The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-02-23
FASr DRAENAdE NECESSARY.
(COntinued frOm pace One.l
STILL FURTHER TROURLEs.

| linen Mr.. MaIng takes up the area or
the route Of the proposed canal. Lat
eral drains would be necessary on either
side of.the main ca al, at right angles,
for a width Of twenty feet and not less
than two miles apart. The level nature
of the country would render them use
less more than four miles back, which
would give a width of eight miles along
the route and an area of 200 square
miles or $50, 900 acres.
To effect this viii take a main canal
about fifty miles long, 150 feet wide
and eight feet deep; and in addition fifty
lateral drains four miles long, twenty
feet wide, and six to eight feet deep.
This makes total Of $50 miles Of drain
age work, and, eventually, large num-
Der of hand-dug drains, ~.
The cost is estimated at from three &c
four cents per cubic yard, exclusive Of
the cost of dredges and tenders. Then,
too, the great mass of the Everglades
lying to the south of this route finds an
outlet in the Gulf of Mexico, through
different streams a distance of seventy
to ninety miles from Lake Okeechobee.
This would give a very slow current,
and drainage could only be made effec-
tive by quantity.
THE LAND sRECLAIMED.
Mr. Mailing then goes into the natures
of the lands that would be reclaimed and
finds three great classes, consisting of
sand mixed with humus, which is excel
lent for agricultural purposes and not
liable to fire.
Secondly, the land consisting of de-
composed vegetable matter of a peaty
nature, very liable to fire and which,
when fire once starts, is very difficult to
extnguish, as the fire burns down be-
meath the surface and only stops when
water is reached.
Thirdly, there is the vast territory
covered with saw grass. and the vege-
tation indicates that the mud is very
fertile and when drained and dried, very
liable to fire, and as the case just pre-
ceding, fire would be hard to extin-
guish.
Then the shrinkage from drainage
must be taken into account, and this
Mr.. Mailing estimates at about twenty
five per cent.
RUINS PRESENT CONDITIONS.
The lowering of Lake Okeechobee
four feet would reduce the area by
about one-half, making a long basin
etsily affected by climatic changes, and
to use the engineers own language,
altogether changing the present ia
vorable conditions along the East
Coast
Tie danger from frosts would be
greater and other similar changes would
be made.
WORK ALMOST USELESS.
Experience has taught, according to
the affiant, that for the successful cul- |
tivation OF muck lands two things are
necessary, drainage and irrigation.
If Lake Okeechobee should be lower |
ed, as contemplated, irrigation by grav-
itation would be cut off, and the re-
claimed lands would have to be irriga-
ted by pumping engines and levees.
In case Of fire, which he considers the |
most dangerous aspect of the entire |
scheme, Il would be absolutely neces-
sary to flood the lands again in order to |
extinguish the flames.
ABSENCE OF TIMBER.
The absence of timber on the land,
he says is drawback TO the settlement |
of the Everglades, if reclaimed, as
there would be neither lumber nor fire.
WOOD. Then, tco, the swampy nature Of
the lands would prohibit all wheeled
transportation.
In conclusion Mr.. Mailing states that |
OWlIlk W lilG lcNGl bdIuIG VI tic ENCI-
{ la les lowering OF Lake 0keecto-
bee or the Glades would be eff
fective for drainage purposes at agreat-
er distance than four or five miles.
The affiant states that he owns no lands
in that section that would be affected
by the drainage tax, and that he is an
entirely dsinterested party.
ARGUMENT Is CONCLUDED.
Other affidavits submitted by counse
for the plaintiff in the suit, confirm diff
ferent opinions of Mr.. Maling's affida-
Wit, though none of them are as elabor-
ate and clearly stated as is his The
above is but brief summary of Mr..
Maling's concise statement of the facts
in the case as he finds them.
One affidavit supports the statement
o the burning of the lands, and thi,
after is based, not on theory, but on
conditions actually seen.
The defendants have also put in a
vast amount Of evidence tending to sup
port their contentious. Argument was
concluded before Judge Locke yester-
day afternoon and the court took the
questions raised under advisement.
Counsel are given until Tuesday to sub
nit briefs
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For BillOuSneSS and Sick Headache.
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Iweetens the stomach, aids digestion
md ocfc az q yaufia affrnuloUf IN, Tho