The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-08
HOT AIR ABOUT
EVERGLADE
REGION
Much Ridiculous Stuff Being
Printed in Relation to the
Drainage Scheme.


is being published by the newspapers
of the state in relation to Gov. Bro
wards drainage scheme is amazing,
says The Ft Myers Press, and goes
to show how little is really known as
to the true condition of the Okeecho-
bee region, most OF these editors hav-
ing obtained their ideas from fairy
tales of magazine writer's, whose imagi-
nations have been drawn upon to a
greater extent than any real source of
information. Among the many stor-
les current in the Florida press of to-
day is that there are tides in Lake
Okeechobee, an underground passage
from the sea, and large springs ia
the lake, all of which exists only in
the minds Of the oTiglnators of these
yarns.
AS matter of fact Lake Okeecho-
bee is a body of fresh water covering
a territory about 30X40 miles in ex-
tent, with sandy shores, beyond which
is the rich body of saw grass muck
lands, which it is the purpose of the
Drainage Board to reclaim for cultiVa-
tion by permanently lowering the
lake. The water in the lake is regu-
lated by the wet and dry seasons, in
variably falling in the dry seasons and
again rising after the heavy rains
have set in. In normal seasons there
is a difference of several feet between
the low and high water periods. This
season, on account Of the unusual
heavy and constant rains throughout
the fall, winter and spring, the lakel
is several feet above the normal, but
just as sure as the rains cease thG.l
lake will fall.
With all the information at its COM
mand the Times-UniOn Of last Friday
sets forth a new reason why the lake
cannot be drained. 1t has discovered !
that aquatic plants so choke up thsI
canals that they must be dredged !
twice a year to keep them open, and
therefore it says. water will mot run
down hill" Why not send a repre-
sentative down here and see what a /
false statement this is. Steamers are
plying the canals regularly from Kis-
simmee to Fort Myers, and the largest
Caloosahatchee river steamers have
made frequent trips into the lake, no
less a parsonage than ThOs. A. Edison |
the lake on the steamer Suwanee.
Now since the canals were cut by
the Disston Company. over twenty
years ago, there has not been a dredge
N the HicpOchee canal. the only canal 4
acting as drainage out of Lake OlSee-
chobee. Far from filling up, it is just
the reverse. The canal has Washel
itself out from a 45-foot canal untiH
the width is 75 to 50 feet, and instead
of having to dredge out this canal to-
keep it open, a large sum Of money!
was spent in effort to dam up his
canal, to prevent OverfiOws on the
Caloosahatchee river.
And right here let us remind the
Times-Union that it is the dujy of the
state to relieve the settlers along the
CaloOsahatchee upon whose banks is (
the largest continuous body of r.ch,
productive lands in the state), from
overfOws. Years ago eng neers warn
ed the state that a canal cut into this /
river would cause great overfiows, and /
such has been proven to be the case
until thousands of acres of the richest
land are constantly in danger of over
flow The plan to lower Lake Okee-
chCbee would at once reclaim thOus-
ands of acres of muck lands and place
the upper Caloosahatchee out of dan
ger.
Why should the Times-Union and (
other papers in the state attempt 90
create false impressions as to the
feasibility of draining the sawgrass
region, which is really not a part OF
the Everglades proper? If an unjust
tax has been levied why not make the
fight on that. In fact the courts have
said that the method of collecting the
special tax is not constitutional. Tnent
why not have a law passed that would /
be constitutional, and that would fall
alike upon all lands to be benefited, !
the states as well as the private land
owners. The muck lands can be
drained, thousands Of acres of rich sol
can be reclaimed, the big land COM
panies would be benefited, and South
Florida would become one of the most
DrOSperOus sections of the state