Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-21
FI0RIDA'S SHIP CANAL.
GEN. STONES REPORT SUBMIT
TED AND ADOPTED.


The Story of the Survey and It's Result
How the $4,000 900 will he Ex-
pended-Great Saving of Time, Dis
tance, Danger and Expenses-No Time
to be Lost.
NEW YORK, August 20.-The meeting
of the Board of Directors Of the Florida
Ship Canal and Transit Company adj
journed to-day, after a session of four
days. Among those present were Hon.
John c. Brown, President; Hon. G.. c..
Gorham, Secretary; Governor Cameron,
Senator Malone, General Grover and A.
W. Jones, of Virginia; Townsend Cox,
Michael Jacobs and S. T. Meyer, of New
York, and Senator Mann and Charles H.
Jones, of Florida. The meeting was called
for action upon the report Of Chief Engi-
neer Stone as to the practicability and
cost of the canal. The report was en-
tirely satisfactory, containing detailed
estimates, and was adopted after care
full examination of the map and statistics.
General Stone furnishes the following
summary of his report for publication:
NEW YORK, August 10 1888.
To. Hon. John G.. BfOtrR, Presidents:
In my last IN accordance with a resolu-
tion OF the Board of Darectors, began a
survey to ascertain whether or not the
construction of tide water ship canal
across the peninsula of Florida would be
practicable, and if so, what it would cost.
l secured the services of Mr.. A. F. Hill,
Civil Engineer, who went to Florida on
the first of last June, with authority to
secure engineering assistance and labor
with Instruments and all Obtainable
information, and with the aid of four
corps of engineers, made in two months a
thorough examination of three lines. On
the most favorable line, his examination
was so thorough as to justify me in visit
ing Florida for a personal examination,
the result of which was that | adopted it
with certain modification, as furnish
ing the best route yet proposed.
Taking that route as a basis | have COM
puted that tide water ship canal of suti-
cient width and depth, to allow the pas
sage of two sea-going steamers of the
first class, without inconvenience, can be
constructed at total cost of SAG, 900, 900,
divided as follows Excavations, $36, ,000,-
600; harbors at the termini, $4,000, 900;
engineering, right of way and cOntin-
gencies $500, 900. The total length of
the canal would be 1917 miles and the
highest elevation in crossing the water
shed 143 feet, but this deep cut would be
Ollly lOI Il SIOl ulStdlCCs ~ ldIRe dIllOunI
of the eXcaVating can be made by steam
dredges. AS a whole, am able to report
that the engineering difficulties are de-
cidedly less than expected. OF the COM
mercial advantages | will mention the
following as the most important of the
many:
First. The great saving of distance be-
tween the Gulf of Mexico ports and the
ports OF the Atlantic States and of Europe.
Second. The complete avoidance of the
great danger of navigation through the
Florida straits.
The saving of distance on steam vessels
between New York and New Orleans is
800 miles; between New Orleans and LiY-
erpOOl, 4l2 miles; and between New York
and Pensacola, 600 miles. This means
that steamship sailing eleven miles per
hour, would gain about forty-five hours in
the passage from New York to New Or
leans, and the same on the return trip,
less the time of steaming through the
canal at six miles per hour, or about
thirty-seVen hours each way Taking
the present average of the round trip at
tWenty-one days, including four days IN
each port, the canal would reduce the
time of the round trip to eighteen
days, enabling her to make prof
its on at least three more
round voyages per year.
at no increase of expense. The gain by
avoiding the dangerous passage through
the Florida straits is very great. The of
hcial statistics of five recent years show
that 326 salvage cases were adjudicated
in the United States District Court for the
Southern district of Florida to the value
of more than $l1, 100000, and careful esti-
mates show the present loss from wreck
age to be about$3, 900, cooper year. Though
somewhat out of my province as eng ineer,
Imay suggest that not the least important
commercial advantage of the pro-
posed canal Will come from the saving
on insurance, which is now much heavier
for the Gulf ports than for the South At
lantlc ports and in the expense, which
on large steamer is from $500 to $500 per
day. Within six weeks | shall be pre-
pared to begin such detailed locating sur
Yeys as will be necessary before | can re-
port to your board the precise line which
the canal should follow from the Atlantic
to the Gulf, but the above estimates of
the cost are more likely to be reduced
than increased by closer examination of
the route.
Signed CHARLES P. STONE,
Chief Engineer.
GOV. Brown was seen this evening at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and in response
to an inquiry aS to the prospects of the
enterprise said that while not prepared
now 10 dlsclOse the exact plans of the
company he would say that things were
rapidly taking practical shape, and that
the outlook was very bright. The enter
prise would take rank among the greatest
OF an age OF great enterprises, and the
initial step must be taken with care and
deIberation. The first step was to ascer-
tain, on conclusive authority, whether the
canal could be built at cost which would
give a fair prospect of profit to the invest
Ors. Gen. Stones report having settled
that there Will be no great difficulty in
obtaining the money for the prosecution
OF the enterprise, which will henceforth
be pushed with the requisite energy and
vigor. Being asked how soon the work of
construction would actually begin, the
Governor said that it was proposed to begin
as soon as Gen. Stone had completed the
locating survey and the right of way had
been secured. Prominent capitalists are
forming construction company, which
Will submit the proposition to the Board
OF Directors at its next meeting on Sep
tember Il. Should the board accent
the proposition the money question
viii be settled, and thus the Florida
ship canal may be numbered among the
facilities which capital and engineering
skllI are providing for modern commerce.
In conclusion Governor Brown expressed
the belief that portions of the work would
n N.