Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-02
DIssToN,s DREDGE WORK.
The Reclamation of q Million Acres of
Land in Florida.

Land in Florida.
a dispatch from Kissimmee City, fla''
says the Okeechobee Land COmpany's
drainage canal, between Lakes Tohopkal-
iga and East TOhopkaliga. which has been
ready for the final opening for about two
months past, says the Philadelphia Press
of Nov. 81, was cut through to the East
lake. This event has been looked forward
to by many Philadelphians interested IN
Mr.. DiSstOn's reclamation scheme IN tIor-
ida with interest. A large number OF per-
sons were present, and the report Of the
operations will be heard by engineers IN
all parts of this country and Europe. The
fall was so great between the two lakes
that, though the canal is eight feet deep
and thirty-siX feet wide, current was at
once started at the rate of twelve miles
an hour. Chief Engineer Kraemer tele-
graphs that there was no damage done by
the sudden flow of water and that the
opening of the canal was in every way
success.
Col. W. T. Forbes, the land commission
er of the Disston Companies, was seen at
his hotel last night and said, in reference
to the opening of the canal:
81 have just arrived mere on hasty
business trip, and expect to return to
Florida tomorrow. To intelligently I'M
derstand the Importance of this work, l
as to the object of the OkeechObee Land
Company. People think the work of re-
clamatIOn is confined to the Everglades
surrounding Lake Okeechobee. AS
matter of fact, the principal operations
of the company, which have been carried
on at large expense for years past, and
have resulted in the reclamation and ac-
quirement by the company of 1,OOO,O0O
acres of land, under its contract with the
State, have been carried on mainly in a
region 100 miles north from Lake Okee-
chObee and the Everglades. This region
is about $50 miles south Of Jacksonville,
and commences in Kissimmee City, in
Orange county, and extends southwark
from that point about twenty-five miles,
and eastward twenty miles. and west
ward ten miles,"
'What is the character of the c0untry?"
"In this country are the lakes TOhOp-
kaliga, East TohOpkaliga, Alligator, Gen
try, Cypress, Hatcheneha. Kissimmee,
Tiger, ROSalie and Walk-in-the-Wa alter,
and countless other smaller lakes. The
region lies at the head of all the plans of
operations, being the summit level from
which the waters flow southwark from the
lakes into the Kissimmee river and Lake
OkeechObee. The contract of this COM
panY covers all that portion of the State
from Kissimmee City to Cape Sable, near
ly 225 miles, with Lake OkeechObee in the
centre, and in width an average of IS
miles. The first and important object of
the company was to reclaim those at the
head Ofthe drainage system being those
around Kissimmee City. Preliminary to
this a canal was cut from Lake OkeechO-
bee to the Caloosahatchie, which drains
that lake into the Gulf Of Mexico. The
company then began operating about
Lake Tohopkaliga. The first canal was
cut eighteen months ago from that lake to
Lake Cypress, sixty feet wide, ten feet
deep and four miles long. This made, in
a few months, reduction Of seven feet in /
the level of Lake TOhOpkaliga, which has
an area of fifty square miles. Other
smaller water courses connecting several
lakes were dredged, and the next heavy
cut was the one whose completion is Just
announced. This canal carries the opera
tiOns as far south as Lake Cypress, from
which point q canal sixty feet wide and
four miles long will be cut into Lake Kis-
simmee. After completing the drainage
from smaller lakes on each side the
dredges will straighten the Kissimmee
river until Lake OkeechObee is reached.
From this central point additional canals
will be cut southwark and eastward to the
ocean,"
us it the intention of the company to
go on Immediately with these opera
tiOns?'
"Certainly. The company has in its
service four dredges, one of which has a
capacity equal to 1900 men, and two
steamers. all of which, except one dredge,
were built at the cOmpany's shipyard in
Kissimmee City. The aggregate capacity
of the dredges is equal to 1900 men, and
during the last three years, it is a sur
prisiDg fact that the work of the COM
pany has been done without a single case
of sickness among the crews, who were
white men and not acclimated when they
went into the service OF the company"
"Has the company made any expert
ment with the reclaimed lands"
cat Southport and at other points on
Lake TOhOpkaliga. At Southport the
company has established a sugar planta-
ton on land that two years ago was two
feet under water permanently. On this
land during the past year there have
been grown fine crops of sugar-cane, corn,
peas and other vegetables. The growth |
Of sugar-cane far surpassed expectations, |
and it is estimated will yield 1900 pounds |
OF sugar to the acre. The corn crop was |
upwards of 70 bushels to the acre. The |
lands are practically inexhaustible, and |
vegetables can be cultivated the year
round. From four to five tons OF hay can
also be raised to the acre yearly. The re-
gion tributary to Kissimmee City, and
within 80 miles of it, is capable of sup
porting populaIlOn OF Jne SLaCe OF
Florida, or 100000 people,"
"What are the results as, far as emigra-
ton is cOncernedT
sin December, 1881. the first tree was
cut in Kissimmee City. 1t now has a
population of 1900 people, with hotels,
churches, schools, large stores, and is a
centre of traffic, and is the point to which
all people go who desire to seek lands in
Florida. The lands in that vicinity are
being rapidly taken up for actual settle
ment. Within a week past Mr.. Kins-
man, of Boston, who purchased $500
acres, has arrived there with an outfit of
horses, mules and farming implements,
and full force of hands. Messrs. Whit
more, of New York, have purchased an
preparing to settle upon it. Within y
months from this time the cultivation of
lands will be begun on really large
SCALE"