The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-09-21


way the governor stopped over at
Jacksonville to make an address at
the Turpenrine Operators cohyen-
ton. At this meeting Mr.. T. A. Jen-
,nings in his response to Governor
Broward's address made his maiden
speech, which was rather graceful
effort.
Reverting to the "darinage OF the
everglades" had the pleasure of
talking with Mr. John w. Newman,
chief engineer for the drainage com
mission last week upon this subject
Mr.. Newman lives at Bellai r down
on the west coast and is the surveyor
who was employed by the late H. b.
Plant to make a survey across the.
everglades, from oFrt Myers to Mi
ami.
Mr.. Newman is an interesting talk
er, and an enthusiast on the subject
of drainage. Away back in the ff-
ties" said Mr. Newman, Jefferson
Davis, then secretary of war had a
map made of Florida, several copies
of which are yet in existence. This is
one of the most complete and valua-
bic maps ever made of the state. Mr..
Davis recognized the value of the ev-
erglades then and said that some day
that vast tract would be drained and
the lands reclaimed"
"In 1884, continued Mr.. Newman,
Il was ordered by Mr.. Plant to run a
line across the glades from Fort My
ers to Miami. l was personally &C.
Icompanied by Mr.. James E. Ingram.
then president of the South Florida
railroad. 1t was on this trip that the
value of the everglades was discov-
cred. We weer nineteen days cross
ling the 'glades. So fayorably was Mr..
ingram impressed with the land that
The organized a sugar company and
made all sorts of efforts to secure the
LANDS from the state, promising to
drain them and to use them for Gull
ture of sugar cane"
'This trip proved the practicability
of drainage to Mr.. Ingram's satisfact-
ion as well as my own. My idea then
was to cut into Miami river at the
rapids. Long afterwards, studying
the subject carefully, I decided that
! there was too much rock near the
Miami river and after careful survey
III discovered a place near the cas-
tern ri NOR basin of the 'glades which
has only about three miles of rock
This point l selected for the trustees
lof the international improvement
fund as the outlet of their canal"
81 made the survey for the trustees
in November and December, 1908.
have no idea what makes some people
think the drainage of the everglades
! lis so difficult task No great engineer
ling work has to be done. The main
thing is to cut through this rocky
eastern rim, and then cut as many
bitches as the farmers who will Ger
tainly use the land will need
after made survey for the trus
, tees superintended the building o.
: the dredge 'Everglade for them
; This dredge is now doing excellent
work cutting out rock without tbs
/ use of explosives. and long before the
r directors shall have had time to stoI
: the work the rocky rim will be brok
en- and the drainage commenced"
"Once through the rocky rim tbs
, dredge will make rapid Roadway, AMI
! the land on either side Of the cana
can easily be sold for ten dollars pei
acre"
t Peat will burn. said Mr. Newman
{ in reply to a question, certain por
t tons may have peat. Saw-gras:
that has been rotting thousands Of
years is a perfect dirt and is not com
bustible. AL places in swamp lands
! where the muck is a mass OF fiber
} and partly decomposed will burn
There is no such peat anywhere in
the 'glades- The grass and roots Of
the saw-gass win burn. but under
meath the roots are perfectly decom
posed .
i The orange groves around Fort
| Thompson and Alva are six feet un