipt OF your favor
OF the l3 h of June, requesting my views
ot the value and feasibility of a barge
6Hnal' across the State OF Florida from
swan, ne, Mary's river through the Okeflaokee
who 81 20 20 the Gulf of Mexico. AS friend,
In obtaininSes nSesrituliy aided me in sundry WAYS
fuse to resn0L95 LI95rmation, / cannot well re-
winter OF 1879, whna 1ou, Wlsh5'. IN Ihe
of the river ami harba-i i',iulsOia1e claTEe
Savannah, | received inat..,I,I velAehts al
General Gilmore, under Who's llono i, iIOut
was serving, to proceed to FloTStS5 uoii,Y
sumo the charge and direction of tRoa anu as
then in course OF execution for y yeY
canal" across the peninsula to eOnnect flP
waters OF the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
In complying with and executing this or
der, became acquainted with the country
over which the canal was TO pass, and the
entire feasibili y of the project l also be-
came familiar with Colonel Railroads views
for "the land locked water route from New
Orleans to Cumberland Soundn for barge
transportation: l am fully convinced that
the country is everywhere demanding chesp
transportation; and as the Cheapest routes
are undoubtedly those by water, it seem
that portion OF the vast capital row so
readily advanced for railway construction,
should be held for a moment to see If some
OF the great lines, where water transpCrta-
tion can be made available at 6 compare-
lively small cost, should not receive aid in
preference. II q water way OF sufficient ca
paci!y can be constructed from the Mlssis-
sippl river to the Atlantic ocean at or near
Cumberland Sound, crossing bv direct
and short line the peninsula OF Fior,da from
near st. Marks via EllGvNle, through the
Okehnokee swamp, 1t surely presents a line
OF no ordinary Importance. When barges
loaded with the products Of the great West
from the very foot OF the Rocky Mountains
can find navigable water courses all the
wsy to the Atlantic ocean without delay,
and discharge their cargo Without inferno
dtate transhipment aud cost of hand ing, q
great work will have ben accomplished.
When to this we add that the route viii be
mainly along a line south or the obstruct-
ing ice latitude, we begIn TO realize the
magnitude of the project. Aud, Of course,
these barge lines can be used in transporta-
tioR both ways. The profit can, therefore,
be assured at once.
AS to the feasibility" of constructing the
canal there can be no doubt whatever (See
the report OF the surveY.) The Okefpokee
swamp is on the summit level Of the line,
and it Is lower than the country north and
south of #; hence the drainage OF the
swamp and adiscent bays into this swamp
will supply al abundant volume Of water
for feeding the canal. But should this fail
the upper Suwanee river viii supply any
possible deficiency
The San Pedro Raw meet IF EIIovffIo oop
be male available for supplying water to
the western levels of the canal, II needed.
The canal is estimated at a wild of 100
feet and depth Of eight feet, aud length
from Camp Pinckne7, On the St. Mary's, to
connect with the Ocilla river (west Of st.
Marks is l32 miles. Total cost viii not ex-
ceed So. 500 600.
The ship canal proj act has no doubt been
and why not at Ouce push on
the better, far better, and entirely practica-
BILE project of barge canal to connect with
all the Western waters, and bring the pro-
duce from the foot OF the Rocky Mount aims
TO the Atlantic for shipment to all the world.
Believing, as | do, that q great line Of
between the East and West
lies across Florida by the route indicated in
this letter, L hope It's friends may be abund-
antly successful in prosecuting the work.
am, yours very truly,
(Signed) s. L. FREMONT.
Colonel FremOnt's report to General Gill
more says OF the climate and healthy char
acter Of the country:
There are no diffic ulties to be encountered
OF climatic character in eXcavatiRg a
canal anywhere along the line of our sur
veys at any season OF the year.
Our parties were remarkably free from
any injurious effects due to the climate.
Though in the swamp in midsummer, not
an instance OF sickness was recorded.
The Okehnokee and contiguous sWamps
are among the most healthy portions of the
less sickness arising from eli
matte causes than is to be found in the
vicinity of the lOwlands Of Georgia and the
Carolinas.
The inhabitants-the "Mixons," the
'Lees," and the ''Chessers'-all living
within the limits Of the Okefnokee, are as
robust and healthy in appearance as persons
from the highlands of Georgia. A physi-
clan is scarcely ever heard of in this section
Of country. l met many others On both the
eastern and western borders OF the swamp
who live within its Influence, and they ail
seem TO possess remarkably good health and
They claim that they have no sickness re
sulting from miasmatic influences. There
would be, am sure, no difficulties on ac-
count of malarious climate in constructing
a canal in all its parts during any season of
the year.
In this connection we publish an editorial
from the Savannah NEWS on "Water VS..
Land Transp sportation," which speaks
volumes in favor of the barge line:
WATER VS.. LAND TRANSPORTATION.
We learn that the ships of the Ocean
Steamship Company are now engaged bring
ing large cargoes of grain and other articles
from Chicago and the Northwest for Au-
gusta, Macon, Atlanta and other localities
in that section. These freights are shipped
via the great lakes aud the Erie Canal to
New York, and thence by the Ocean Steam
ship Company to this city for shipment to
destination, it beipg claimed that this inland
and ocean water route affords much lesser
rates than do the through rail lines from
either the East to the West or from the
North to the South.
Here is a striking illustration Of the great
advantages possessed by water over land
In this instance freights
East, then sent South, to be again sent North
and West. Thus 1t is seen that Il is more
advantageous to shippers to ship their goods
and produce around the semi circumference
OF great circle by water, than over the di-
ameter of the same circle by land, and the
fact that this roundabout route affords
cheaper rates to shippers than are furnished
them even at the very lowest competitive
rates by land is attracting considerable at
tention in New York and the East as well as
In the West.
We are hereby furnished, also, with an
other illustration Of what may be accom-
Dlished by the proposed Florida barge canal.
Should this work be ever completed, West
ern shippers will be furnished with a safe
reliable and short water route from the
Northwest to the Atlantic, via the Mississippi
river and the Gulf. Then, instead Of, as
now, sending freight around the arc of
3emi-circle, the diameter could be utilized
and water transportation direct between the
West, Northwest and South Atlantic would
be at once established. The business which
such route would do would be simply
enormous, for II the longer water route is
9ven now deemed preferable over direct land
routes for transportation, 1t stands to reason
that this direct water way would become |
ihe favorite route for the shipmen; Of freight |
from all points West to all points South. No |
more practical demonstr tion OF the utility !
and enormous value of / proposed barge |
canal from the Mississil ei to the cur, |
thence across Florida to the Atlantic, could |
be furnished. In view of this demonstrated /
fact, then, and when the immense saving IN |
expense and labor in the construction OF the |
barge canal, as contrasJed with the cost OF |
The proposed ship canal, is also considered,
It seems passing strange that in this age of |
snterprise a company which c6n command
ample capital to carry on TO speedy compile |
lion this invaluable work is not immediately I.
II there are any who are yet deluded with |
the idea that "ship canal" will ever be
completed across Florida. they are referred
% Senate Ex. Doc. No. 80 Of this session,
Forty-seventh Congress, giving all the sur
1eYs ana estimates for that purpose, made
rom 1895 up to and including Ger. GIL