The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1902-02-14
LAKE pKEECHODEE
Committee : Submits Report
After I1VFtigating Canals
OVERFLOEs MUCH LAND
Protests FiIeSSt Against Closing the
Canals Recommendations.

CommissiOnE McLin,, Comptroller
Groom and Treasurer Whitfield, the
committee app tinted by Governor Jen-
nings to visit hake Okeechobee and ex-
anime the CAMS cut by the State some
years ago, havs submitted their report.
There has beef: considerable complaint
by the people $aong the CaloOsahatchie
river below LaKe Flirt. It was claimed
by these people, that the water coming
from Lake OkSechObee OverflOwed their
lands to such An extent that irrepara-
bic damage WIS done, and they asked
that the canal[ be filed up.
In order to Arrive at the truth the
above gentlem,N made the trip, an ac-
count of which, appeared in The Talla-
hasseean at; + te time. Following is
their report:
Tallae elassee, Feb. 4th, 1902.
Hon, W. S. Jennings, Governor and
President OfShe Board of Trustees Of
the InternaP Improvement Fund OF
the State of Florida, Tallahassee, Fla.
Sir: The coI6inittee appointed by you
to visit and eEamine the condition Of
the canals outcome years ago between
Lake OkeechoSPe and Lake HickpOchee,
and between LIKE Hickpochee and Lake
Flirt, in the Southern part of DeSOtO
county, beg leave to report: That they
have visited laid lakes and find the
canal runninA southwest from Lake
Okeechobee inSso the northern part Of
Lake HickpOcNee is filled with water
running in a wifi current from Lake
OkeechObee inEp Lake HickpOchee. The
canal from tie southwestern part Of
Lake OkeechOkee into the eastern end
of Lake Hickpsehee is also full of water
flowing in a gOOd current into Lake
Hickpochee. apparently only a low
grassy marsh Teparates the two lakes
On the west Sad of Lake HickpOchee
there is larae canal to the CalOOSa-
hatchee river ! and thence into and
through LakestF1irt, which forms a
part of the CaROOsahatchee river, lead
ing to the Gull at Fort Myers. Citizens
of Lee county Nave petitiOned the trus-
tees Of the InUrnal Improvement Fund
to close the eaSt end of the canal OPEN
ing into the Vest end of Lake HickpO-
.chee from theE oosahatchee river, al
leging that the S3anal, being open, makes
overfOws Of tRe Caloosahatchee more
frequent and IF longer duration than
before this c;Inal was opened about
twenty years ago. The effect of the
closing of they lanai as asked can only
be ascertained by practical experiment,
or by theoretical survey of the water
which accumWAtes in the territory, es-
pecfally durinGthe season of heavy rain
fall. The surH,ce of the land for miles
around Lake I9ickpochee, from which
territory the CS5OOsahatchee river flows,
is very little above the present water
level Of the laEe and the canal. To close
the canal witSOut a scientific survey
and careful esAmate of its probable ef-
feet might prove an unfortunate expe-
riment. If it + within the power of the
trustees to cldse this canal the cost OF
closing would Probably be several thou
sand dollars, aid should the permanent
closing of it be a mistake the cost Of
removing the obstruction would be con-
siderable. 1t , claimed that the canal
connecting Late HickpOchee with the
CalOOSahatcheSS river is a part of a rec
OgniZed navigaDle waterway from Kis-
Simmee City, Sthe interior of the State,
to the waters q the Gulf of Mexico, and
thus subject to Che control of the United
States government. 1t seems to us the
proper course 10 pursue is to ascertain
If there is obj SStiOn on the part of the
United States government to the closing
OF this waterway, and, if there be no OBJ
lection, then, u the trustees have the
power and theafunds available for the
purpose, to hai ie an exhaustive survey
made of all thSterritory affected by the
canals and by Eigh water, in order that
the trustees nysgnt act intelligently in
determining the advisability of closing
the canal as asaed for by the citizens Of
Lee county.
Protests aga4st closing the canals by
officers of adjoIning counties are here
with filed, as a so those in advocacy Of
it.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) 'B. E. McLIN,