Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-01
A GREAT WATERWAY.
Gigantic Plans on Fooi 10 Cons,rnc,
the Atlantic and Gull Canal
Through Florida.
An Annual Saving 81 $4,000. 900 70 com
merce " the scheme Proves 10
be Successful Que.

NEW York, Nov. S0.--The Post saws
a syndicate Is 10 process Of formation 10
carry out the plans Of the Atlantic q
Mexican Gull Canal company, which r..
ceiyed fresh charters this year froM The
legislatures OF Georgia ana Florida. To.
geiher with grants Of valuable lands and
waier,power. Tao charters we're issued
70 Gov. George h. Drew OF Flor.
ldA nnd his associates, among whnm
are gen. Finley Of Florida, Judge
u. Tompkias Of Goorgla, and Cai.
ltoRcrs OF the Georgia Central railway.
Alexander Curtis OF GEORGIA, the sscrp.
taryi ~ H0w IN this city 90 nusincss con.
nected with Tie composition ul the syndi.
cAt9. Curis to-day 0avo. ala account AZ
the eompony's project TO the following
eject. fho route q lae proposed canal
mas been surveyed by Cen Quincy
Giimer and assistant officers OF hnIinited
States engineers under resolution OF
congress directing Weasurts 20 ascertain
me beat water line ior transportation from
the mouth IS the ST. MnrS's, river on
the atlantic coast, through Okceheeu0l,ce
swamp ana lu0 Wate Of Fl0r.da tothe ca I
Of Mexico Tie imporauc al ihr nr0-
posed canal as q national work was lutd
ny President Grant 10 two messages ia
congress, Ia which he declared that IA
valuable as the opening u this great in
ternal waterway would ba in
time Of peace, lis existence ahd
custody IN time Of war wouIi
be 81 absolutely rc1lcuable ynlne 10 the
natlon Tho surveys by Geu. GUmer ex.
tended over two years, aud these results
caused him o rport the cAnal scheme
em,pcnt5 ienmble. a. Ru evidence 81
ihs Importance Of The enterprise to the
country a, lar2o, IL IS tiled that no less
than tweniy-5wo states aud terfl-
tories arc yiull3 iutereemd ia the opur.
ntluu OF the water wOy, the nracticai
results % which would Involve ihs cn0r
nous trailc o, the 6lleessippi valley uud
all its tuhuorles. Gsn elmer stated
the products along the 80 0 miles Of tine
river and waterways, already tcemug
with commerce, could IN t0l3 way DC
borne TO safe and 3ommodioHs hgrb0rs,
aud That only by this route was ii possible
20 avoid the heavy aud almost prohiBltiOg
taxes on commerce necessary by tac alp.
pfOach 10 the mouth Of the Mississippi
through the Gulf OK Mex co. The canal,
in the language Of the compapy's charter,
Is TO be Of such dimensions us shall be-
NNHAANN nhibhuit Nuu thldDlt Oh OBlHB W~Nu
by I'll such boats and steamboats,, tugs,
barges and other crafts az navigate the
Mississippi river above New Orleans. Z"
Beginning Mt tho mouth OF 81 Mays
river, which forms the dividing line be.
tween the state Of Georgia and Florida,
1t is TO run througn 0koeifeenokee LAKE,
which Is 10 be used as the summit level
OF supply, thence to st. Marks on the
Gulf Of Mexico, thence II will
follow an already existing line
OF waterways which extends
almost unbroken from that spot 70 New
Orleans. The advantages Of this route
Will be saving 20 commerce Of heavy
rates OF insurance made imperative by
the dangerous navigation of the Bahamas
and the reefs Of Florida, and In Tho coast
Ing service the saving in distance OF 1900
to 1900 miles. Official statistics
go TO show an average
tax on commerce through high
insurance, etc, over the present route 81
about $jO00,00o yearly. From this 1t
would appear that deeping the passes at
the mouth of the Mississippi by iettIes,
however great local success, does not
detract In any way from the importance
Of the canal, as the special difficulty TO
overcome lies in the Bahamas and Florida
reefs.