The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-01-17


The construction OF any great work of internal
Improvement demands faith, and foresighled en-
terprise. Usually there is . vague feeling Of
need on the part Of the public, . languid inter-
est. but the zeal-the efficiency ID supplied BY
some one prophetic-inspired Individual
Take the Erie Canal for example. To Govern
or George Clinton, and his nephew, afterwards
Governor, Dewitt Clinton, 10 largely due thecon-
structiOn Of that great work The faith, and
prophetic genius Of the latter may be illustrated
By the following extract from an address deliver
ed In 1874: q Great Improvements must also
take place, which far s1Pass the momentum Of
power that single nation can produce, but viii
with facility proceed from their united strength
The hand Of art viii change The face Of the uni
verse. Mountains, deserts and oceans viii feel
its mighty force. Il win not then be debated
whether hills shall be prostraied, bat whether
the Alps and the Andes shall be levelIed; nor
whether sterile fields shall be sertiIized. but
whether the deserts Of Africa shall FEEL the power
Of cultivation; nor whether rivers shall be joined,
but whether the Caspian shall ZEE the Mediler-
ranean, and the waters Of the Paciac lave the
Atlantic"
The Alps have been practically levelled by
two immense perSontions at different points;
sublime feats Of engineering skill, % that the
iron horse thunden beneath their ice-clad sum-
mits
The deserts Of Africa are being fertilized, and
The mission Of France appears 70 be to convert
the Sahara into garden IF the Caspian has
not yet seen the Mediterranean the Euxine has
seen the Red Sea, and Il win not be many years
now before the waves Of the Pacific shall be
laning the Atlantic
Such was the style Of mind seeded for the in
SEPARATION ofthe people Of New York 10 that grand
work. The uncle aid nephew In this respect
were Of one mind and Of like genius. The for
mer Governor Of The State preached The suhject
in bis first message In 17p1, and IN successive
annual messages In 1794 and 17o5 The latter
was on the COMMITTEES Of survey appointed in
17s1 The act authorizing the construction Of
the woF kwas passed In 1917, and the work was
completed In 1925 at cost II @, 1saoo0.
Says Dewitt Clinton IN his diary: q The reso-
lution appointing commissioners passed without
opposition, the violence af party feelings having
yielded TO great considerations IL pasi0nal poll
cy.n To thnse who know Central New York q
II is to-day, the diary OF that Surveying party.
By batieaux up the Mohawk Valley and by
wheel 10 Lake Erie. is cnriously interesting
reading; and 10 those who know something
about travelling in Middle and Western Florida.
Il 10 nf even liselier inierrsk Speaking Of the
firsi rar NJ their rsaie frnm Echenectady 70
Ulica. Dewitt Citation describes h a. . voyage
Of twepiy-one days thr.ugA ahe masa insaiubri-
OPS waters: expnsed 10 the alternatives az heat
and rain; The miasmata Of marshes; exhalatious
q swamPs; tngs Of rivers; want of sleep and
fEeqasntly Of good water" He lhinka Il not
amiM 10 look back and reject On the means By
which they guarded against sickness in such
voyage, and these gre: l. . good vicluals;' q
James Fever Powders, Elixir Psopristatie. BARK.
Emetics and Lees Anii-bilious PiIls" 3, al
though No passed through places where people
were taken down with feVer, and although one
IL our captains was seriously sick. and from the
aspect Of The land and wafer Il appeared 10 Be
impoaible fnr stranger 10 escape their delesesi-
ous ih6uence. yet Ne maintalned snilorm Gov
At good spirisA The snng AID The anae. The jeut
and - . hapst,Ek. mads then eur anosi power
fal uasdleanes. were The hess anfiaosn o sick-
nensg
Let Tie Gnlf 81 Mexieo Be rimmed with sieel,
lis inlana waiels connectea Ia ons grand Rnasr-
Wy ilom -; Missinsipp 10 the Atlantic, and
thas Whole izAmsnse seHion bordering on shs
Galf Noala he - hdalthy. ~ e popalols and
wssilAy = osntznl Mew Xak = ioaasg.
q WpEa = . - eGscg a. cAaaIs b dsvslop-
~ uesllA and % uIstioa Il 10 RhliA1ss-
phia Naa laz1m " lliFsy Pc csnt than New
n&.N -