The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-06-09

Progress of the Work In Flor
ida's Swamp Waste.
IMPORTANT DISCOVERY MADE.

Entire Eastern Side of Everglades
Rinlmed by Rock Ledge, Through
Which Outlets Have Been Cut to-
Drain Or the Water--DIost FefttIe
Tract OF Land to BE Developed In
Few Years.
There are great agricultural possibil-
tiles in the Florida Everglades, says j.
e. Ingraham in the June Success.
Though they are yet merely an eXpan-
sive waste Of swamp and lake and jun
gle, venture to predict that they viii
be the location of hundreds of fertile
farms within ten years and will by de-
greeS develop into one of the most pro-
ductive tracts Of land in the world.
The barrier to the utilization Of the
Everglades has been of course the wa
ter which covers the greater part Of
them to a depth of from one to six
feet. But it has been found entirely
practicable to drain Off the water
Work to this end has already been be-
gun and is being pushed rapidly. When
1t is completed a tract Of land 100
miles long and 60 wide will have
been opened to cultivation. The size of
this region is not as important as the
remarkable productivity OF the soil.
The latter is not only absolutely vir-
gin, but has been fortified by animal
and vegetable life through many cen
turtles. | am confident that it's crops
will lift Florida to a place among the
leading agricultural states.
The project of draining the Ever
glades attracted the attention of Hen
ry B. Plant in the early nineties but
he was by no means sure that the
der his direction, undertook an expedi-
ton through the region. Despite it's
proximity to centers of population it
was then for the first time thoroughly
explored by white men. Ours was vir-
tually a voyage of discovery. We pad
died our light boats on lakes and
camped on islands that 1 have good
reason to believe had never before been
visited by any human being but Semi
mole Indians and by these but rarely.
We underwent SO many hardshipS
that some Of our party were compelled
to turn back, but our efforts were not
In vain, for we ascertained the impor-
tant fact that the Everglades along the
whole 100 miles of the eastern side are
trimmed by n rock ledge. We further
more learned that all of the lakes are
several feet above sea level, and we
decided that there was nothing what
ever to prevent the water Of the lakes
Ing the land drained If vents could be
made in this long ledge Of rock. The
chief question before us pertained to
the practicability of cutting through
the ledge in various places and dredg-
ing out outlets into the Atlantic, which
Is not more than two or three miles
away at numerous points. +,
Experiment proved that this work
would present no great difficulties. It
was merely matter Of a great deal of
digging. Henry M. Flagler took up the
project, and it is being carried out by
his lieutenants. We are not only max
Ing artificial outlets through the rock.
but are also by ditching and dredging
turning large bodies of water into riv-
ers and creeks which flow to the ocean.
The work has progressed far enough
to enable me to predict confidently the
opening in Florida within a very few
years of great tract of land of almost
unprecedented fertility.