The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-01-09


people Of the State candidate for Governor, in full view
Of these Efforts only endorsed Governor Drews action n
matte but expression to the desire Of the people
in the platform by declaring favor e dsencumber
Internal Of the State the
earliest practical moment"
Tn positive inlcatons from the leading minds Of
both political organizations that sale of large block of the
lands reduced price only possible OF saving
anything to the fund.- And they correcs Here
fourteen millions of swamp and overlooked lands
resting under burtheu Of million of dollars. II
bore interest seventy thousand dollars year,
which interest fell due semiannuay and rendered interest
bearin. fast fell due. The tgaons, and
expenses of administering the fund.- consumed the larger
portion of the Sales e but little apply the
rapidly accommodating debt Delay would have been not
distant but inevitable ruin. Even this short respite
be granted 1t we'll known that the creditors had i'm
vokd the powers of the United States Court and becoming
FESTIVE from long delay had determined for their
protection This would have been immediate destruction Of
the fund.- and whitening blight upon hopes of develop
by anticipated Railroads. sale the only alter
necessity that could not be avoided without epar
able to fund Under circumstances
Board of Trustees fortunate in securing purchaser and
June 1881 sale consummated to Hamilton Disson,
of Philadelphia of four million for million of dol
Successive Legislatures had granted away of
swamp and overlooked lands to various corporations
debt the lands already granted away,
Board have sold for million dollars
cancelled this debt the fund would have been better
corporations. They of practical value to
the corporations until relieved of the debt that
stitued first ien When the debt relieved by sale Of
portion of the lans the remaining portion became operative
purposes for which granted The rights Of the
acknowledged by every grant Of land made by
the various Legsa 1876, affirmed by general
claws of Florida Chapter 1926 passed by the last Legia
ature The fund in the hands of the United States
for the protection of said ce
tors acted under the direction of said tribunal
and the sale confirmed by the Court.
No other TRANSACTION certainly since the has been Of
greater State The debt that rested upon the
has been relieved impetus Railroad building
realized in the State secureda large Of
capital both from Europe and America has been invested in
limits necessarily bringing with it influx of popule
tionan advertisement such had and which has
called public only this but in Europe
to climatic advantages and large
of property placed upon the books thus aiding in
reduction of taxation of the advantages accrung
from the sale.
Z
In making relief of the Internal Improve
Fund.- the Trustees not unmndfu of the settlers
upon those lands. Provision made, allowing them from
June lst 1884, until January ls 1885, pay for lands
State prices and have avaled themselves of it, and
entered their homesteads !!
take pleasure in stating also, that Mr. Dston
commendabe desire in the protection of that portion
population and although the time for the payment
passed, those who bona de settlers and have
aOle
formed molested allowed further complete
their pay ments.
RECLAMATION
The reclamation Of lands in the southern portion of
peninsula by aong outlet for the waters of that vast
inland sea- Lake Okeechobee has been a mooted
question for years. decisive step taken in that d.
until January 1884, few weeks after the a.
mnstration came At that date, Colonel L. Coryell ap
peared before the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improve
Fund.- the representative of Philadelphia capitalists
and negotiated with said Board for drainage
reclamation of the lands lying south of township
of receiving half of the lands reclaimed
The Legislature chartered the Atlantic and Gulf Coast
and Okeechoobee Land Company who have succeeded
to all the rights under said contract.
company Immediately had series of made
the practcaby of the proposed undertaking. and from
their surveys we'll those made by the United States
direction of General Gilmore it shown
Okeechobee elevation of twenty-five feet above Calf
Mexico that Lake Tahopekaga the head the
river has elevation Of sixyve feet above
of the Gulf These facts being ascertained the
pany practcabty retaining
area amounting to many million by drawing off the
waters preventing the periodical overhows The work
commenced by building powerful dredges the
Caooahatcee river and Tahopekaga lake, the plan of opera
being open canal from the Caloosahatchee
Okeechobee and the cutting of canal from Lake Tao
pekaga through Kissmmee Lake. then Strengthening the
Kissimmee and the cutting Of canals frdm
Okeechobee the Atlantic Coast well the construction
subsidiary canals The dredge upon the Caoosahatce
Okeechoobee the 2It of December
important event in the history of the State
The work has been quietly but steadily pushed forward
of the conditions Of the being that the
should be continuous and with force equa least the