The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-06-29
EVERGLADES
PROPOSITION.
Mater Abfahams' Letter No. 7, ShOW.
inG the Drainage scheme Up
for What Il ss worth.
Jacksonville, Fla, May 2, 1906


doing a service to the members OF the
Board Of Drainage Commissioners in
calling their attention to one report
now current, but which is certainly
worth investigating
AN UGLY REPORT.
The report is to the effect that the
Board of Drainage Commissioners has
made contract for the construction of
two dredges, with the necessary ma
chinery and appliances for dredging, at
a cost Of $50, 900 each, or an aggregate
of 800, coo, and that the same kind of
dredges, with the same kind of ma
chinery and the same appliances, had
been offered to other parties for $33, 500
each, or $67, 900 in all, or $33, 900 less
for the two than it is said the Drainage
Commissioners are to pay.
AS to the facts in the case l do not
know, but it is being steadily and per-
sistently spread, and II there is no truth
in it the scandal should be put at rest
by q formal announcement from the
Board of Drainage Commissioners as to
what their contract is for the construc-
ton Of these dredges, etc.
WHERE DOES MONEY COME FROM?
II the Board of Drainage Commission
SFb mas ASIeCu W pay PAVV'VVN AOh etiSoS
two dredgeS, the question then arises,
why could they not have been purchased
az cheaply as others could have gotten
them, and where does the. money, come
from to pay for them!> The great mass
Of the funds Of the trustees is tied up
by Injunction. The drainage tax has
been enjoined. Indeed, the question
arises, by what authority Is the Board
of Trustees Of the Internal Improve
ment Fund permitting the use Of any
fund in their hands by the Board Of
Drainage Commissioners? ] know no
law which authorizes this. Even il the
act Of 1905 is constitutional, Il clearly
gives no authority to the Trustees OF
the Internal Improvement Fund TO use
any money for this purpose.
Again, II the Board OF Drainage Com
missioners 10 paying 5000 Tor two
dreAges of the same kind and congtruc-
ton, and with the same machinery and
appliances, that have been offered to
other parties for $33, 900 less, then an
inquiry should be instituted and the
reasons discovered why this board should
pay nearly 80 per cent more for them
than they could have been purchased
for by other parties, ] repeat that /
have NJ means of knowing how this
report OIlBlHalSu VI IlC NAOSHL VI iSS
reliability, but feel it q duty to publicly
call attention to it.
TRUSTEES WITHOUT AUTHORITY.
AS ! understand it, it is not denied
that the fund held bV the Trustees of
the Internal I'M fovei cent Fund is being
used for the construction Of these
dredges. l am unable to find among
the laws of Florida single statute Al-
thorizing this. On the contrary, under
the law of this State this fund is made
a distinct and SET rate fund and is re-
quired to be strictly applied according
to the provisions of the law. This law
providing that all surplus funds should
be invested in certain manner desig-
mated by the law. The only authority
in regard to drainage is the authority
given TO the board ito make such ar
rangements for the drainage of the
swamp or overlooked lands as in their
Judgment may be most advantageous to
the Internal improvement Fund
Heretofore this section has been con.
strued by previous trustees as not au-
thorizing the expenditure of any part
of the fund for drainage purposes, but
an authorizing entering into contracts
with individuals and corporations TO
drain lands by paying for the drainage
in such proportion OF lands as might be
mutually agreed upon, leaving the resi-
due for sale by the trustees and thereby
swelling the fund without mourning any
risk by undertaking the work of drain
age Themselves. ! am unable 20 learn
Of a single contract having been made
10 drain lands except upon this basis.
am unable to learn Of the trustees ever
before expending a single dollar of their
fund 20 drain lands. On the contrary,
in ISL, after the lands had been re-
leved from the DEGREES and judgments
against them, recall, in my connection
with the project of draining the Apopka
muck lands, discussing this question
with MIR Hugh \. Cdwley. VINO was
then head of the Land Department, as
20 whether or not the trustees them
selves should drain these lanes and nis
advising me that they had always helG
themselves without power, under TIE
law, 70 eXpeud any part OF their iUEu
for this purpose, ard he suggested 10
me that they would make a contract
with me 20 drain the lands for one-hali
Of them. subsequently,, as | stated IN
my first letter. Senator Speer and his
associates made Is similar contract with
them.
IGNORING THE Law.
The fact that there ia a law Of tEs