The Florida agriculturist., 1907-08-28
A Ship Canal Across Florida.

which a ship canal across the state
would be to them, we do not think
that they would cease to agitate the
subject until work was begun. The
cutting Of such a canal would give
them cheap water transportation both
ways, so that they could reasonably
expect lower freight rates on their
produce and on whatever they wished
to import ex-governor Fleming
wrote the following article for the
Tradesman:
The saving Of approximate1y 500
miles of travel and navigation through
the straits and around the Florida
reefs to the commerce Of the Gulf by
a ship canal across the peninsula of
Florida has resulted in bringing such
a project before the public number
of times, and the organization Of va
rlOus corporations with such an OBJ
ject in view The matter has also
had the attention of the general gov
ernment from time to time and re-
suited in various Investigations and
reports
Without attempting to give all Of
the corporations organized in this
connection, I would state that the
Florida Ocean & Gulf Canal Com
pany was incorporated under the laws
Of Florida in 1888, and to which the
legislature of 1880 also granted ex-
emption from taxation and other
special privileges. Nothing further,
however, was done by this company
than perhaps some preliminary in
vestigation or location Of a route.
During or about the year 1897 the
Florida Trans-P Peninsular Ship Canal
Company was incorporated under the
laws of Florida, and an authorized
capital stock Of $7o,ooo,ooo. This
Company proposed to construct
thirty foot deep water canal across
the narrowest part of the peninsula,
being Of such capacity as to accom-
modate the largest ships ahoat. The
principal protector of this enterprise
was Mr., Robert Caffal, president Of
the company, an English engineer of
great energy and ability. In connec-
ton with the enterprise he prepared
a very elaborate report, going very
tics and the Importance of such a
canal, showing the feasibility of the
organization and the large revenue
which might be reasonably expected.
Mr. Cafal was very enthusiastic and
believed that he had made arrange
ments which would insure the COM
p1etion Of the work, but, unfortunate
ly, just before such preliminaries were
completed, he died suddenly and there
was no one else to take his place.
The legislature Of Florida in 1901
incorporated the Florida Ship Canal
Company, granting it also exemption
from taxation and many other privi
leges. Up to this time, however, the
first spadeful of dirt remains to be
moved by any of the various COM
panies which have been organized for
the construction of a ship canal
across the Florida peninsula. In my
own opinion, while the project is
thoroughly feasible one, and [ am in
clined to think would prove fnan-
cial success, it is too great an under
taking for a private enterprise and
should be undertaken by the general
government The government having
undertaken the work Of constructing
the Panama canal, which is Of much
greater Importance, [ do not suppose
will undertake the Florida canal until
the former is completed
Besides a ship canal, there have
been various projects with a view OF
large canal across the state, con-