Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-26
The Barge Canal and the Florida
Legislature.

The following paragraph appeared in
our Tallahassee correspondence CT Satur-
day last:
The canal bill TO connect the Gulf with
the Atlantic, via the OkefinOkee swamp
and st. Mary's river, and which has
among its incOrpOratOrS such men as
Governor Drew, General Finley and Ma
iOr Fairbanks. seems doomed to perish
for want of attention. 1t is somewhat
strange that it has not attracted greater
notice, for il appears to be perfectly
feasible enterprise and one that would
accomplish great results. The term is
fast growing short for all bills of this
description, and unless ii is
more powerfully backed than il has
been, its defeat is certain"
The danger to this measure seems to be
the modesty of the gentlemen connected
withIt, and the confidence they seem to
repose in the integrity and public spirit of
the Florida Legislature. Had they asked
for millions of acres of the public land,
pressed their demand with a liberal hand,
and filled the corridors Of the capitol with
buttOn-hOle gentlemen of lobbying celeb
rity, would the enterprise have been rem
dered more feasible and important? Yet
language Of our vigilant and very able
correspondent. But'the Barge Canal Com
pany does not seem to have designed
very heavy draft upon our sister
State, and mOdestly confined itself to
the right of way for the canal,
with such franchises only as were deemed
necessary for its full operation. Surely it
III hoa narfF IN 1raN
from the State this small request. With
such a work in operation can any one doubt
that the State OF Florida would be the
chief beneficiary? What is the nature of
the enterprise projected by this company,
and what the compensation proposed for
the Slater No less than a navi-
gable canal for barges and other
barrens of the peninsula, curying
southwest 176 miles to st. Marks
on the Gulf, theree establish good
harbOr where none now exists, opening
the inland waters Of the Gulf TO naviga
ton for nearly three hundred miles along
the west coast of the State, and bringing
through its great length from east to west
the Iimitless trade of the mighty Missis-
sippi. In accomplishing this project the
company will of necessity drain for
Florida about $4,000 acres Of superb
lands in OkefinOkee, about the same in
san Pedro swamp, west of the Suwannee,
and numerous smaller bodies along the
line, beside opening up to settlement,
agriculture and general industry a vast
wilderness of low, fiat pine forest, now
almost uninhabited, and which all the
genius of enterprise has hitherto failed to
utilize or render more valuable TO the
State.
Is it necessary to get up powerful
backing" for such a proposition as this
in order TO enable Florida Legislators to
perceive its merits? The gentlemen repre-
senting the measure probably relied upon
the manifest character of these great
claims not only to win the Legislature, but
every public spirited, patriotic citizen of
the State. Wehaye no personal acquaint-
ance with either of them, but they are
we'll known beyond the limits of the State
they have so much hOnOred, and as GeOr-
gia has no small interest involved in the
enterprise we naturally desire their sue
cess. That the feasibility and public ne
cessity of the work will, in time, enforce
its construction, we have no reason to
doubt, but States, like individuals, may
long defer prosperity and thrift by short
sighted policy, or neglect to examine criti-
cally the advantages Of their surround
ings.