The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-02-03
MRS. HENRY's TALK BEFORE THE
WoMAN's CLUB
From Saturdays Daily.

Yesterday afternoon at o'clock,
Mrs. Maude Wood Henry, field secre-
tary of the Atlantic to the Mississippi
Waterway Association, made an
hours talk before the Womans Club
of this city.
Her statement was very clear and
comprehensive, and at the conclusion
of her talk every one present was
quite familiar with the subject.
Mrs. Henry gave the proposed route
of the canal across Florida, showing
that if it did not pass directly through
Ocala it would at least come as near
as Silver Springs and the OkIawaha
river and would again strike the coun-
ty on the southwest by the canal util-
izing the waters of the WithlacOochee
river.
She said that the proposed scheme
is to have a system of inland water
ways hugging the shore, and connect
ing the bays and rivers from Boston
to Texas, and up the Mississippi river
to the Great Lakes The object of
which is to facilitate transportation
and increase the commerce of the
country.
Mrs. Henry said tnat while it would
lower freight rates the railroads of
the country were not hostile to the
project, but were in sympathy with
the movement, and she read extracts
from a recent article by Mr.. James J.
Hill, in which he said that the traffic
of the country was growing to such
proportions that these inland water
ways were absolutely essential to
prevent traffic cOngestions, when the
trade and traffic of the country were
normal
Mrs. Henry pointed out how the ca
nails in Germany and England had ben
Gifted traffic. For instance, she said
that Manchester, England, was a dead
town. Industries were paralyzed, bus
part of the population had moved
away Finally a canal was dug to Liv-
erpool, and Immediately there was a
business revival, and the town soon
doubled it's population, and the rail
roads were compelled to more than
double their terminal facilities to do
their share of the carrying trade.
She also pointed out the effect these
canals had in swelling trade in Ger
many and France, and that wherever
a canal existed they are now being
revived and put in shape to meet ex-
listing conditions.
She said that the object of the wa
terways association is not to build
the proposed canals, but to educate
the people to their Importance, arouse
a demand for their construction. and
in that way force the general govern
ment to make the necessary appro-
priations.
That to do this required a great deal
VI 4lIS1dJul0 W DS plAuCSuJ q S1CdC
many letters had to be written, ste
nographers had to be employed and
had to be paid and the people that
were to be benefited necessarily were
asked for small contributions.
She said that the surveys had been
ordered by the government, would
soon be submitted, and as soon as
that was done congress would be ask
ed to make the necessary appropria-
ton and proceed at once with the
work.
The Womans Club was asked to
ally itself with the association and
help along in the movement. The
president of the club will appoint a
committee with that end in view
At the conclusion of Mrs. Henry's
remarks, Mr.. R. L. Martin, Mr. c. L.
Bittinger and the editor of this paper
made brief remarks, vividly picturing
this particular section of the state
when the canal shall have been com,
pleted and afterwards converted into
a ship canal across the peninsula, car
rying a large part of the traffic of the
world by our very doors.