The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-12-04
REPORT OF MAJOR WRIGHT
On the Drainage of the Everglades
Claude L'EnETe Tells What ii Is
and Also What II Isn't


49, oSNoaSS hilo" little ABOUT
this Major Wright report on the Ever
glades business and just because some
people have been fooling with it who
don't know anything about it. and who
nave been trying for purposes not rec
ogniZed by honorable people as pure
and patriotic for the good of the state,
/ nave been mixing in in order TO mix
! up this Wright Everglade report busi-
ness; /, who know some little and
who have taken the trouble to find out
. a little more. Will take upon myself to
write what I know TO be the truth
about the Wright Everglade report
Il was we'll known by everybody
! that the late Governor Broward was
an enthusiast on Everglades drainage
and reclamation. He thought of it by
day and dreamed of it by night He
bent every energy stored up in his
powerful person and used every means
which the people placed in his hands
! as governor to further the successful
, conclusion Of this great project which
has engaged the attention of every
governor since reconstruction days.
/ Broward never would accept defeat in
pushing the Everglades project He
did not even pay any attention to SET
:
thrown in his way by people with sell
fish interests who always oppose
| project for the good of all the people
| After the defeat of the drainage
amendment in the general election Of
! 1908. Broward made special trip to
Washington for the purpose OF getting
| rid Of the chief argument against his
project that was used, and successfully
lsed. TO defeat him in his campaign for
the adoption of the drainage amend
ment. This argument was that since
the survey of the United States en-
gineers Generals Harvey and Jessup,
| way back In the sos, there had been
no government survey Of the 'glades.
No government engineer had pronounc-
ed the project Of drainage and reclaim
alton feasible, practica BILE and prof1ta-
bic. On this trip to Washington Gov
erlor Broward made a dead set at the
secretary Of agriculture, Mr. Wilson.
| He won him like he won many others
on whom he eXerted his personal force,
and persuasiveness. Secretary Wilson
! told Broward on that visit that he
would send an engineer from his drain
| age and reclamation department to
make survey of the Everglades
! Some weeks after Broward's return
| to Tallahassee, Major Wright of the
drainage and reclamation bureau of
| the United States agricultural depart
| ment was assigned by Secretary Will
son 70 make this survey Of the Ever
glades. OF course, he came straight to
Tallahassee from Washington. He
stayed there many days talking to
| Broward about the project. He went
over all the maps. records and other
/ H.ta r1 cd
ing the four years he had been work
| ing at drainage, and became intimately
acquainted with the project from It's
| inception through the various stages
| to its development up to that partic-
ular time.
Major Wright gathered his party.
went to the Everglades and spent all
the time necessary for him to make as
Icomplete and accurate survey of the
| l'elades to enable him to determine the
practicability. feasibility and dement's
of drainage and reclamation. He came
| through Tallahassee on his way from
the 'elades to Washington after he had
made his survey. He went over the
ldata he obtained with Governor Brow
ard. He prepared his report in Talla-
Ihassee. This original report prepared
by Major Wright contained thirty
thousand words. It was entirely fav-
orable to drainage and reclamation Of
the Everglades both from an engineer
ing and economic standpoint. He
endorsed in part the plan worked out
Iby Broward and the trustees FOR pur-
suing the work and mate certain 9TH
ler plans and recommendations. These
plans as prepared by Major Wright.
recommended in his report, are now
hi fu1lv earrieH bs
trustees.
This much I know because I was In
Tallahassee when Major Wright came
through on his first trip. l was there
when he came through on his return
ItriD | heard the discussions by him
with Governor Broward and the trus-
itees ! know what was in his report
because | heard him tell about II many
times.
Now comes that part of the history
OF the Wright drainage report which
| I will write from reference as we'll as
from knowledge
| There was a man named Elliott IN
the reclamation bureau Of the depart
ment of agriculture Of the United
States. He was miffed because Major
Wright was selected TO make the sur
vey and he was not. He had his idea!
Iof Evergiade drainage and reclama tior
land when he got hold Of the Wrigh
(report. he proceeded to fix it up to sui
these ideas. He cut out and he inter
tpolated and made the report very diff
lferent from what il was when Majo
Wright wrote it, This Elliott report
written by man who never saw tn
Everglades. Is what has been recentl,
printed and pa-aded to the people o
T Florida as the Wright report. Thi
: man. who did not tislt the 'glades, doe
= not approve Of the plan pursued b
the trustees and recommended b
Major Wright. who mad visited tn
'glades and who did make the survey
Elliott thought that the Everglade
fought to be drained by system c
tdikes or walls starting in at the lowe
-autheastern edge Of the 'glades an
building a mile or two apart in seq
rnents and circles and draining froi
each wall before building another on
As soon as it was discovered tha
Major Wrights report had been tan
pered with. this matter was called
the attention Of the agricultural IL
partment and the result has been ths
the Wright report as changed by f
around among the people. Il woul
have contained false information If
had been distributed Now, the oris
nal Wright report without change
Interpolation, is n the hands or u
government printer and win soon
circulated as a Senar. document Tn