The Chipley banner. (Chipley, Washington County, Fla.) 1893-1943, 1912-04-18

L
ernment has already cone TO recognize
that the Development and Improvement
OF waterways in the United States Is a
function Of the National governments,
and that the cOntentment, prosperity and
wealth Of tho nation is dependent, to a
degree, thereupon. This conception.
which all now recognize as just and right
Is an evolution, through slow process Of
the public mind.
A ViSabIe Illustration.
ST. JOHNS RIVER.
| We have IN the State Of Florida river,
worth moro for the making Of wealth, the
reclalmng Of lands, the building OF home
and schools, and the bringing OF a health
fu and thrifty citizenship to the State,
than is In the power of many men, at the
present time to conceive To many Of
the citizens OF Florida the ST. Juhns river
means no more than it meant to the Wild
Creek or Seminole Indian, a pleasant
stream 10 meander along the hanks Of,
and goodly place for pastlme with the
rod aud gun The United States govern
ment itself. has as yet never had brought
brfore its Congress the enormous poten-
tial value of this stream to this State and
to the.Natlon. The paltry Sums Of mon.
ey which have been expended by the gov
ernment in improving navigation is the
best argument for showing that neither
your representatives in Congress, nor
others, have succeeded in bringing to
public attention, this natural sourcefrom
which In the future, shall come untold
wealth to the people Of this State. II one
will make study of the topography of
the country through which the st. Johns
river flows; consider the direction which
the river tends, and recall that from It's
source to beyond Jacksonville, when IL
gives itself TO the great ocean, there Is
only fall of an insufficient number OF
feet; there is not, what may be called a
rapid IN the entire length, he will be star
tied at the content latlon of the ease and
comparatively little cost with which this
river can be turned into great OCEAN
&c CANAL, with ocean steamers coming
to their piers and taking on their cargoes
at Sanford. and such an observer, will al
so see that the present development of the
State is only in its infancy Under this
procedure new possibilities will come to
the old man, ready to turn over the af-
fairs OF life to the son, and larger hopes
will spring In the breast of every younger
son of toll.
We, as yet, are new In this State to
large expenditures, but happily that Ma
ton has come to understand that large
expenditure, resulting in permanent good
is better than small expenditure, result
ing in nothing that is lasting. In my
Judgement, IL the merits OF the st. Johns
river is a stream for the travel of ocean
steamers inland, were put before Con-
gress, with the force that the cause de-
mands, million or two millions of dol
lars could be secured for such a purpose,
as easily and more so, than one hundred
thousand dollars could be secured for the
Improvement of some particular part OF
this river, resulting 10 no lasting good
and bringing no apparent prosperity to
any large section OF the State.
II the st. Johns river was opened for
ocean vessels TO Sanford, the canal, un
der the sluggish flow of the stream would
remain open for GENERATIONS. The nat
ure OF the stream and the country through
which It flows are such that no amount
OF rainfall would ever endanger It's can
mel by filling 1t with the wash from floods
as is the case Ia most OF the streams OF
America.
The most impressive stream In the
British Isles, is the Clyde m Scotland,
but IL is not known to the average travel
er that this great ship bearing river. of
the greatest vessels that ply the ocean, is
entirely man-made stream for such
craft. Time was when only the small
craft of the wild man Of the North Of Eu-
rope piled these waters. now the ships Of
all seas empty their bottoms at GLASGOW
and from the great ship yards that line
the banks Of this great canal-Tlver, some
Of the finest ships afioat have been sent
down her channel TO do service on all the
oceans OF the world, and some Of the
most beautiful homes OF men are on the
banks OF this stream, made beautiful be-
cause made servIceable, by the skill and
energy. and daring OF man.
What caa Be Done.
Under modern engineering the 50 Johns
river may be made great ship carrying
canal, with such ease as TO make the OPP
enlng OF the Clyde In Scotland appear a
Herculean task IN comparison. The fact
Is that under the system Of snction the
mud from the channel could be banked on
either side, without Interfering with the
fow OF water or essenlng It's volume and
which IN no way, would do damage 70
property Immediately 1aadcent 70 the rly-
or nor 70 surrounding country
There would be no expensive blasting
or cuts from Sanford 20 the ocean. Nota