Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-05
DRAINING THE EVERGLADES
FIVE MILLION ACRES MAY BE
RECLAIMED IN FLORIDA.
Basin the Rim Which Was Probably
Formed by Volcanic Action-Con-
troll of Okeechobee.

Gov. f3rowsrd of Florida. in the independent
In the state of Florida, in the region
commonly known as the everglades we
have five million acres of land suitable
for a most profitable form of agricul-
ture. but valueless at the present time
because it is covered by water. 1t may
richness and fertility have been demon
strated by the Investigations of soil and
climatic experts.
/ can say that at last we have settled
this point For, since the year of 1906.
when plans to reclaim the land were
undertaken by the state through trus-
tees of the internal Improvement fund,
the project has progressed so far that
all doubt Of its ultimate success has
been removed, and We know that it is
only matter of time when most of this
vast area will be made fit for cuItiva-
ton.
10 give a clear conception of how this
great drainage work will be accom-
pilshed, 1t will he necessary for me to
glades and their character. They are
sufficiently elevated above the sea to
permit all Of the surface water to be
removed If an adequate system of out
cnoDee can be kept at such a level that
IL cannot overflow the surrounding
country when its feeders are filled with
flood water. We do not expect to drain
the lake 1t is not necessary, and the
task would be too great. for the lakes
present area is about $50 900 acres but
We can contine its waters to their nor
NAL area by carrying off the overflow
through the canal system VIC are con-
structing.
Origin of the "Glades."
The everglades lie in an immense
basin whose rim. probably of volcanic
origin. is composed of coral and lime
stone rock. There are times when the
surface of the everglades is so slightly
submerged that the rim is above the
water while during the flood season it
may be partially or wholly covered.
This barrier is what creates the ever
glades. AS but small portion of the
water can escape through it. Measure
mentS made at various points by state
and government engineers show the eIe-
walton of the submerged lands is fully
twenty feet above the sea at the lowest
point. and there is a continual descent
from Lake Okeechobee to tidewater
Consequently. the problem to solve has
been how to make passage through this
rim which would be of sufficient capacity
to allow the water it confines to find
lower level and thus escape. This was
the problem that my associates and my
Self-the trustees of the internal i'm
provement fund-have attempted to
overcome. / have given such study to
1t that when | was nominated for gov
ernOr in 1905 / pledged myself to drain
the everglades, and made this the main
issue of the campaign. The project was
taken up Immediately after election. We
had two dredges constructed from de-
signs of my own. They began operation
in July. 1906, at the head of what is
called the New river. about twenty
miles from the city of Miami. The New
river flows directly into the sea. Each
dredge is eXcavating through the rim
have described a canal which averages
ranging from twelve to fifteen feet. So
far nearly three miles of each canal
have been completed. but the work is to
proceed much more rapidly as We shall
have at least six eNcavators in service
within the next year. tax of . cents
an acre on lands sold to settlers gives us
an income Of about 100000 annually.
and will enable us to Increase our opera
lions. the excavation of the canals is
being done with great economy-about
labor.
To. provide complete drainage sys-
tenn will neceSsitate the construction of
about 500 miles of outlets. Most of this
work. however. will be merely mud ex-
cavation. 1t is intended to pierce the
rim at several other points with canals
which will connect with tidal rivers like
the New river and the success we have
attained warrants the undertaking. AS
the channels are dug. the surface water
in the vicinity finds its way into them
and flows Seaward. so that already we
have over 1000 acres of what has been
submerged soil reclaimed and being sold
to the settler for cultivation. Thus, as