The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-12-15
1T Is AGAINST The POLICY o.
THE GOVERNMENT TO suilp
Up THE INTERIOR.

Washington. ID. C., Dec. II. 1911.
To the Editor Ocala Banner:
The act OF March 2, 1909. contains
the following item:
Survey for the construction 81 4.
continuous inland waterway arroas
the state OF Florida, between suitable
points on the eastern and Gulf coasts
OF said state. for the purpose ~ ascrr.
tanning the cost OF a channel Wlfh a
maximum depth of twelve feet. 81
such lesser depths along any section
or sections of said waterway a. nav
be found sufficient for commercial.
naval and military purposes.
The report Of the special board
of engineers for rivers and harbors
for review. Il is found that the nest
available route Is by way Of g. Johns
river, Ocklawaha river. Lake Grimm
and Harris, and Withlacoochee river.
The depth proposed Il 10 feet below
lowest low water, and the estimated
cost is approximately sls.s000o
The recommendation OF the special
board are adverse 20 the construction
of this canal by the United States AZ
the present time. The followlne are
some of the principal reasons on
which the unfavorable conclusion la
based:
The distance saved between CUT
potrs and North Atlantic ports varies
from 10 10 424 miles. II n nor 50.
lieved by the special board that 10
ffu2anrra i.
tween ports on the Gulf and those On
the North Atlantic would be handlea
by light draft canal steamers or barE.
es across the Gulf and through ihe
canal in preference 20 the faster and
more commodious ocean going steam
ers. The special board IL ~ the
opinion that a canal such as IL pro-
posed would have no great value as a
through route between Gulf and AZ.
lantic ports: that les value from a
stragegic point OF view is small: that
from a purely local standpoint. the
canal would be of considerable value
as a feeder 10 the ports OF Jackson
vile, Fernandina and Savannah. and
would also have considerable value
in developing the country through
which il is designed 20 pass. Il win
also be a convenient route for pleas
ure craft, dredging plants. tugs,
empty barges and occasional light
draft craft of all kinds between The
Gulf and the Atlantic. These latter
uses are, however, in the opinion Of
the special board entirely insufficient
to justify the large expenditure re-
quired for the construction Of the
canal and its maintenance, and. there
fore, the special board is unanimous
ly of the opinion that the project Is
not worthy OF prosecution by the
United States.
Before taking final action on this
report the board of engineers for
rivers and harbors will be glad %
receive such statements and argu-
ments as those interested may desire
to submit in support of or in opposi
ticn to the construction of the pro
posed waterway. Such statements
should be in the hands of the board
within four weeks of the date of this
communication, and should be adj
dressed to the board of engineers for
rivers and harbors, 735 Southern
building, Washington, 3. c. Should
a hearing before the board be desired.
the same can be arranged by cores
pondence with this office
Very respectfully,
VIM. T. ROSSELL,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Senior
Member of the Board.