The Ocala banner., 1906-11-02

ent state chemist and an expert on
sugar, was manager of the planta-
tion, and Col. j. M. Kramer, chief
engineer of drainage. Well, we know
they raised sugar cane-they even
sent To foreign lands for various va
rites Of seed and made tests in or
der to make it success.
This company owned many thous-
ands acres of this muck land and
wished to sell it at fancy prices, so
yoI see how important it was to be
able to point to St. Cloud as to what
could he done. Quite a number of
men did buy muck land and undertook
sugar and vegetable farming, but with
disastrous results. st. Cloud was un-
der several managers during these
ten years, and each succeeding year
the cane acreage grew smaller. Evi-
dentiy the cost of production was
much greater than the proceeds from
the sale of sugar, as this entire stock
has long since been abandoned, the
sreat mill was sold, dismantled and
i we'd out of the country, and cattle
nc roam over it virtually at will.
Now, these lands are supposed to
be thoroughly drained. They all had
a canal outlet and bitches and cross
bitches to carry off the water. Other
men | will mention who tried this
muck land for cane and vegetable
growing and who lost thousands of
1Jiiars in the effort are A. S. Kins-
mall. Whitmore Bros, Lupfer Bros,
Capt. S'nith-Dorian and others, all
OF the men of more than ordinary
means and intelligence when they
began. out with much less means
and hore knowledge when they quit.
5 ome tried it for three or four years,
others from six to eight years, but
ali came to the sad end of the great
st. Cloud model plantation-a COM
plete failure. Rice culture was tried
on these lands-a big rice mill erect
ed al kissimmee, and several hun
dred sees plantei by rice expert.
Well tetween the maiden cane,
(Which sIew as well under the wa
ter a. rice) and the thousands of
rice birds that ate the matured crop
which the maiden cane failed to kill,
tNu Uols ended this branch of muck
farming, it proven another mammoth
failure. The rice mill was also dis.
mantled and moved away.
The muck land is the most treach.
erous imitation Of soil / ever saw
its spongelike nature will take UP
water until it will almost mire a
crane and will drown the crops, even
though it is ditched. Or, in case OF
drouth, it will dry out like chips, OF
worse, and ruin the crops that way
and if lighted match is dropped on
it it will burn clear to the sand OF
moisture underneath. I have seer
acres of it burning several times.
Had drainage in the above cases
proved a success the Everglades to
day would be a network of drainage
Operations and no such issue would
be before the people.
Now, let me say right here, / voted
for Governor Broward in both pri
maries, but not on account Of his
drainage scheme, as that, to my
mind, is anything but wise or prac
tical operation. Besides, it offers toe
great a chance for graft in this day
land time when graft seems to be
holding sway throughout our country
AS | see no county in the state is
exempt, and the time is unlimited.
cannot believe the people will set the
law upon themselves and the gener
ations that follow.
While | believe Governor Broward
lis honest, on the face of it it does no;
well in a man spending valuable time
and his own money travelling over the
state making long speeches trying tc
induce the people to support scheme
where he is supposed not to be bene
fitted not one cent, and where untold
millions must be spent in an operation
which at best can he of very doubtful
benefit to the state or other owners
of this muck land.
The lands being in litigation as
to ownership is another reason this
scheme should be defeated. but
|
knowing what l do. if the state own
ed every foot of the Everglades, !
would oppose this drainage amend
ment. Ten years of personal obser
vation of drainage by men of wealth
where eacn had a personal incentive
tor success, proving failure would
induce me to vote against this
drainage amendment and advise ev
cry one else to do so.
will add, as the governor charges
those who oppose his scheme in the
papers as being paid by these corpor
ations, does not fit this case, and !
believe there are many others
Yours truly,
H. F. URIE,
l-Tp II o1~a C;f~- Tr1ox-