The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-05-28
BY Fred NJ. Allen.

by Et<G VT FNfASfis
Tallahassee, May 27.-Declaring
that the drainage of the Everglades
is proving entirely practicable and
urging that the work be pursued as
RAPIDLY as possible, the special inves
tigating commission, composed of Sen
ators Theop West and J, n. B. Miller
and Representative J. r. Miller. ].
w. Hatcher and A. j. PeRdel today
submitted to both houses a most COM
prehensive report of the Investigations
made. The report covers 4hirty-three
typewritten pages and goes into most
minute details concerning what was
seen by the committee and regarding
the progress of the work and the re-
suits so far attained.
After giving a routine description
of the trip up the Miami river on the
east coast to where theTdrainage OPP
erations are going on and up the Ca
Ioosahatchee on the sst, the report
after q personal Examination of
the Everglades from tire east and
west approaches thereto We feel per-
fectly justified in saving that the
drainage of the 'gladeS is absolutely
feasible and practical and that its
success depends alone upon the NUM-
her and the size of the c9aals that
are cut through them 10 Lake Okee-
Evil REPORTS CIRCULATED.
lowing to the fact that the Ever
gIades are very inaccessible, personal
financial interests prompt the circu-
lation of false reports or statements
which in a large measure accounts
for the misinformation and prejudice
now existing with reference to the
Everglades and believing that the i'm
nortance of this matter justifies your
committee in its effort to give you full
and accurate information as far as
possible. considering the time devoted
to the work, we feel justified in pre-
senting you with the information
above set out though it be little long
and possibly tedious However, We
think it Is corset and reliable in de-
tail and it is our opinion that it is a
matter of so much interest and i'm
portance to the state of Florida that
every means should be eXerted to in
form our people as to the facts and so
enlist the cooperation of every eiti-
zen of the state in preserving and re-
tanning what is left to them of this
vast and invaluable domain.
1T is our opinion that, if, after rea-
sonabIe development of these 'glades,
the federal government is made &C
uuainted with the facts in this case
and the advantages to be derived from
making canal from Jupiter or Hills
boro inIets on the east coast thence
to Lake Okeechobee and down the
Caloosahatchee river to its mouth on
the west coast, its cooperation can
be easily obtained. thus furnishing a
public highway from ocean to gulf
which will be the pride of every
Il 4
ton of the world
NOW WORTH MILLIONS.
IF the government lands were sold
at the price now prevailing, which We
do not advise, a vast sum of money
could be obtained. aggregating mil
lions. for the state of Florida, and
besides this, If a good system of iTTi-
CATION be established, based upon
sound business principles, and this
right he reserved in all sales of land
an annual income of from two to four
millions of dollars may be obtained
from irrigation alone, and then fur
nish land owners water for irrigation
cheaDer by far than any has ever
been furnished up to this time.
We suggest that The remaining
tate lands be sold only in small par
cells and then sold only to actual set
tiers and cultivatOrs and that none ne
sold now or in the near future unless
for drainage purposes for two rea-
sons: First you do not desire to
bring the state lands in competition
with lands sold in bulk, and, second
YOU want. when sold, to get much
better prices because of the en-
HANGED values by reason OF the COM
pIetion of the drainage work.
AWARD CONTRACTS FOR WORK
I'VE recommend to the trustees thai
they push with all possible dispatch
the work on the 'glades, and IL pos
sible let several of these canals or
contract to reliable and responsible
bidders who should be required under
! hayy bond TO do the work under theil
supervision and in exact accordance
with the contract. besides a deposit
of a good bonus as an evidence OF
good faith.
Also that they secure at once {
good suction dFedge furnished with
a dipper for light work which mus
ba yISod tn clear out the dams auf