The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-03-13

Official Report on the Everglades.
The Washington correspondent of the Savan-
nah Ners sends to that paper a summary of
An Official Report on the Everglade coun-
try, its healthiness and the fertility of the lands
WASHINGTON, March Mr. VIM. Saunders,
who holds an official position under the De-
partment OF Agriculture, has JUST returned
from an extensive visit to Florida. He went
to Florida in an official capacity. He was to
examine and report upon the capacity OF the
lands now being reclaimed in the Everglades
to produce sugar. cane. He penetrated about
forty miles into the country, embraced in what
is known as the drainage system, ON which he
iounG that the work which was begun in July
last is progressing very satisfactorily, consid-
ering the difficulties encountered. The ul-
tlmate object of the company which has uD-
dertaken this work." Mr.. Saunders says, =" is
to lower the water lines OF these lakes 50 as
to drain all the country now partially in
swamps, and thus render it fitted Tor cultiva-
ton. A secondary, or at least . resulting OBJ
ject, will be that of forming q direct water
communication from the St Johns river to the
Gulf coast To give you some idea Of the work
II VIII be necessary to enter somewhat INTO de-
as jaa al s dsedge vas Sub bull. at kss1n%se Cy IN
1t was hoated down ten miles to the L,,gn- end
OF this lake, and there set to work " cut canal
10 Cypress lake. Communication between these
lakes Is by the Kissimmee river, the distance be-
ing, owing to the crOokedness of the river, fifteen
miles BY making q straight canal from lake to
lake the distance is reduced to four miles. From
Cypress lake 10 Lake Kissimmee it is by the
river six miles to Lake Hatchnaha; then f1ve
miles across this lake to the entrance of the river
again, then eight miles more Of river, making In
all nineteen miles boating between the lakes.
This distance will be shortened to three miles
by canal to be cut from Cypress lake TO
V.nk Iods F,<rv~
river will be Strengthened 80 as to shorten 1t
by ten miles to Lake Okeechobee. From the
western side of this lake a canal has been cut
about ten miles in length, which brings the lake
in direct connection, through the Calooeahatchee
river, with the Gulf of Mexico. This will make
the distance from Kissimmee City, the present
terminus of The railway. TO the Galf about 2O0
miles or less.
"The rapidity with which this canal cutting
is done was surprising to me. From the time OF
commencement, the I'd of July, 1882, 10 the time
of my visit, the 9TH Of the present month, canal
thirty six feet in width and six and half feet IN
depth had been cut distance OF three and three
quarters miles, leaving less than one-fourth Of q
mile To complete the distance between the lakes.
1t was expected to reach Cypress lake before the
end of the month. Progress depends some
what upon the nature of the soil and freedom
from accidents to machinery. Portions OF the
cutting is through somewhat tenacious, hard,
clay-like substance, which crumhles when
dry. A days work through this Is about my
feet In the ordinary ailuviA deposit and sub
stratum OF sand from $50 70 200 feet is days
work, If everything is working well. Thiswork
costs for running expenses about el,OO0 per
mile. The best cutting was one mile in twenty
six working days.
AS the dredge advances the water follows it
rapidly and spreads over the surface, gradually
finding It's way 10 the lake below. From .
flao Cf
that lowering OF thirty-eight inches has
taken place since the work began. This lake,
Tohopekaliga covers surface Of about twenty
six square miles. The cattle owners, who
were rather skeptical about it., now admit that
the cattle Craze on dry ground, which was
overrun by cattle. Tens Of thousands OF cat
tie are fed there for the Cuban markets Some
owners have 10000 head But IL must be
noted that the entire country is not swamp In
traversing these rivers and lakes one is never
out of sight oil vast pine lands. which are high
and dry, affording excellent timber and fine sites
for settlements Near Lake Kissimmee fine
timbered region was pointed out, of which Gen.
Sanford bad recently purchased 1000 acres for q
lemon grove
"As to health, the Superintendent of the
dredge informed me that he had employed twelve
men all summer, who worked, ate and slept on the
boat and not one OF them had lost single day
from sickness since the work commenced. All
through Southern Florida there ID almost con-
stantly stirring cool breeze. In the sun II b
very warm, bat on gaining the shade Of tree,
or under cover Of any kind, one Immediately
feels the effect Of the cooling breeze. In no part
Of the country south Of lakitudo - degrees b i
more than sixty mil0 e ne -, = that The
sea bfeeze b leit eifher fum ihe Atlantic o. Gulf
II spent f0uY nights smonx HE swauaps and
lakes and found m inconvenjence either from
heat cold Or u1o1uuitOcA or cuutHe this Who ID