The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-05-04
EVERCLADE
PROPOSITION
Major St. Clair Abrams Gives His
Views on the Everglades
nrninaRe.

mas aroused Governor BrOWard ire OS
opposing the latter's scheme to drain
the Everglades.
The Metropolis takes the position
that such a gigantic proposition should
not be attempted by the State, because
eminent engineers have asserted the
drainage scheme is not feasible. Gov
ernor Broward, it is true, presents
other authorities which contend it Is
possible TO drain it.
ANYHOW, The Metropolis believes
it voices public sentiment when 1t urges
that in view of the great difference of
opinion in the cost, the States money
might be put TO much better use i'm
building roads. ETC.. which we know
are of practical benefit 70 the people
Because of The Metropolis position
Governor Broward ha, bitterly abused
this paper, but the Gubernatorial erup-
tiOn has not or will not deter Us from
advocating what we believe To be right.
The Metropolis will reply 90 Governor
Broward' 5 abuse 10y argument and 70
that end this paper has secured the SER
vices of Mai. Alexander st Clair
Abrams, one of the ablest lawyers in
the State, who has made an exhaustive
study of the Everglades proposition and
i'm a series of articles he will show why
Governor Broward' plan to drain the
Everglades is impractical:
jacksonville, April s, 1906.
Editor Of The Metropolis
In reviewing and discuss sing the Que--
tion Of the proposed scheme TO drain
Lake Okeechobce, it is necessary 20
avoid the extremes into which its cp-
ponents and advocates have fallen.
CAN 1T BE DRAINED?
have no doubt whatever that it is
practicable TO drain the Everglades, and
would be practicable even if the great
mass of the land was below the sea
level. All that would be necessary
would be to establish pumping stations
and keep the water pumped out, as Is
done in Holland in the vast tracts of
land reclaimed from the sea and below
the level of the ocean. Those, there
fore. who assert that it is impracticable
are talking wildly, just as those who
say it can be drained for comparative
song are talking in absolute ignorance
Of what the cost will be.
TWILL IT PAY:
That water will run down hill is a
truism Governor Broward need not have
repeated We all know that; but the
real question is not whether the water
can be run down hill into the ocean, but
to first ascertain as follows:
First THE maximum amount of water
to be taken from the land.
Second-The levels of the entire
Everglades.
Third-The number Of canals and
drains necessary to keep the water of.
Fourth-The approximate acreage OF
land so drained that would be of any
L.. 60 ,r a
purpose after the water had been taken
off.
Fifth-The acreage that could not be
drained at all.
Sixth-The aggregate cost of this
stupendous work.
NEVER SURVEYED.
The Everglades proper have never
been surveyed. Col. Kramer of the
Disston Company, years ago made
survey from Lake Okeechobee into the
ocean along the eastern rim of the
Everglades. There is no record of any
levels having been taken in the interior
If the Everglades a very large part
of il is today an absolute terra incog-
nita 70 the white man, and ! very much
doubt if even the Indians nave been
over all parts of il. II follows. there
fore. that to start upon the work OF
draining this vast tract o. land without
a thorough scientific survey is not only
impolitic and exhibiting poor business
Judgment, but is "a piece of recklessness
constituting gross injustice on the
taxpayers and on the people of Florida
J TRAvERsED THE EVERGLADES
In 1867, in the company Of Capt.
Abner Johnson and a number of other
cattlemen and guided by Indians. | went
through what | was told constituted the
Everglades. | was then assured that
il was drier than it had ever been in
the history of man We traversed vast
tracts of land as sterile as the Desert
of Saraha, and crossed in canoes, necks
Of sloughs. consisting Of a surface of
two or three feet of water, with liquid
mud under il of an unknown depth. |
saw a pole thrust through this mud for
over twenty feet without touching bot
tom Westward of where crossed was
a vast exuanse Of similar mud and
yNeer. many thousands Of acres being
in view and broken here and there by
nine and hammock islands. The sterile
lands did not consist Of sand, but of a
thalky formation, whose dust when
thrown up by the hoofs Of the horses
penetrated the nostrils, causing an irri-
tatinR sensation. For miles upon miles
not a blade Of grass was growing, show
, ing the utter barrenness OF the soil.
We Travelled along this route for days,
and finally came out at Miami, which