The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-08-10
WILL DRAIN
VALUABLE LANDS.
Three Large compAnlss VIII Drain
10000 Acres Near west PALM
Reach.

The land department of the Florida
East Coast Railway, the Florida Coast
Line Canal and Transportation Company
and the Boston and Florida Atlantic
Coast Land Company are perfecting
plans for the drainage and reclamation
of 10000 acres of land west Of West
Palm Beach, Fla. OF this amount,
there are about 5000 acres of marsh
land and 1000 acres of low pine land.
To understand properly the proposed
plan of reclamation, a brief descl iption
of the topography and local conditions
is important. At West Palm Beach the
Florida East Coast Railway travels
along a high pine ridge, which is at
present famed for the quantity and eX-
cellence of the pineapples which are
grown on it. To the east is Lake
Worth, a salt water stream which is
directly connected. with the Atlantic
ocean. Few streams have the natural
attractiveness possessed oy Lake
Worth, and in addition everything that
can be done by man to beautify its
shores has been done. On the east of
Lake Worth is located Palm Beach,
which is indisputably ''queen Of the
winter resort world.
About q mile west of West Palm
lakes, surrounded on every side except
the east by marsh land. This marsh is
about two miles in width, and is bor-
dered on the west by low pine land.
The water in the lakes and marsh is
sixteen feet above the elevation Of the
water in Lake Worth or sea level. AS
the general surface Of the ground rises
westward at the rate of about three
tenths of q foot TO the mile, the prob.
lem which confronts these companies is
that of combining the territory to be re-
claimed and then getting rid OF the
water inside of this limited territory.
Hitherto the drainage operations in
this section of the State have been di-
rected toward rendering these lands
available for cultivation during the win
ter or dry season and planting these
lands to vegetables, which are extremely
profitable for shipping to the Northern
market at that time Of the year, The
normal rainfall at this season ranges
from IL to 3 inches per month AS the
average annual rainfall for this portion
of the State is about so inches, these
low lands are not available for cultiva-
ton during the other seasons Of the
year. 1t is now proposed by these
companies to extend the area for fruit
growing and to render these lands At
for cultivation at all seasons of the
year.
With this end in view, they intend to
construct q dixie running west from the
western edge Of the high pine land
across the marsh and low pine land for
a distance Of about four miles From
this point the dixie proceeds south for
distance of a miles along the low pine
nj
along the low pine land and crossing
the marsh until it again joins the high
pine ridge. On top of these 1ikes roads
will be built of Miami rock. These
roads will connect on the north and
south lines with the rock road, which
at present extends from Palm Beach to
a point 28 miles south Of Miami, a dis
lance of 81 miles This gives the
drained territory superior rock road.
which completely surrounds 1t. Included
| in the diked territory is Lake Clark, a
fresh water lake Of about one square
mile From this lake a canal will be
constructed emptying into Lake Worth,
and, as the fall is 10 feet in one mile,
the process of getting rid of the water
| in the diked territory Is rendered eX-
tremely simple. This canal will be dug
to depth which will lower the water
in Lake Clark four feet, and Of q size
capable of carrying of the maximum
rainfall in twenty-four hours. This ca
nal will be supplied with headgates, so
| that a golden mean will be secured and
maintained between a dry and q wet
| soil in this territory. The distance be-
( tween laterals will be such that they
will be easily accessible TO owners on
either side, and will reduce the water
/ level uniformly over the entire terri
/ tory, as in no portion is there hardpan
/ at a depth less than that of the drains.
/ II il intended TO make these laterals Of
a width Of 80 feet and a depth Of about
/ s feet, so that there will be water in
/ them at all times. Details will be per-
/ fected so that the land in this district
will be "just right at all seasons OF
the year. OF the marsh land nothing
need be said. Every farmer is familiar
with the expression, 1.-THE swamps ought
/ to be rich, since they have received Tor
centuries the drainage from the hills. +"
The low pine land will be unequsled
1 for the cultivation Of citrus fruits.
Nowhere can q farmer find . more
IDEAL location, for here there will be no
day in the year when the farmer may
not be planting, cultiyating and harvest
( ing. While it appears 20 be . broad as
seTtion, still Il Is easily proven By sta
] tistics that Florida beats the world tog
farming ~ TO net prohts Per acre, and