The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-03-24
STRONG PAPER
PRESENTED BY
THE TRUSTEES
DOCUMENT BY HON. w. n. ELLIS
WHICH WAS PRESENTED COM
MITTEE ON INVESTIGATION OF
EXPENDITURES IN AGRlCUI-
TURAL DEPARTMENT.
Special to The Journal.

Tallahassee. March 2S.-Tne 1oIloW-
Ing document was presented to the
committee on the investigation OF ex-
penditures In the agricultural depart
ment, by w. II. Ellis, attorney for the
trustees, and an argument was made
| by him in support Of the prayer for
subpoena:
Washington, d. G.
| Hon. Ralph w. Moss, Chairman Com
mittee on Expenditures in the De-
partment of Agriculture, House OF
Representatives.
Sir: The Trustees Of the Internal
| Improvement Fund of the state Of
| Florida respectfully represent:
| l. That the tract of land known as
the Everglades of Florida was acquir-
| ed by the state of Florida under the
act of congress OF September rs, 1850,
and was patented by the United States
| government to the state In the year
1903. In 1855, tie Florida Legislature
| enacted q law creating the Internal
| Improvement Fund, into which fund
was placed all the lands that the state
might acquire under the aforesaid act
OF congress. The purpose OF the Flor
| ida statute, among other purposes.
was to facilitate the drainage and rec
lamation of the lands that might be
acquired by the state under said act
| of congress-, and 10 that end the fund
l was CudIRoQ WIFI In6 k-uSb u dAAA-
age and reclamation of such lands.
The Florida act created trustees of
that fund and designated the governor.
comptroller, state treasurer, attorney
general and commissioner Of agrtcul-
ture and their successors in Office as
such trustees.
2. Upon the solicitation of the trus-
tees of the Internal Improvement Fund
of Florida, the Office of experiment
| ofo Tn4f TOT ~ IF
agriculture, was authorized to make
such a survey and examination Of the
Everglades as might be deemed nee
4 essary for the preparation of q re-
port and plan Of drainage. Accord
ingly, In November, 1906, the United
States government, through the ONCE
of experiment stations, began an ex-
animation into the conditions existing
in the Everglades, which work con-
tiEued, with some intermissions, I'M
| til May ], 1908. A report on the drain
age of the Everglades was then made
up In the office of experiment sta
lions, which proposed a plan for the
drainage OF the Everglades. An ex-
tract from that report, embracing the
engineering features of the proposed
drainage plan, was prepared by the
Office of experiment stations Of the
United States department of agri-
culture, and by that Office trans
mitted to Hon. A. w. Gilchrist, COVER
nor of Florida, on March 6, 1909; and
on the 9th Of March, 1909, Hon. James
Wilson, secretary, by letter to Hon. A.
w. Gilchrist, governor, granted to the
| governor of Florida the right to sub
nit the extract to the legislature of
Florida as a portion of the report
which the honorable secretary said
would be published by the agricultural
department In the near future.
3. The trustees of the Internal I'm
provement Fund have in good faith
and upon abundant proof as to the
feasibility of the plans Of drainage
and the great value of the lands for
agricultural purposes, adopted efficient
and thoroughly feasible plans for the
drainage of the Everglades, and are
now actually and actively engaged in
the execution of said plans.
4. The legislature of Florida, In
1907, provided by law for the levytne
OF tax of five cents per acre, pei
apnum, upon all the lands lying with
in a drainage district including the
Everglades, as an aid to the trustees
of the Internal Improvement Fund in
the work of retaining this land. The
| validity OF which act has been con-
clusively upheld by the United States
circuit court of appeals. The appea,
to the United States supreme court
was dismissed by consent
5. Since your committee met, or
= February 8, 1912. to give Mr.. Clark o.
| Florida and Mr.. Bathrfck of Ohio ar
opportunity to appear before the com.
7 mittee and make such statements a:
they cared to make regarding the
Everglades of Florida, and such re-
o quests as they desired to present II
: regard to any action which the com
mittee might take in regard there
e to-" this committee has permitted thi
!, investigation, which Is being held un
= der the authority of the committee t.
. enquire into the expenditures in tn
department. of agriculture, to assum
. such breadth and scope, that witnesse
y before this committee have criticize,
= and attacked the feasibility of tn
= plans for draining the Everglades
Il which have been prepared by the de
- partnent of agriculture and adopte,
10 by the trustees of the Internal I'm
provement Fund of Florida, with sue
notifications as experience justified
- witnesses have been permitted to Civ
= hears evidence as to the allege
fallacies contained in the plan 70
draining the Everglades prepared b
u the engineers in the department o
Agriculture have been perrnitted I