Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-27
uNrRoD by HUMAN roor.
The Everglades OF Fioridn, which
Extend 90 by 100 Miles.


The southern extremity OF the penin-
sula OF Florida is one huge marsh
known as the Everglades, says the
Pittsburg Dispatch. This impene-
trable wilderness. or, rather, Jungle. is
made up OF about all OF the large
county OF Dade. almost all of Monroe.
the greater part of Dee, much or he
Soto and most OF Brevard. At the
north end OF this singular formation is
Lake Okeechobee, into which the KISS
inmee and other rivers discharge their
waters and which are largely response
BILE for the vast swamp. This great
stretch OF tangled growth ia In some
places ninety miles wide, extending
from the Atlantic across to the gulf,
and from its southern extremity north
ward is considerably over 100 miles.
There are great stretches OF cypress
swamps, wildernesaes OF vines. lakclet5
OF open water, immense regions OF NOR
ass with comparatively dry spots In
this desert OF untrnNorsnble and be-
wildering lntermingling of semi
tropical flora, with n fauna of alliga-
tors. snakes. bears, Wildcats and other
carnivora, while geese, ducks, ses birds
and other aquatic fowl dot the water.
and myriads OF the other feathered
tribes make the nomher cypress forests
vocal The entire state OF Florida is
not much above the level of the sea
and this dismal waste is scarcely more
than a few dozen feet higher than tide
water.
Throughout this everglade region no
human being has ever fully pene-
truted. and there are lngoons that no
human eye has ever seen that are
much the same us those Of preglacial
time. While there are large stretches
on which sail or rowboats might he
operated. there are hundreds OF Inter
Vening miry bogs OF ouze and Hllme
OF unknown depth that bar the way.
There is no frost season here-np sea-
son when a frozen surface may bo
traversed-and 10 this dismal area for
thousands OF years has been given over
to such production as was In keeping
with such an environment. But 1t Is
now contemplated 10 penetrate this
great marsh with Sannl-like bitches,
with n view OF so lowering the general
water line as TO bring this swampy
mass into cultivation for the products
peculiar to this zone and for which the
| decaylng vegetable matter OF the ages
| is supposed to be admirably fitted.
| Little or nothing Is known OF the geo
| logical substructure OF this peninsular
| termination, but that an immense coral
| formation is its base is altogether
| probahle II is safe 10 predict that
| excavations through this material Will
reveal many skeletons of creatures that
| found denth IN the uehcnerouhly ylelu-
| ing surface. In n dry time this COM
post bears up fairly we'll, but when
| continued rains are precipitated on IL
| the entire area Is inundated when the
softened material is incapable OF sus-
| tanning any Of the larger duedrupeds.
These everglades are interesting in
| this that they typify In manner the
| early paleozoic cQn1itions. when about
| ali the earth was water and marsh.
| OF course there are no such creatures
now as waliowed IN the lagoons and
| crunched the roots OF the aquatic vege-
| tation in the earth's earlier time, and
| vet In a small way the present fauna
| Of the great Florida swamp IS typical
| OF their long ago ancestors. While
| the alligator is nearly extinct In the
| regions OF easy access. the saurians OF
the everglades have never been much
| molested and have there attained n
| size and ferceness unltiBwn 20 other
| narts OF the state. Strange cries are
| sometimes heard coming from within
| the borders OF this inaccessible domain.
| n churning OF the water attests en-
| counters between large and savage
| contestants. while the flight and terri
| fed screaming OF birds giveE evidence
| that the Instincts OF tho everEladc
/ brute are SIN as sanguinary as they
| were before man had 80 evolved as to
| dominate over them and eNterminate
them from the earth.