The Washington herald., 1912-02-07


lands that would be under water for an
indefinite number Of years TO come.
Then he told OF a report prepared by
~. .. Wright IN 1909. when he was an
\ engineer in the Department Of Asricul-
ture. According to Representative Clark,
II was so unfavorabIe to the Everglades
project that II had 10 be entirely changed
before being sent 10 the nrinter by Chief
Engineer Elliott. II was this revised re-
port which. Il is charged. Secretary VIII
son refused to make public.
1 Wilson's Alleged Attitude.
Il went to the Agricultural Department
with two friends from Florida said Mr..
Clark. ito ask shout this report. and why
It had not been published. l inquired Of
the Secretary why he had suppressed It.
He told me he Tad done so at the request
Of the people who were selling the Ever
glades lands"
In support Of this statement, a letter
was laid before the committee. and this
letter was by W. r. Hardee, Of Jensen.
Fla, one OF the men who accompanied
Mr.. Clark to the department on the oc-
casion referred TO. Mr.. Hardee says in
his letter that Secretary Wilson, being
pressed for a fuller explanation OF why
he had suppressed the report unfavor-
able to the Everglades lands, replied:
II am not running this ONCE for the
protection of fools who do not know any
better than TO buy something they never
saw and do not know anything about"
Orders from "IIIsher Up"
Considerable documentary evidence ac-
companied Representative Clark's state
ments. It included a letter written by
Chief Engineer Elliott to Secretary VIII
son. in which he said that Director True
and himself had been visited by L. c.
Howe and Thomas II. VIII. agents OF
the Florida Everglades Land Company.
and threatened with exposure II they did
not cease sending out circulars prepared
for distribution to prospective purchas-
ers who applied to the department for
information regarding the lands Upon
my refusal TO entertain such a prono-
sltlon. wrote Mr.. Elliott. Mr.. Howe
INFORMED me in somewhat strong
language that unless acceded 10 their
wishes they would take the matter up
higher and compel me to suppress ali
Information regarding the Everglades "
soon atterward, Mr.. Elliott asserts. ne
received instructions TO cease sending ont
the circulars. The direction from Won 10
furnish no further information about the
ENergiades'' continues Mr.. Elliott 10 the
Secretary, was emphasized in the fol-
INTO your Office and empha ticaIly eau
toned TO give no information whatever
TO any one about the Everglades. As 4
REMAINDER, you remarked that the state
and real estate dealers were engaged in
a promotion scheme that the department
should have nothing 10 do with"
Circular Gave Warming.
The circular letter to which Chief En-
gineer Elliott refers and to portions OF
which the Everglades land promoters
took exception. seems a harmless enough
document. although the complaining rep
ressntatives say II would not help the
sale OF the lands. IT called attention
Tor instance, 70 annual rainfall in South
ern Florida OF from 90 to 20 inches. to the
fact that the temperature ranged from
- TO 70 degrees, remarked that"the long
and hot summers are usually very irk-
some to the people from more Northern
States" and declared that the soil OF the
lands was OF the nature OF muck or peat.
The circular also remarked on the neces-
stty for irrigation after drainage, II the
drainage. could be accomplished, in or
der that the peat soil might be prevent
ed from catching fire and burning Large
quantities OF fertilizer, the circular
wound up. would be necessary in any
event to the successful cultivation OF the
soil.
Wright Secured Dismissal.
On January 10 Wright, no longer en-
ployed by the government. but connected
with the Everglades company. came TO
Washington and preferred charges
against Elliott, Morehouse. and Single |
ton. His charge was that when the
drainage fund was exhausted In 1903 they
had allowed one man IN North Carolina
IN 60 "a,
funds for certain work that had to be
done, and that afterward these men who |
had advanced the money were placed on !
the rolls as government employees and |
kept :here until they had received in |
salary the amount they had advanced |
There is no accusation that Elliott, |
Morehouse. or Singleton profited by the |
transaction, or that the local men who |
had advanced the. money received any |
more than the amount OF such advances. |
viii Fight for Reinstatement.
Representatives Clark and Bathrick in-
tend to make a hot fight for EIliotts
reinstatement and the reinstatement Of |
the other two officials punished. Clark |
declared last night that Solicitor McCabe
threatened to have Elliott prosecuted 1
criminally II he attempted to make
trouble.
McCabe Makes Explanation.
Mr.. McCabe last night asserted that
the matter would appear in a different
light when the department chiefs ex-
planned It. The history of the depart
ments connection with the Everglades
proposition, as given by Mr.. McCabe, is
as follows: ]. A. Wright. then an en-
gineer for the Agriculture Department,
prepared a report on the subject, which
Mr.. Elliott objected TO in part and in
which he made a few minor changes.
Mr.. Elliott submitted this report to the
Secretary of Agriculture and asked for
its approval. Secretary Wilson did ap-
prove and send It to the Government
Printing once. In the meantime. an en-
gineer, who had absolutely no connec-
tion with the Department of Agricul-
ture. and who had seen the advance
proofs of the report informed Mr. El-
lott that the report contained incorrect
statements.
Thereupon Mr.. Elliott, according to
McCabe. proceeded TO prepare q circular
of HIS own without authority from the
Secretary and also without any investi-
cation. MeCabe charges that he changed
the engineering data IN the report with
out any attempt to make an investiga-
tion Of his own. When this circular