The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-22
DRAINING A BIG SWAMP.
HOW THE WORK AT OKEFINOKEE
IS PROGRESSING

Three Hundred Hands to Labor There
Day and Night After Jan. Ian
Immense Canal 20 Garry the Water
to st. Mary's River-Tne Swamp
Abounds in the Finest Timber De-
posts In the World-A Gold Mine
for the Investors.
The work Of draining Okefinokee swamp,
the most stupendous undertaking of its
character in America, which will eventu-
ally reclaim 220 900 acres of the finest agri-
cultural land in the country, 10 progressing
at a remarkably satisfactory rate. One of
the engineers in charge OF the work was In
the city yesterday and gave the MORNING
News an interesting chat about the scheme
which will open up a section which for
centuries has been under water and muck.
the home Of alligators and various other
reptiles.
One hundred and fifty laborers are now
at work at the swamp aud the construction
of the great canal. which is to carry the
water from the swamp to St Marys river.
Is being pushed forward as rapidly as
machinery and human hands can accom-
plish it. After Jan. this force will be
doubled, one-half working during the day
and the other at night, so that next years.
results will be twice as much as that of the
last twelve months.
A MAMMOTH CANAL.
This canal, when completed, will be $50
feet wide and 63 feet deep, with fall of l25
feet to st. Mary's river. The most difficult
part of the construction will be through a
high knoll two miles long. Through the
middle of the swamp another canal sixteen
miles long will be constructed with small
branches, the whole to act as feeders to she
big drainage stream.
When the latter is completed two
hydraulic pumps. with a capacity OF 10000
gallons each per minute, will force the
water off the swamps, while the largest in
land dredger in the world will remove the
muck and tear away the stumps leaving
behind beautiful clay subsoil, which has
become wonderfully rich by the muck &C.
cumulations Of centuries. This muck
averages six fest deep. The dredge Is q
ponderous machine, 80 feet long with 40
foot beam. 1t is what is known as a COM
bination dipper and stump puller.
WONDERFUL TIMBER DEPOSITS.
By April l the company will be able to
secure timber from Okefinokee. In this
alone the wealth Of the swamp is in
calculable. Its pine growth is the most
! magnificent in the world ia point Of size
and quality, and its cypress deposits cannot
be equaled anywhere. The pines average
an arrow and from one to eight feet in
| diameter, while the cypress trees are enor-
nous in size. the average diameter
| being from ten to twelve feet
| Sew-mill men have besieged
| the company to secure the timber, but as 1t
Is Of such valuable quality the company
will probably erect saw-mills on the edge OF
| the swamp and develop the timber on its
| own account.
The engineers expect to find many valu-
able curios as the work progresses Already
| they have found evidences of Indian habita-
| tion of the numerous small islands which
| dot the great swamp. Numbers Of Indian
| mounds have been discovered on these
| islands filed with all styles of pottery,
| specimens OF which have been sent TO the
Smithsonian Institution at Washington.
RELICS OF BY-GoNE AGES.
The most interesting curiosities, however,
are expected when the big dredge begins its
| work of removing the muck from the
| swamp. The engineers bslieve that NAM
| moth wild animals, now extinct, made their
| homes Ia the swamp in past centuries, and
| are anxiously looking forward to the turn
ing up of carcasses to prove their theories.
just what length of time will be required
| to complete the draining OF Okefnokee the
| engineers are unable to estimate, but it is
| safe to say that there is work ahead for sew
| eral years. When the reclamation Is ac-
| complished, though the stockholders of the
| company who had the nerve to put their
money into the scheme, which, when first
| preached appeared to many as wild
vagary, will realize Handsomely on their
| investments. IL may take a long time, but
| it is one OF those things worth waiting for.