Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-12-03
CANAL ACROSS FLORIDA.
To be Built From the Mouth of St.
Nary'S River toSt. Marks on the Gulf
The Route Surveyed and Pronounced
Eminently FeaSible-ItS Merits.
An Election Controversy in Indiana
CarliSle'S Seat to be Contested.
4 NEW WATERWAY.

The Atlantic and Mexican Gulf canal to bs
Built.
NEw IoRN, Nov. So.-The Post says a
syndicate Is IN process of formation TO
carry out the plans of the Atlantic and
Mexican Gulf Canal company, which re
celved Il fresh charter this year from the
legislatures of Georgia and Florida, TO-
gether with grants of yaluable lands and
watcr-powcr. Tho charter is issued 10
Governor Geo. A. Drew, of Florida, and
his associates, among whom are General
Finley, of Florida, Judge H.H Tompkius,
of Georgia, and Col, Rogers, Of the
Georgia Central railway. Alexander Cur
tls, OF Georgia, the secretary, is now in
this city on business connected with the
composition of the syndicate. Curtis to-
day gave an account of the compauy's
project to the following effect;
The route of the proposed canal has
been surveyed by Gen. Quincy A. Gill
more and assistant officers of the L. s.
engineers under q resolution of congress
directing the measures, to ascertain the
best water line for transportation from
the mouth of St. Marys river, ON the At
lantic coast. through the Okeeffeenokcc
swamp and the state of Florida to the
Gulf of Mexico. The Importance of the
proposed canal as a national work was
urged by President Grant i'll two mes
sages 70 congress, in which he declared
that, as valuable as the opening of this
great internal water way would be i'll time
cf peace, its existence and custody in
time of war would be of
ABSOLUTELY INCALCULABIE VALUE
to the nation. The surveys of General
Gilmore extended over two years, and
their results caused him to report the
canal scheme Is eminenuy feasible. As
evidence of the Importance of the enter
prise to the country at large, he stated
that no less than twenty-five states and
territories are vitality interested in the
opening of this water way, the practical
results of which would involve far the
most traffic of the Mississippi valley and
all its tributaries.
Gen. Gilmore stated that the products
along 10000 miles of the rivers and water
ways, already teeming with commerce,
could in this way be borne to safe and
cOmmodious harhors, and that only by
this route was it possible to avoid the
heavy and almost prohibitory taxes on
commerce necessitated by APP
proach to the mouth OF the
Mexico. The canal, in the language of
companys charter "Is to be of such di-
mensions rs shall be deemed suitable and
capable of being used by all such boats,
steamboats,, tugs, barges and crafts rs
navigate the Mississippi river above
New Orleans Beginning at the mouth
of the st. Mary'ss river, which forms
the dividing line between Che
states OF Georgia and FlorIdp,
it is to run through OkeefIeenokee
lake (which is to be used as n summit
level supply thence to st. Marks on the
Gulf of Mexico. Thence it will follow
the already existing line of water ways
which extends almost unbroken from
that place to the port of New Orleans.
The advantages of the route will be n
saving to commerce of heavy rates of in
surance made imperative by dangerous
navigation of tho Bahamas and reefs of
Florida and in the coasting service, saving
in distance of twelve TO fifteen -hundred
miles Official statistics go to show an
average tax on commerce, this high III
Surance, etc, over the present route of
about $50,000000 yearly. From this it
would appear that deepening the passes
at the mouth of the Mississippi by jet
ties, however great the local success, does
not detract in any way from the impor-
tance of this canal, As the special diff
Guilty TO be overcome lie. in the Bahamas
and the Florida reefs.
Election Questions With Important hearings
to he Settled.
INDIINAppIIs Nov 30 Green Smith