Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-15

orfufous and Beliefs Of Prominent Men
w., savannah Don't Have New Post
Orsce-The Florida Barge Canal-How
II VIII Reyolutionize the Commerce 81
the south
Postmaster. General !. McLaWs, who
returned some days ago from the North,
was found yesterday By MORSING NEws
reporter seated At his desk in the Post
masters private room, Dusily engaged
with official correspondence and business
relating u lis Office
On icing asked il regard u the pros
Dects q q new poet 01nce II -aFannan,
tne General dOubtfully shook his head and
replied. Not until Congress makes an
differentiation can We have new once
here. and Congress don't seem inclined u
that direction"
4.Does the Post Office Department favor
a new Office - asked the reporter
Yes. but the Postmaster General cant
make an appropriations Inc "hole tnihs
rests with CONGRESS. il they vote an ap-
DrOvriatlOn for that purpose, all well and
rod. but Il not. We shall have n DO az al
Dresent-puf up with what We have"
s.Is there not general department
fundss'
aunum. but this amount j. trIhing, when
i
post Offices IN the United States ~ BE- sup
ulied. OF course when offices are located
iu public buildings, the charge is upon
the Treasury Department; in many IN
stances too, the smaller offices do not
draw from the fund, but those are
small minority"
..Why. the chair you are sitting on
continued the General lis borrowed.
This desk and these other two chairs are
"a init Ia q
black hair cloth covered couch with he
covering torn from the end disclosing the
rough wood work u which il was con-
structcd, '-ls the only piece Of government
property in the office"
why does Congress not vote an apprO-
priatiOn for q new office. If the need j. APP
parentE'
simply because there il no one n work
for H. send "a business man ~ represent
the district with the interests Oh the city
at heart, and there would be no difficulty
in securing the appropriation al once"
what amount would be needed for that
purpOse:"
at least s4oO,o0O or $4,000 should be
asked for. With that sum a handsome,
cOmm0diOu- and convenient office could
be- built. The post office 40 Atlanta, be-
iieye. cost about <lVo.VUp.'
The heads Of the department have
visited savannah and seen our needs and
reported our necessities. but we have had
nobody 10 work for W. and the matter
rests just where il started. and is likely
10 remain there for long time 10 come"
What IL your opinion Of Gresham -
asked the reporter.
He is an able official and an excellent
head Of the department."
Noticing several maps Of Florida and
the proposed barge canal scattered about
the room, the reporter inquired how that
scheme was progressing, and what were
the prospects for the canal being built.
Its completion is only a matter Of
time" the General replied, ''lts con-
structiOn is already assured; capitalists
backed with ability and energy have
taken hold Of the matter. and il only re-
mains to carry out the surveys that have
been made. and the whole commerce Of
the south viii be revOlutiOniZed."
what would be the length Of the
canalE'
About one hundred and twenty-five
miles extending from the st. Mary's
river through the OkcfinOkee swamp 10
St. Marks on the Gulf-and this would
shorten the distance 10 the Mississippi
about seven hundred miles
''What would be the cost Of the under
taking"'
AT rough estimate about $7,OOO,OOO,
and this is a trihing sum when compared
with the estimated cost Of the ship canal,
"A wholly unfeasible undertaking, at $780,
1000"
GLOW long would it take to build this
canalE
"a contractor who has had experience in
canal construction states, that with ma
chincry now employed, the work can be
done at fhj rate Of ten miles in
ninety days. With this progress il would
require but a comparatively short time 10
dig the entire one hundred and twenty-five
miles"
-'With the first ten miles constructed.
the canal will be- extended from the St.
Mary's 10 the Okecfn0kee Swamp-the
summit level Of the entire l2j miles. This
swamp will then be drained, and 600, 900
acres Of land viii be obtained in Georgia
and about 100000 in Florida. With this
land, which is granted To the company in
consideration Of drainage. the necessary
capital viii be obtained 10 carry the un-
dertaking to "a completion"
Where Will the water supply for the
canal be ObtainedE'
From the undrained portions Of the
swamps. The summit level Of the canal
will be 1T feet above tide water. This
level will extend from the eastern border
Oi the marsh a distance Of seventy miles.
The level Will then be lowered until the
Gulf is reached, and the lower levels will
be supplied from the swamps."
SIS there prospect for any immediate
work being dOneF'
1T is probable that the first ten miles
will be constructed 1T an early date.
This will place the undertaking before the
people, and they will see that it is to be
carried through"
"What opposition is there to the enter
prise -
''Ihe great source Of opposition are the
railroads. They are opposed 10 the canal
because it will offer cheap water trans
portatiOn, with which they are unable TO
compete. When completed it will open
up the entire Mississippi valley, and will
offer rates in transportation between the
Eastern and Western markets with which
no other thOrOughfare can compete"
"What Is the distance between the
western terminus Of the canal at st.
Marks, and the Mississippi riyerY'
about 3Sl miles. and this entire dis
lance, with the exception Of about 33
miles, is spanned by land-lOcked waters.
With these 30 miles cut through, and
barge communication established between
the -. Mary's and the Mississippi the en-
tire system Of commerce in the Southern
states is reyolutiOniZed, and the mouth Of
the Mississippi will virtually be brought
10 the Atlantic Ocean"