Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-04-20
lowing interesting article from the
stake (Fla) TnlcurnDh.

.
THE Everglades Is Il terra lnc0s,nitu
in HE trne sense Of the word. and he
expeditions which have succeeded in
crossing this immense saw.srass COW
cred inland sea ran be-counted on The
fingers. They took notes Of what they.
saw IT." FIRST few DAYS out; after Tint
they had 10 hustle TO get to terra lirma
before they died of starvation or ex.
hanstion. All hat is known OF .his re-.
aitn comes from these expeditions and
is, us far as concerns soil and waller
conhilinnS. as follows:
THE Everglades is II shallow basin
Of coralinc limestone. having water
from couple oil inches to several feet
in depth. The water is clear and con
lains line. II comes partly from The
overflow of Lake OkcGhoohcc, partly
from direct rainfall. hut 10 q great cX.
tent from springs thai are frequent
in lhS ipiah bottom. II has Il Slight
aontheriy current and has broken
TIN Rough ,hc rim in several places,
forming wafer courses of which Miami
riYer is the largest The rocky hot.
tom is often bare. Int generally cover.
al with muck from few inches 10
several feet III depth. This muck has
been formed from dccayed saw.erass.
AMI would probably have been deeper.
"erc it not mpregnated with lime.
which rGts it. even while under water.
little island of low elevation. on
which grow trees and bushes is met
with occasionally. otherwise saw-grass,
often ten feet high. is everywhere and
w0nld bar all progress, were it not fer
tortunuS passages through 1t.
while il has been ascertained that
there is fall sufficient TO drain off the
surface water from the Glades. il is
very doubtful If the interior and north.
crn parts could ever be drained enough
Tor agricultural purposes. AS soon rs
The water left the muck and the saw
grass roots rottcd the soil would SET
tie considerably. The inevitable fires
would burn up the upper stratum of
muck lowering the elevation still
more. This would necessitatc cutting
every ditch through tho bed rock. The
spring; would give endless trouble in
places. and where tho muck was shall.
low II would dry MP and rot away. Soil
composed OF pure humus Is not per.
mancit in CHARACTER: when exposed to
the mir IL soon decays.
Before settlement could be offec..
ell in Tie drained Gladcs roads would
have to be milt. Where these crossed
bare rock il would have to he smooth
ed on. and ever muck plank reads
would be. recessary-n very expensive
undertaking. Tho place would be dis
agreeable TO dwell in on account NJ
the mosquitoes that would breed in
the pools. and decaylng vegetation on
every hand would engender malaria
The only one who would ilt urish Their,
"culd lie tho Seminole Indian. for
thickcts To which Little Hell Bay
'sodtl. of Lake Butler would he as n
parlor floor. would soon spring up and
barber TIC animals he likes to hunt"
In view oil the fact that there are mil
lions OF acres Of cheap and fertile lnnds
available in more healthful commune
ties il would be the height of folly 10
unde:lal:e u costly experiment which
gives no more promise Of a successful
contamination than the Everglades
nrcJect. There, is plenty OF territory
in he Uaited. States without encroach-
ing upon the domain of the pollywogs.