The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-08-18


err" The words have a magic all
their own, and Stephen Fosters i'm
mortal melody shares with Home,
Sweet Home" the distinction of being
one OF the few lyrics that have been
sung around the world, and which
have made for themselves a place in
the hearts of mankind that time can
not disturb.
But in spite of all this-in spite of
the fact that thousands of people
every year cross the Suwannee river,
on the Seaboard Air Line, near Bran
ford-hOw few of Us really know any
thing of this beautiful stream, as it
slowly makes its way from its source
in Georgia, through ats roek-bound
banks, until at last it is lost in the
waters of the gulf.
1t is safe to say that not one Flori-
dian in a thousand has any accurate
knowledge of the river, of the legends
connected with it, or of the people
who lived along it's banks and to
whom its waters are as commonplace
as those of any prosaic stream that
turns a millwheel in obscurity.
1t was the good fortune of the wri-
ter of these lines, while in Lake City
not long ago, to receive an invitation
from friend to ride out to a point in
The Suwannee known as Suwannee
Shoals, where many years ago the
Goodbread family. took up land
from the United States government,
and where for many years they lived
the free and independent life Of farm
ers-ti1ling the fertile soil, and 1eav-
ing behind them an hOnOred line OF
descendants, some of whom are still
prominent people in this section.
Among these is the Hon. A. 8.
Goodbread, who is well remembered
by the writer as an efficient member
of the legislature from Columbia coun-
ty in 1893. and who is still hale and
we'll preserved man. Mr.. Goodbread,
who was born on the old home place
near Suwannee Shoals, still lives
nearby in a comfortable brick man
sion, and mas certainly succeeded IN
getting around him much that makes
life worth living.
The ride from Lake City to the Su-
wannee river is a pleasant one, and
the sylvan beauty of the scenery
about the shoals would surprise some
of the wiseacres who derive their I'M
pressions of Florida from the WINDOW
of Pullman
But the most notable feature of the
famous river at this point Is to be
found in something for which neither
Florida or the Suwannee has ever
been celebrated-or even suspected.
This, in short, is nothing more nor
less than a magnificent water power.
derived from the falls and rapids at
this point, and capable of transmission
to Lake City, Live Oak, White
Springs and Jacksonville. ~
The river at this point is about zoo
yards wide 1t runs between bluffs,
some ninety feet in height, crumbling,
dessicated, yellow bluffs, strongly
resembling cement, and the strong
current here rushes madly over shoals
and rocks, which investigation shows
| to be composed of the same material
as that of which the bluffs themselves
are formed.
These shoals extend for about three
quarters of mile up and down the
river, and counting the two falls, the
total fall is about twenty-five feet.
These falls comprise, no doubt, the
| heaviest and most available water
power in the state. and their location
is such that any power that may here
after be developed here can easily be
transmitted. not only to Lake City
and Live Oak, but to points much
further removed.
1t will doubtless come as surprise
to some peOple-even to those who
think themselves thoroughly acquaint-
ed with the state-tO learn of the ex-
fstence of any such natural phenome-
non in Florida; while those self-con-
stituted northern cities who have so
much to say of a state of which they
know nothing, will probably dispute
the existence of any such natural pow
er.
Nevertheless, the falls are there,
fhnr0-
question now remaining to be solved
is the question of availability and the
utilization of this great natural force
Several competent civil engineers
have already examined Suwannee
Shoals and have passed their opinion
on the site. All have come to prac-
tically the same conclusion and are
agreed that from $4,000 to 10000
horsepower may easily be developed
here.
SO general is the impression. how
ever. that Florida is little better than
level plain, made up of swamp, pine
barren and marsh that the eminent
civil engineer, residing in another
state, at first fatty refused to come
here and survey the shoals, and 1t was
only after much persuasion that he
was induced to send a representative
here. The latter's report however.
was such as to modify the views of
his incredulous chief, who will, in
short time, come here IN person, to
add the weight of his opinion to the
testimony of the experts already re-
corded.
The shoals, as already stated, ex-
tend three-quarters of a mile up and
down the river. and are. with the adj
joining territory. located in Columbia
and Hamilton COMMITTEES q mfIeS from
Lake city; Is from Live Oak; 8 1-2
from White Springs and IS from Jack
sonville. The power that can, by prop
err manipulation. be developed here.
would be amply sufficient to run the
electric light plants of all the above
named cities. and then leave consider
able surplus available for other pur-
poses. AS everybody knows, such
power can now easily be transmitted
for distances much greater than those
above noted. and it is now confidently
hxIfa,,ad fhof sfanS will anon b1 taIyan