The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-18
m DRAIN ALLUVIAL LANDS.
PROPOSED CANAL FROM ST. JOHNS
TO INDIAN RIVER.

rrgineer Fries Report Upon the
canal ROute-He Says the Naviga-
ton of the st. Johns Will Not BE
AFected-Fishing Industry Would
Not he Materially Archaeological
l. TO Redeem Land for Fruit and
Vegetables.
T,1ahassee. Fla, Jan. H.-Last May the
allowing act was passed by the Florida
LEGISLATURE and approved by the Governor,
and is now known as Chapter 4So4, Laws
Of Florida:
..,Vbereas, the vast grants of land from
rho United States government to the state
Of Florida, known as swamp and over
AoUsd land, were directly for the purpose
Of draining and retaining those lands;
and
whereas, The Legislature of 1855, put
ting into effect the constitution OF 1888,
DESIGNATED for proper improvement the
brilding of certain railroads and the cut
ing of a canal from the St. Johns river TO
Indian river, to drain the alluvial lands of
the ST. Johns; and,
Whereas, All of these schemes have
been carried out, except the cutting of the
canal from the st. Johns to the Indian
river; therefore,
.Be it enacted by the Legislature of the
state of Florida,
That power is hereby conferred upon
the trustees of the internal improvement
fund to make a contract to cut such canal,
and they are empowered to grant any
swamp and overlooked lands, not already
decided. to this end, not to exceed six thou
sand acres (6OO0) per mile for cutting such
canal"
An application having been made to the
hoard of trustees of the internal improve
ment fund 10 enter into such a contract
as is provided for by the act, Mr.. j. ..
Fries, civil engineer and the county sur
veyor of Brevard county, was appointed
to examine the proposed canal route and
report his findings to the board.
Opposition to the Canal.
Serious opposition to the cutting of the
proposed canal has-developed both among
the business men of Jacksonville and the
people interested in the Indian river fish
cries. Jacksonville business men fear
that the digging of canal, which would
turn vast amount of the headwaters of
the ST. Johns into the Indian river, would
seriously affect the depth of the St. johns
at Jacksonville, and prove injurious to
that citys commerce The fishermen
along the Indian river, on the other hand
are afraid that the greatly increased vol
ume of fresh water which would thereby
be turned into the Indian river would De
damaging # not ruinous, to their hsh-
cries. The report of the engineer, Mr..
Fries, deals with both of these questions
in a manner calculated to allay the fears
of both the Jacksonville and the Indian
river people.
Mr. Fries laid out two lines from the
northeast part of Lake Washington
Through which the ST. Johns river runs,
one to Horse creek, emptying into indian
river, and the other to Elbow creek, also
emptyng into Indian river at Eau Gallie.
Both these lines" says his report, are
favorable for the location of the canal,
both being about three and one-half miles
long Which one is the best will depend
upon a careful survey. The fail is about
nineteen feet
In order to avoid any possible COM
plant against any injury to the naviga-
non of the st. Johns river" the engl-
neer suggests the digging of a very wide
hul shallow canal, 'making the average
stage of water in Lake Washington level
with the bottom of the canal where 1t
leaves said lake. Whenever the lake.
therefore, is at it's average hight or below
The same not drop of water will be TAX
when the water in the river rises above
IFS average hight that the water COM
H'n'es to flow in the canal, increasing
the volume of water carried away with
tAe increasing hight of water on the st.
johns river.
As to the Fisheries.
EesDecting the fisheries the engineer
says.
ANY objection from fishermen in Indian
t.F'r mat the flow of fresh water in this
iNrF would damage the fishing industry
Wound - of no weight. From rough
circulation, ! find that il would take
u"iIE flow in the canal to the utmost of
us capacity (about 900 cubic feet per
"a0 about fifty days to raise the river
u't'h of the inlet AZ Fort Piece one foot.
lOr nigh status of flood in St Johns river
''er lasts as long as that"
Nv Us understood that the prime object
N wanting 10 cut the proposed canal is to
redeem for sugar. fruit and vegetable cul-
,'aNon ond for cattle ranges several hum
urea thousand acres of rich muck land
W. lae present lake and marshy regions
O. South Florida
he internal improvement fund-Gov.
TaioNham, Controller Reynolds, State
isurer Whitfield, Attorney General La
,l and Commissioner of Agriculture
"'"owel with Hon. w. NJ. Mcintosh,
AS secretary-are considering the mat
". dnd are anxious to get all the light
alnable from all interested parties, so
' when they take some definite action
A'Hs 10 the construction of the canal,
40 interest will be unduly injured.
s-o-~