The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1911-01-13
|FLORIDA'S FINE
| INLAND CANAL
Waterway Along East Coast Re-
Ceive Attention in Boston
VALUABLE ENTERPRISE
That II Will be Instrumental in
Developing Resources Of the State
and Afford Cruises for Tourists

M A large and enthusiastic convention
|>Of representative from New England
organizations held in Ros.
EtOn some time ago under the auspices
EDf the Massachusetts board of trade,
land it's unanimous endorsement of the
fpropOsed inland waterway from Boston
ITO Key West, seems to show an intelli-
gent and general appreciation of the
value of such waterway to the manu-
dacturing and commercial, interests of
Fthe North Atlantic states. But there
was little in the report proceedings to
indicate that the delegates were aware
how nearly New England enterprises,
money and engineering skill, have al
ready made the longest and most prom
Using section of the waterway ain ac-
compished fact, says the Boston Globe.
The plan of joining BiScayne Bay, the
tIndian. Halifax and Matanzas rivers
land other shallow bodies of water which
HE between the Florida mainland and
fthe fringing islands of the east coast.
appears to have originated with DR..
EWestcOtt, of New York, whose brother
WAS Florida's first representative in
fthe United States senate.
] Leaving the ST. Johns river, near its
mouth, 25 miles below Jacksonville, the
Rcanal starts southwark up Pablo creek.
(which meanders for % miles through
wide marshes of deep, rich muck.
4 From the head Of Pablo creek the
[canal runs directly south for IL miles
Ito the upper endyOf the North Matanzas
River. This cutting lies for the most
bart in dense primeval forest of cab
Ebage palms. lOng-leaved pines, cypress
[and lveOaks, the removal of which has
proved the most irksOme and difficult
bart of The whole construction.
4 From the A cut to st. Augustine, a
little over 20 miles, the river affords
Sufficiently wide and deep channel to
thOse who know where to look for 1t,
Though like the other inland waters of
Florida, it requires to be extensively
|buOyed before it can be followed with
|out a pilot, even in The case OF craft
|crawing two feet or less of water.
Until st. Augustine Itself comes in
Blight, the shores on this part of the
are almost as void of signs
|Of human occupancy as at the coming
|Of Ponce de Leon nearly four centuries
|agO. A deserted and OvergrOwn plan
Ration or two and two or three lonely
homes of fishermen, can be seen from
the river, and near the city are two or
three small pleasure resorts, and an
abandoned railroad which once crossed
tine river to hotel, burned long ago on
the eastern side.
From St. Augustine southwark to
Palm Beach distance of. 26O miles, the
canal though unfinished, has in man.
her been opened to public use. No tolls
are as yet collected, and by courtesy of
the canal company weekly passenger
service is maintained during the win
ter months by the Indian River line,
using gasoline driven boats of three
foot draft; licensed to carry $50 pass
|engers. The boats run by daylight
only. eight or nine hours at a stretch,
over night at Daytona, Rock
Hedge and Fort Pierce; and the delight,
|ful four days trip thus afforded can
hardly he too highly recommended to
tourists who have plenty of time at
their leisure to avoids the hot, dusty,
Smoky ride over the unballasteq road
bed and through the dreary pine bar
|rens of the Florida East Coast rail.
road.
From st. Augustine southwark The
waterway for 80 miles continues to pass
Through region little changed from
|primeval conditions. except for the de-
6truction of the virgin forests.
Below Daytona, each days's run pre-
Eents a fresh panorama of absorbing in
terest, as climate and vegetation change
with surprising rapidity into more and
more subtropical characteristics.
Near Fort Pierce is st. Lucie. former.
Nv the winter home of Senator Quay, and
stiti regarded as colony of peDusyl-
|Hania politicians of the Quay stamp.
Among. the appropriations which the
departed statesman secured for FlOri-
ha 3 benefit. from the national treasury.
WAS one for dredging out the Indian
river inlet, a few miles from here-a
matter of great Importance both to fish
ermen and winter residents on account
bf the Spanish mack rei and other val
pable ocean fish that are found short
distance offshore.
Twentypne- miles below Fort Pierce
The ocean is seen again, over Gilberts
bar, where at present in the main con-
hection between the waters of the In.
HAN river and the sea, since the old
Jupiter ihfet n nearly closed by sand
bit. At Gilberts bar the canal, as now
located, appears impossible of maintain
hnce, since every easterly storm drifts
The beach sand directly across the un
protected channel, to be distributed
In both directions by the tides. For:
kunately slight change OF location will
buffica TO carry the canal behind 9 mar. |