Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-02-01
DRAINING A BIG SWAMP.

How the Work at Okefinokee Is Pro-
gressing-A Mine for the Investors.
The work of draining Okefnokee
Swamp, the most stupendous undertake
ing of its character in America, which
will eventually reclaim 100000 acres Of
The finest agricultural land in the
country, is progressing at remarkably
satisfactory rate, One of the engineers
in chargelof the work was in the city yes
terday, and gave the Savannah Morning
News an interesting chat about the
scheme which will open up section
which for centuries has been under
| water and muck, the home of alligatOrs
and various other reptiles.
One hundred and fifty Iaborers are
now at work at the swamp, and the con-
struction of the great canal, which is
to carry the water from the swamp to
st. Mary's River, is being pushed for
ward as rapidly as machinery and
human hands can accomplish it. After
January l this force Will be doubled,
the other at night, 80 that next year s
results will be twice that Of the last
twelve months.
This canal, when completed, will be
$50 feet wide, and 63 feet deep, with q
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
| the big drawing stream.
When the latter is completed two by
draulic pumps, with capacity of So
| 600 gallons each per minute, Will force
! the water off the swamps, while the
largest inland dredger in the world will
remove the muck and tear away the
| stumps, leaving behind q beautiful clay
| subsoil, which has become wonderfully
| rich by the muck accumulations Of CEN
| turtles. This muck averages six feet
| deep. The 6redge is a ponderOus
machine, 90 feet long with a 40-foot
! beam. 1t is what is known as a COM
| bination dipper and stump pulIer.
| BY April the company will be able
to secure timber from Okefnokee. In
| this alone the wealth of the swamp is
lncalcuiable. Its pine growth is the
| most magnificent in the world in point
of size and quality, and its cypress de-
posts cannot be eQualed anywhere.
| The pines average 20 teet to the limb,
are as straight as an arrow and from l
| to feet in diameter, while the cy-
|
| average diameter being from 10 to -
feet. Saw-mill men have besieged the
company to secure the timber, but as
it is of SUCH valuable quality the COM
| pany Will probably erect saWmllls on
the edge Of the swamp and develop
the timber on It's own account
The engineers expect to find many
valuable curios as the work progresses.
Already they have found evidences OF
Indian habitation of the numerous
small islands which dot the great
swamp. Numbers of Indian mounds
! have been discovered on these islands
filled with all styles Of pottery, specl-
! mems Of which have been sent to the
Smithsonian Institution at Washington.
The most Interesting curlOsitles, how
ever, are expected when the big dredge
begins it's work of removing the muck
from the swamp. The engineers be-
lieve that mammoth wild animals, now
extinct, made their homes in the swamp
! in past centuries. and are anXiOusly
! looking forward to the turning up OF
carcasses to prove their theories.
Just what length of time will be re-
Quired to complete the draining of Oke-
fnokee the engineers are unable to es-
innate, but it is safe to say there is
work ahead for several years. When
the reclamation Is accom- plished
though, the stockholders of the com
pany 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 investment. It may take long
time, but it is one of those things worth
waiting for.