The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-06-21
Senator Mallory on
Drainage Of Everglades.


The Joint resolution with reference
10 a government survey of the Flor
iGa Everglades, reported to the SEN
ate favora5ly by Senator Frazier for
, the Committee on Agriculture and
Forestry, as reported in The Congress
sional Record, is as follows;
Resolved, etc, That the Secretary
, OF Agriculture be. and he is hereby,
! authorized and directed to cause a
survey Of the Everglades of Florida
10 be made, with a view to ascertain
: ing and determining the feasibility
and probable cost Of retaining and
1 draining said Everglades fer agricul-
! tural purposes, ana also to cause an
examination Of the soil in said Ever
glsdes with a view to determining it's
, quality and adaptsbility and probable
prOductiveness when reclaimed and
devoted TO agricultural purposes.
Sec. .. That the sum of $4,000
be. and IS hereby, appropriated, ont
OF any money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated, for the pur-
pose Of carrying out the requirements
Of this resolution, and that said sum
Of 10000 or so much thereof as may
be necessary, be reserved from the
sales Of public lands in the State Of
Florida ana paid into the Treasury OF
the United States in lieu Of any Dor
ton Of the $4,000 hereby apprOpriat-
ed for the purposes designated by
this resolution.
Sec. 3. That the Secretary Of
Agriculture report TO Congress at as
early a day as possible the result of
said surveys, with such recommends
tons as he may think proper TO
make
Senator Mallory, after stating, in
reply to question by Senator Gal
linger, that the estimated area of the
Everglades was about 1000. 600 acres,
had the following to say with refer
ence to the measure:
The measure does not propose that
the government shall drain il, but
simply TO ascertain whether il Isl
feasible for drainage. The Ever
glaGes are subject to overflow from
Lake Okeechobee. Lake OkeechobeeI
is a large lake, some 40 miles long
and 40 miles wide. 1t Over1ows an
nually and foods the Everglades and
makes them uninhabitable. Whether
the lands are drainable or can be re-
calimed is a mOOted question, and i'll
has not been settled. The authorities
ot the State Of Florida have been con-
Eidering ii for some time, and they
are contemplating making an effort
10 drain them; but there really has
been no survey made and nothing to
determine that the project is feast
bic.
Senator Mallory said further, I'M
answer TO q question prOpounded by
Senator Gallinger that he did not be-
heTe an appropriation for the purpose
Of draining the Everglades would be-
asked in event the government de-
termined that the project was feast
bic. He expressed the opinion that
ultimately the lands would go to the
state OF Florida, in fact would 90 tol
the state now if they had been sur
veyed but, Of course, could not go to
the state under present circum-
stances. Mr.. Mallory then contin-
ued:
Unfortunately we in Florida are
situated exactly in the opposite po-
eitiOn from what they are in the
West But the principle is the same. 4
We only propose TO use money rel
ceived from the sale of public lands
In the State Of Florida for this pur-
pose, not for the purpose OF DRAINING
the land. but 70 ascertain whether il
Is drainable. II the question should;
come up hereafter, and the gov .rn-
ment is asked to pay, the senator
would possibly object to il.