Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-17
DRAINING SOUTH FLORIDA
Progress OF the OkeeehObee Company in
ReeIalming Marsh Land.


The following extract from a report of
James NJ. Kreamer, Engineer of the
Florida Land and Improvement Company,
under date of June 20, says the Philadel-
phia Record, gives some interesting data
as to the progress of the work of reclaim
ing land in Southern Florida:
Col. II. 5. Duval. State Engineer, and
myself spent several DAYS inspecting the
canals of the company and the results of
our operations at the head of the drainage
system. In order to demonstrate the eff
cheney of the work the country adjacent
to Lake TohOpekaliga was visited, par
ticularly the marsh lands of "CrOss
Prairie" Dredge No. , passes through
what has been heretofore regard
ed as an impracticable marsh, while
ahead, IN the direction &c East Tohope-
kaliga Lake, was -tSst area of
low rich marsh a,Jlrely covered with
water. an examination of the country
to the rear, and through which the COM
pleted canal passes, however, presents an
entirely different aspect. The waters
have disappeared; the aquatic plants,
unsupported by surface moisture,
are bowed and dead; the saw-grass,
water lily, ETC., are giving way
to grass and wild millet. Two dams
have been constructed in order to hold up
tue water anu duuFu uUuLbHG LOT ureQGG
No. ,. Measurements made few days
ago show fall of over eight feet from the
water in the canal to the present surface
level of Lake TOhopekaliga, which latter
is about twelve and One-half feet lower
than Lake East TOhOpekaliga, and dis
tant on the line of the canal about three
miles. Already the natural surface ad-
jacent to the canal for long reaches is two
and three feet above water level in the
canal; the removal of the dams will in
crease the difference. The total distance
cut on the CrOss-the-P Prairie canal since
the work began to June IA, 1884, is TO-
S2j lineal feet. An examination of gauge
boards, the jetties and the company's
shipyard indicated that Lake Tohopeka-
liga is seven feet lower than when opera
tiOns began. This rapid reduction of the
waters Of the lake, which covers an area
OfabOut twenty-five square miles, is due
to the drainage afforded by a canal 3.6
miles long, connecting Lakes TOhOpeka-
liga and Cypress.
Lakes Cypress, Hatchenaha, Kissim-
NEE and Tiger were also visited, and the
improvements on Kissimmee river and
] Tiger Creek were noted. The points
where channels were Strengthened and
deepened were examined, and the effect
upon surrounding land was plainly
noticeable. On this work 65, 400 lineal
feet of channel was improved, 1921 snags
removed, l.9g9 trees cut and removed, and
236 bends Strengthened.
The above examination was made not
during the extreme dry weather but sub
sequent to heavy rains. At Sanford the
United States Signal officer noted 2.S
inches rainfall on the night of June II,
two days before our arrival at kissimmee.
This had been preceded by wet weather,
and was followed by heavy daily storms
/ during the entire time occupied in the in
/ spectiOn. While an abnormal period of
rainfall would not affect the level of the
| lakes and render this surface of the lands
very moist, there is no danger that per-
manent inundatiOn would follow. After
/ such period the surface world be rapidly
| relieved and the present desirable cOndi-
/ tion maintained. Dredge No. 3 will be
pushed to a rapid completion. The ma
/ chinery has arrived, the operation ofsnag,
! OF dredge, No. 4. is satisfactory, and the
work throughout the entire system is pro-
! crossing favorably.