The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1912-02-16
WILSON u ] | S involved n Y!||O|||L Z
SUPPRESSION or REPORTS ON
EVERGLADES LAID TO AoRl.
CULTURAL DEPARTMENT..
THE FACTS SUPPRESSED
House Expenditure Committee Will
Investigate Conditions in Florlds.
Gigantic Land Fraud, lnvoiv.
wing Millions Of Acres.


wing Millions Of Acres.
Washington, D. C.-Anothert inves-
tigation Of the department Of agricul-
ture involving orders Of Secretary Will
son and Solicitor McCabe. similar in
many respects to the recently con-
cluded McCabe-Wiley controversy, but
which embraces charges of suppressed
reports and influence of land specula-
tors over government officials, is to
be instituted by the house committee
on expenditures in the agricultural
department.
Circumstances. smoldering for
months. relating to exploitation of
Florida Everglade lands. millions of
acres of which have been sold
throughout the country by syndicates
in the past few years. burst into a
flame before the committee following
the summary dismissal from the gov.
eminent service by Secretary Wilson
Of c. G. Elliott. chief engineer of the
drainage division Of the department,
and Assistant Engineer A. D. More
house. and the suspension of F. e.
Singleton. an accountant, on a techni-
cal charge of transference of public
funds.
Representatives Frank Clark Of Flor
ida and E. r. Bathrick of Ohio, who
have instigated the investigation,
charging the congressional committee
that officials Of the department of az
riculture had been influenced by Flor.
ida Everglade land promoters in the
suppression of a report on the condi-
ton of the lands made by the drainage
department; that Chief Engineer Ell.
lott was threatened by agents of the
land promoters unless he would revise
circular letter to the public which
did not contain laudatory references to
the lands they were selling, and that
upon his refusal, the circular and a
subsequent fuller report were sup
pressed by the order of Secretary Will
son and that later. Engineers Elliott
and Morehouse we're removed from Of
fee.
McCabe Before Committee.
Solicitor McCabe. who was called be.
for the house committee, of which
Representative Moss of Indiana is the
denied that the dismissal of
the department officials was in any
way caused by the Florida land case
and declared that the action was tax
en- following charges that the dis.
nfissed men had misapplied funds. All
the papers relating to this feature of
the case he turned over to the depart.
ment Of justice for possible prosecu.
ton.
The charges involving the dismissed
men were reported to have been made
to Solicitor McCabe recently byJ.O.
Wright. former subordinate of Ell
lott, but at present chief engineer of
the board of trustees of the internal
fund of the state of
Florida. Wright made a favorable re-
port upon the Everglade lands and
soon afterward resigned from Office to
enter the employ Of the state of Flor
ida.
]. o. Wright and a corps of engi-
neers of the drainage department wsre
sent to Florida by Chief Engineer FL
lott to make survey and to compile
q complete report. Here, according
to Representative Clark, began the
trouble that has led up to the present
The circular sal dto have been sup
pressed by Secretary Wilson, also will
be in evidence before the committee.
Purposes Of Circular.
This circular was made up on &C.
count of public demand for infor.
while the printed report from
Engineer Wright, which was bulky,
was being awaited. Engineer Elliott
outlined portions of the circular, I'M
favorably to the exploitation schemes
of the land syndicate, which he de-
clared Howe and Will demanded that
he retract. The circular in the main
recited the government reclamation
and drainage plans for the Everglades
and included many favorable refer
ences to the prospects.
The charge against the discharged
officials is that several years ago they
ran short in the appropriation for the
drainage division because funds had
been irregularly loaned to the irriga-
ton division Of the department. Drain
age work was in progress In North
Carolina and q private contractor was
engaged who finished the work and
was compensated in the next years
appropriation, being carried on the
pay roll as an employe.
Singleton, who II suspended, Ii de-
clared to have suggested this means
of carrying on the uncompleted work.
The total was about 5000. but no a.
nancial gain accrued IL any nf the az.