Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-06-03
THE EVERGLADES OF FLORIDA
As Seen by Chas. S. White in Tour OF
Investigation


AUDUBON, Iowa, June /, 1909.
To THE EDITOR:
According to an understanding |
will give you few lines about my trip
to the "Everglades" Of Florida. AS
it is we'll known to most people | went
down to that country for the purpose
of investigating the proposition of the
Florida Fruit Land Company, and to
say that | was we'll pleased with con-
ditions and with the future prospects
of that country is putting it mildly.
The Everglades, properly speak
ing, are not a swamp, but are over
flowed lands, caused by the water of
Lake OkeechoDee above. The state of
Florida in pursuance of an act of the
Legislature of that state passed by said
body some five years ago is now un-
dertaking the drainage or reclamation
of this overlooked "Everglade' coun-
try. The work is being done at the
expense of the state. This law created
a state board of drainage commission
ers, who are to be supervisors of the
drainage work. This board employed
competent engineers, who made SUR
veys and reported plan of drainage,
which plan was approved by said
board. This plan is to construct -four
large canals 60 feet wide and from 10
to Is feet deep leading from Lake
Okeechobee to the Atlantic ocean, and
one of same size leading from Lake
Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico. BY
means of these canals it is said that
the water level in said lake will be
lowered from five to eight feet and thus
prevent any possibility of a future
overflow of said lake.
The work of drainage, in accord
ance with said plan, is we'll in prog
ress. Four dredges are now at work
night and day draining this land The
canal from the lake to- the Gulf of Mex
leo is now practically completed. Two
of the canals from the lake to the At
lantic are completed for distance of
% miles, ard third one of the canals
from the lake to the Atlantic is com
pleted for distance of five miles. 1t
is one of the largest and most stipend
Gus drainage propositions ever under
taken by man or nation. 1t is esti-
mated that the drainage of the Ever
glades" as a whole will be completed
WIbDlH TIE HtAb TWO years.
| spent three days in the 'Glades.
Part of the time | was on the state
dredges, part OF the time talking with
the truck gardeners of that portion OF
the Everglades" which has been
drained and part of the time wading
through the water and grass of the
"raw stuff" The amount of produce
that can be taken from an acre of this
reclaimed land is almost incredible.
Yet anyone that is familiar with the
geological history of the "Everglades"
knows that for richness and fertility it
is second to none in the United States.
The manager of the experiment station
at Miami told me that the soil would
raise practically everything of vege-
tables and fruit known to civilization.
But personally, | think that the culti-
walton of sugar cane will in time be
the leading industry of the "Glades. !"
While in Miami | met people from
the states of Iowa, Kansas. Wiscon-
sin, North Carolina and Colorado,
who were there for the purpose of in
vestigating the drainage of the ever
glades. I" 1t is well worth the neces-
sary time and money of anyone to go
and see that section of the country.
Very truly yours,
CHAS. s. WHITE,