National Republican., 1883-08-21
THE FLORIDA CANAL.
The Engineer Reports That IL Can lie
Probably Built, and Work VIII soon
lie Begun.

The Engineer Reports That n Cam lie
Probably Built, and Work VIII Soon
BE Begun.
New YORK, Aug. 2O-The meeting of tho
board Of directors of the Florida Ship Canal
and Transit company adjourned to-day, after
session Of four days. Among those present
were: Hon. John G. Brown, president; Hon.
G. G. Gorham, secretary; Gov Cameron,
Senator Mahonc Cen. Grover, and A. W.
Jones, of Virginia; Townsend Cox, Michael
Jacobs, and $ T. Meyer, Of New York, aud
Senator Mann aud Charles II. jones' of
Florida. Tho meeting was called for action
upon the report Of Chief Engineer Stone, as
to tho practicablity and cost Of the canal.
The report was entirely satisfactory, con-
tanning detailed estimates, and was adopted
after careful examination of the map and
statistics. Gen. Stone furnishes the following
summary of his report for publication
NEW lotT, Aug l5.-!ioN Jouy G. BROWN
PEEslUESr: In Nly but in accordance with II
resolution ni tue uoNd ~ directors, began sur
vey 10 asrcrl In whether or not the construction
OF II RtidcH"rr ,tip cuuHl across tho peninsula OF
Florida would be practicable, and II So what H.
wouA cost secured the services of Sir. a. +.
Hill, CiNil chgnrrr, Who went to Florida on the
necr NJ ASSISTANCE and labor there. lie was well
furnished with Instruments and all oblUnpOle In
fornaltou aud with the mid of four corps If en-
nation OF lluec lines. On the mos. favorable
line his examination was so thorough ~ TO Justly
me Ia visiting FUrilh for n personal cNumna-
ton, ih' 'rSu'i rf when was that ndnrtci II,
wan certain iuDtiiCd ions, IT, furnishing the best
ro",c yr' pIopncb. Taking that ronle rs basis,
have conn IEtCd ilnt tidcWntor ship canal OF
sulci- wiGtE and acit! 70 allow the passage Of
two setgpng steamers Vt the frat Cinss WitnOut i'll
CUuNCulruC, Cau he CUrs,rug cd Gt n total co I of
AGOOlG.U, rs lollUWu Excavations, $4,000 O0D
hHrDuiS at tv,Eiul, -l,dJIOCO: engineering, right
OF way, and Cunlln-uIrlua, tjJOO,UOO The tOal
~ tItil ls md Dp
highest oluYot un iu CrossinT the watershed ll3
feet but THIS dgrp cut would be only Tor n short
made by steam lrgdgG> a whole. | am able to
report That the cnEiucGrIhR difficulties are dcGi-
dcd,y less than expected. or the commercial adj
NnutdEcs, Will mention the following as the
most important Of mHuy. First, the great saving
OF distance between the Gulf Of Mexico ports ana
the ports OF the Atlantic states and OF Europe.
Second, the complete avoidance Of tho great dan
ger Of navigation through the Florida straits.
Tho saving Oi distance on steam vessels between
New Yor; aud Now Ofcuds Is 500 miles; New or.
leans aud AYcJtool, il2 miles New lorl; aud
IGlNac0i', 62l l"i.e', This luruuS TINT steam.
houls IN the lHasH.c from New York to
New Orleans and lHe snme on the return
Ill., les lNe time OF scanning thr1ugh
inc N canal at SIX miles per h ur.
or about thirty-scven hours each way. Taking
she present average OF round "Trip NJ tweny-one
days, including four lay days NJ each port, the
canal would reduce the timG of the round "Trip 10
eighteen days, enabling her to make the profits on
al least thry" more round voyages per year Mt no
dangerous passage through the Florida straits IA
very grent OUlcinl statistics of five recent years
show that ilrrr hundred and twcnty-sIN Wage
c$SrS ~e'G ndsuI'"ucd In tho United Stagua
abltig. court roy the southern dlsric. of
and uuroIli c5lImutcs show tho present loss
from WrugEugu to he about G3UJOOGl per year
gcs; ,onw I5 bo o. G lay I5SIrT 5c n an en-
commercial advantage Of iho proposed caustl will
come rom the saving on insurance, which i now
tie norts a md III IN Ii" he cxrso a'" whah i 'S o" I l"TG
Steamer Is irUn Jdl to $500 per day. Within six
Us locttng survey, Is Wi lie ncccs.aTy beforH -
cam report to YOU board the precise liuo which
th" canal thduhi f'iiow from tho Atlantic 20 tho
likely to be reduced shan Increased by closer
examination OF the rtUle.
CnArrGs T. EroNr Chief Engineer.
Governor Brown wa} seen this afternoon at
the Fifth Avenue hotel, and IN response 20 an
inquiry ~ to the prospect of this enterprise,
said lhu! while NOT prepared now to disclose
the C%nct plUns O. the company, he would say
thGJ things "yro rapidly s taxing practical
shnpr, WId the outlook WAS worry bright. Tho
enterprise woUll take rank among the great.
eSI Of an ago Of groat enterprises, and the
initial steps must be takcn with care and de.
liberation. The first stop waS to ascertain on
cOurlusiye authority whether the canal could
be hdilt Ht cost which would give n iaiI
prospect OF profit to investors. Gen stones
report having settled that there will be nC
great difficulty in obtaining moneys ior
the prosecution of the enterprise which
will hcnCcforth ba pushed with tho rcquls
ite CLERGY and Vigur. Being asked how soon
the work Of construction would actually be-
gin, the governor said that 1t was proposed tc
begin us soon as Gen. Stone had completed
the locating survey and the right OF way hat
boon secured. Prominent capitalists ar,
forming construction company, which vii
submit II proposition to the board Of directors
nj its n0xt meeting, on Sept. II. Should tn,
board accept tho proposition the money ques
ton will bo settled, and this Florida ship ca
nal may be numbered among the faclitio
which capital and engineering skill are pro
YidnE for modern commerce.
In conclusion Gov. Brown expressed the
belief that portions of the work would b,
under contract within ninety days.