The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-14
HTE EVERGLADES OFF FLORIDA.
Their Development Predicted over
FIFTY Years Ago.

Fifty Years Ago.
Kissimmee, Fla, Oct. l2-Few persons
are aware of the fact that as far back
as 1888, when the United States army was
| fighting the Indians in this section of
| Florida, there was one officer attached
to Col, Zachary Taylor's movements who
clearly predicted the present wonderful
| development of the Everglades and the
Kissimmee country. To the world at
large all this region of Florida was then
considered "a court of death and dan
ger" disease killing those who were fort
innate enough to escape the scalplns-
knife of the Indian warrior
In an editorial, Jan. II, 1888, the Army
| and Navy Chronicle of Washington, D.
c., the Everglades of Florida are given
highly complimentary mention, the re-
suit of most gratifying letter from an
army officer then at Fort Brooke. The
editor was so well pleased with the fiat
tering description of the country that he
not only solicited the privilege Of publish
ing it, but prefaced it with the following
| editorial Endorsement:
The few persons who have penetrated
| into the neighborhod of this region, have
| represented the climate as most delightful;
but. from want of actual observation,
could not speak so confidently of the soil,
although, from the appearance of sur
| rounding vegetation, a portion of it, al
i least, must be rich. Whenever the abo-
rhymes shall be forced from their sfast-
nesses, as eventually they must be, the
| enterprisng spirit of our countrymen, will
| very soon discover the sections best
| adapted to cultivation, and the now barren
| or unproductive Everglades will be
| made to blossom like garden.
1t is the general impression that these
| To- t,a1 III
summer months, by reason of their be-
ing overlooked by the abundant rains of
that season; but If it should prove that
these foundations are caused or inereas-
ed by distractions to the natural courses
of the rivers, as outlets to the numerous
lakes, American industry will remove
those distractions"
Now 1t is a matter OF local history that
the "enterprising spirit of the late Ham
ilton Disston and his associates, some
years ago, did discover the sections best
adapted to cultivation" and through
their persistent efforts those once barren
or unproductive Everglades have been
made to blossom like a garden" BY
drainage canals, the removal of "obstruc-
lions to the natural courses of the rivers
and other means thousands and thous-
ands of acres of rich farming lands have
been reclaimed and the march of civiH-
cation has permeated all that once wild
and almost unknown region so rich in
a sem-tropical climate and so
fruitful in a virgin soil. The army officer
} alluded to predicted that 1t would in due
time become the garden of America"
But here is his description of the country
as he saw it in December 1887:
THE country this side of Kissimmee
Che. writes from what is now Tampa), is
generally pine barren. On the Kissim-
NEE the land is rich and beautiful, and
when l saw the live oak groves, lakes and
creeks, with banks lined by cane brakes,
like oriental jungles, l. for the first time,
appreciated Bartram's glowing description
of Florida. 1t is indeed, a paradise for
, savages, and will some day be considered
, | the garden of America On the banks of
the Kissimmee and the numerous lakes
which discharge their water into it, there
will be cotton, rice and sugar plantations,
as rich as were those of st. Domingo. On
this side of these rich lands there are
high sand hills with lakes and ponds of
good water on their very
very summit delightful spots
for summer residences, in case the allu-
, WON should prove unhealthy during the
summer season. / made excursions in ev-
~ery direction from Col Taylors camp.
the famous and underlined Everglades
commencing in that quarter
The visitor of to-day to what Is known
as the "Disston purchase" will find there
the predicted plantations of cotton, rice
and sugar" He has only to take the
!
Cloud from Kissimmee to find himself in
the Garden of America" While the
work has been slow and the influx of
new settlers not as large as it should have
been, there has been a steady develop
ment of this rich country, and If that
army officer we're alive and could visit
again this once savage, but now civilized
region. he would be made joyful by the
rich harvests on all sides.
, Sometime ago I wrote of what the
l Plant system might yet accomplish from
: this point, in the matter of tourist travel
down Lake Tohopekaligo and the Kissm-
NEE river and its tributaries, to Fort
Myers and other points of interest on the
Gulf of Mexico. Since then President
Plant has purchased the Tropical hotel
here, and commenced valuable improve
ments upon It, The Plant system now
controls three railroads that center here
the fine hotel and other desirable proper
ties. As President Plant and his assoc
ciates are now a Fort Myers the other
end Of this river route to
the Gulf, and are engaged in
making improvements there rumor again
says the proposed new tourist steamboa.
line may be opened up this winter The
famous Ocklawaha river trip is nothinS
now to be compared with a trip from mere
to Fort Myers, across Lake Tohopekalra
into the Kissimmee river, then through
Lake Okeechoobee and a half dozen small
er lakes scattered along the river Folt
Basinger Incorrectly spelt BassinEer)
named for the heroic Lieut. W. T. Rasir-
! ger, U. S. A, Of Georgia, the last Off