The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1906-09-21
FRANK CLARK
ON DRAINAGE:
Seeking to Get Government Aid
to Drain the Everglades.
A PROMISE OF SURVEY


The most important issue now con-
fronting the people of Florida Is the
drainage Of the Everglades. Governor
Broward's plans are we'll known to Il e
people, and it is also known that Com
gresham Clark at the last session Of
Congress introduced u hill providing for
the work to be- done by money furnished
b. the government.
In this relation the following letter S
viii be of interest to Floridans:
Gainesville, Florida August /, 1906.
The Secretary Of Agriculture, Wash
ington, ID. c.:
Sir: AS you will doubtless remember,
on Saturday the Dist day of July, !
had conversation with you in your
office on the subject of draining tn
Everglades of Florida.
| was extremely well pleased to learn
from you that you thought well Of the
project, and to ascertain that you were
willing to aid to the full extent of your
power in its contamination. My recol-
lection is that you stated to DR.. Allen
that lac and Mr.. Elliot could consider
that they had not only yourpermssion,
but your instruction for the surveying
force of the delattment to proceed to
Florida as soon as they had finished the
work now in hand, and make COM
plete and accurate survey Of the Ever
glades, SO as to determine the practi-
cability of drainage and the probable
value and character Of the reclaimed
lands after being drained.
| think you also stated that you
might not have sufficient available
funds for the completion of the survey,
but that you would begin the work and
rely ON the Congress to supply funds
for its completion,
As our people are very much inter
ested in this question, and as ] desire
to acuuaint them with your position in
so kindly agreeing to aid us, and am
particularly DESTROYS Of not misrepre-
senting your attitude towards this
question in the slightest degree, ! will
appreciate it very much if you will
kindly write me fully and specifically
ON this subject, giving me a detailed
statement of just what you can and will
do with relation to this survey, The
Everglades are in my district, and
am exceedingly anxious to see this
vast territory brought into cultivation,
but before any considerable sum of
money is spent for drainage, want to
see the cost Of drainage and its pfacti-
cabiity determined by the survey made
by competent government engineers.
| will appreciate rs early a reply as
your convenience will permit.
Yours respectfully,
FRANZ CLARK.
To the above letter Congressman
Clark received the following reply from
the Secretary of Agriculture:
Department Of Agriculture,
Office Of the Secretary,
Washington, ID. c., Sept. J. 1906.
Hon. Frank Clark, NJ, c., Gaines
vile, Fla,
Sir have the honor to acknowledge
your favor OF August list regarding
the Everglades Of Florida. Your UNI
Outstanding of my attitude towards the
project, as expressed in your letter, is
correct. The office OF experiment sta
tons expects to take up this matter in
short time and arrange for starting
definite Investigations and surveys Tor
the purpose of ultimately ascertaniug
the practicabilty and cost, together
with plans for the drainage of these
lands and their value for agriculture.
Since the appropriation available for
this work is limited, representatives of
this office will hold conference with
the State Board of Drainage Commits
sioners with view of securing assist
ance DO way of labor and appliances
required in carrying on the invcstiga-
tons, which, ifObtained, will enable Il e
office to extend the preliminary work
much further than itwould otherwise
be possible to do. hope that further
appropriations will be sufficiently liberal
to enable the office to complete the
work, which by the coming winter will
be we'll begun. Respectfully,
JAMES WILSON, Secretary.