The Pensacola journal., 1905-02-12

The Jacksonville TimeS-UnlOn OF
February 10 contains the following:
That the Everglades of Florida can
be reclaimed. and that the reclama-
tion Of approximately 100000 acres
of the richest land. in the United
States viii make Florida one of the
wealthiest states in the Union, is the
opinion of the members of the Board
of Trustees OF the Internal Improve
ment Fund. who arrived in jackson
vile yesterday from an investigation
of the Everglades.
Hon. Napoleon B. BrOwar0'. govern
OF of Florida; Hon. w. H. Ellis, attor-
ney general; Hon. w. V. Knott, state
treasurer, members of the Board Of
Trustees Of the Internal Improvement
Fund; Capt. R. E Rose state chem
ist, and Hon. w. S. Jennings, former
governor. and now special counsel for
the board, formed the party that had
been on a tour of investigation and
inspection.
Started From Fort Myers.
The party left Tallahassee Febru-
airy l. and proceeded to Fort Myers,
Lee county. where they started out,
one week ago to-day, on the launch
Naomi Sd, commanded by Capt Ben
jamin Franklin Hall, Jr. For six days
the party lived on board the launch,
which was so feet long, y feet beam,
and drew , feet of water.
Up the CaIoosahatchee.
From Fort Myers they proceeded up
the Caloosahatchee river, which Attor-
ney-General Ellis described as being
the crCokedest stream on earth. They
passed through Lake Fiirt and into
the upper waters of the river TO the
southwestern end of the drainage ca
nal constructed years ago by the At
lantic and Gulf Coast and Okeechobee
Land Company.
The first stretch of canal was trav.
eled over until they entered Lake
HicpocAee, a large body of water
connected with Lake OkeechO6ee by
another section of the drainage canal
On the Inland Sea.
Along this section of the canal the
launch proceeded and entered the
great inland sea of Florida, which is
known as Lake OkeechObee. The i'm
mense size of this lake cannot be
grasped by one who has never seen
II, and as Captain Rose and Captain
Hall were the only members of the
party that had ever been on the lake
before. the sight was an impressive
one TO the other members of the party
To the north and to the east nothing
could be seen but water; to the south
| and southeast extended the great
body of water, apparently melting
away into the endless plain of saw
grass and what is known as fennel
/ but which is a weed that has no rela
tiOn to the fennel family.
Inspected Canals.
Wishing to see for themselves the
+, conditions OF the work that ha0 been
done toward draining this great lake
the party proceeded to the southern
end of the lake into what is known as
South Bay, and then mp the Rita
river and into the drainage canal
which is cut for number of miles 10
ward the heart of the Everglades
They foUnG the canal open to naviga
ton. although q boat seldom enters
+ il. The canal ends in the Everglades
/ and is not connected with any stream
running to the coast and therefore
I does very-little good in accomplishing
the object for which it was designed
/ Returning TO Lake OkeechObee, the
/ party proceeded into the various
drainage canals that have been cut
( and also into the larger rivers ant
streams emptying into the lake
SOundings were taken everywhere
and a record kept of the same. which
will be of value in the future.
Lands Not Surveyed.
Having made trip across to tn,
! northwestern shore of the lake. a dis
I tance of about sixty-hve miles, they
| entered the Kissimmee river and start
ed on voyage up that stream. Ii
| speaking about this trip. Attorney
/ General Ellis saiG that while nearl!
1 all maps show that the lands arount
! the mort hern edge of Lake Okeecho
/ bee and along the Kissimmee rive
! have been surveyed, the fact is tha
no surveyor could get within severa
/ miles of the banks of the river, ant
even then would not be able to finC
| any ground that would support tn,
weight of a tripod upon which TO res
a transit The lan0 has not been sur
veyed. and has not even been patented
( to this state.
! On the Kissimmee.
! Up the kIssimmee river the launcl
| proceeded past old Fort Bassinger
I Fort Kissimmee and Ute. and theI
into Lake Kissimmee. Here the part
could see where the waters had beer
( lowered by the drainage canals wheI
they were cut, years ago. They trav
cleo to the north end Of Lake Kissim