The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-02
Much Impressed With His
Recent Trip Up the Ca
loosahatchee River. -
Believes Congress/Will As
sist in Work Of Prevent
ing Floods.
IMPROVEMENTS THAT MAY BE
MADE AT FERNANDlNA, BIS
cAYNE BAY AND ST. ANDREWS
WILL DO ALL POSSIBLE FOR
CRAVING DOCK AT PENSACOLA
OUTLOOK FOR LEGISLATION.

Senator S. R. Mallory left for Wash
ington last night to be present when
the second session of the Fifty-ninth
congress convenes at noon on Monday.
He was seen Just before his depar-
ture by representative of The Jour-
nal and talked interestingly of his
recent trip through the Caloosa-
hatchee river valley to Lake Okee-
chobee and of the needs of various
ports which he has visited. In con-
nection with his trip and possible leg
islation by Congress Mr. Mallory said:
About three weeks ago | went
down to Fl. Myers at the invitation OF
the Board of Trade of that place, in .
company with Congressman Spark
man, and made trip from Fl Myers
to Lake Okeechobee by way of the
CalOOSahatchee river. Both Mr.. Spark
man and myself were very greatly
impressed with the possibilities for de-
velopment in the country along the
river.
To Prevent OverfIows.
THE purpose of our visit to Lake
Okeechobee was to secure data as to
the possibility of preventing the over
flows Of the river which, from time to
time, do great damage to the orange
groves along its banks. We came to
the conclusion that il a scheme Of
leveeing for some miles along the river
was resorted to, as a means of keep
ing the waters of Lake Okeechobee
from overlooking into the river and
thus flooding it, the work would have
to be done by the state. as Congress
rarely authorizes leveeing to be done
for the purpose Of preventing over
flows.
We also came to the conclusion
that Congress could assist and would
assist the state by constructing a lock
in such a levee to permit transit from
the lake to the river and vice versa.
and to let off the surplus waters when
accumulated in the lake We are also
hopeful of being able to get action by
Congress looking to the Strengthening
and deepening of the river above Fort
Myers and to deepening the river be-
low Fort Myers to its mouth, and at
the bar near Punta Rassa.
The trip was a pleasant one to
me and very instructive and the hos
pitality and kindness of the people
whom we met was most graifyingly
cordial.
At ApaIachicoIa.
Il also visited Aplalachicola on my
way back and found the people of that
city very much interested in securing
deep water in their channel from the
city to what is known as West Pass.
the westerly entrance to Apalachicols
bay. At a meeting of the Board OF
Trade of Apalachicola the matter was
presented fully in all it's aspects, and
am impressed with the importance
and necessity of securing the deep
water wished for by that place. The
completion of the projected railroad
to Aplachicola in the near future, con-
Meeting it with Quincy and other
points, will make the argument in
favor of the desired action by Con-
gress stronger than 1t has been here
tOfOre.
These two projects and the project
OF improving the inner harbor of Fer
nandina, with some additional work
on the outer bar,a that port together
with the construction of south jetty
at what is known as the Norris Cut
entrance to Biscayne Bay, and the
improvement of the entrance to ST.
Andrews bay, are all matters of ur-
gent Importance and will claim the
active efforts of the senator's and rep
resentatives in Congress from Florida
at the next session.
There are other matters of river
and harbor improvement of great i'm
portance, which will also OccUpS our
attention and enlist our efforts, but
| mention these particularly because
| am more familiar with the cOndi-
tons at these places than with the
others.
Legislation.
Il do not anticipate any very i'm
portant general legislation at this ses-
sion because the time is so short and
matters of great national Importance
will probably not secure sufficient
time to be thoroughly discussed.
Therefore I do not think there viii
be any such general attention attrac-
ted to Congressional proceedings this
winter as during the proceedings OF
the last session. AS far az the south
is concerned the river and harbor bill
is probably the most important to the
material interests Of our people. 70
is to be regretted that it was not
acted upon at the last session be-
cause there would have been abundant
time to give it consideration without
risk of having IL talked to death, as
happened not may years ago in the
senate. / am hopeful, however, that
those who were responsible for that
very unfortunate and mistaken actor