The Washington times., 1913-05-02
.TIA4ES'- QSURETO
Complete Reorganization of Engineering and Financial Plan tor
Drainage of Florida Land Is Accompished-Chet
photographer Of Geological Survey to Aid Work.
By JUDSON C. WELLIvER.

Engineering Corporation OF New 1"' ~
under which the corporation Is l'sl
to make a detailed examination ana re-
port, and then, If the State determines
TO proceed with the work. will handle
the enCineering and construction busl-
ness Mr. Leighton has accepted the
place of chief engineer for the White
concern in connection with this project.
at a salary which, it is understood
marks him as one of the most notaoie
cases in recent time of Government peo-
pie going out into private business at
startling advances in remuneration.
He will leave tomorrow for Florida
for the first general examination of the
situation.
Il go with an entirely open mind and
no prjudices or ideas" he said
TODAY II don't know any more about
the Everglades. than could be gathered
from one cursory examination OF the
eastern side and such matter as L nave
read"
The Everklades proposition is of keen
interest to WashingtOnians because
several thousands of them have bought
lands there on the faith of the nralh-
age project, in the confident eNpecta,
ton that it would be successful ana
mense value Lately. because OF the
troubles that have involved the enter
rrise there has been. a good deal OF
pessimism. The States reorEanlZalioi,
of the whole work. in the hands OF
such engineers as Leighton and Ran
dolph. and the enlistment of the imam
cial resources of the White concern;
Justify confidence that a great final
effort is to be made.
The Everglades Swamp.
The Everglades swamp is a vast
saucer-shaped basin, set in limestone
formation. Lake Okechobee is at the
center, and there is a fall of about
twenty feet from the lake surface to
the gulf and the Atlantic. The first
problem is to build network Of canals
that will carry away enough of the
lakes water to permit the surrounding
swamp to dry out and be made avail
able for cultivation.
But even if this be found possible
there still remains the question oi
whether the reclaimed soil can be usei
1t is a peaty formation, shallow, and
liable, when too dry, to catch fire arc
burn most disa sastrously. Therefore the
proposition is one in both drainage and
irrigation-to carry away just enough
valuable, and yet to leave enough Il
keep it too moist, a. all times. fol
burning, Nothing quite like it has beer
undertaken before.
The White Company and Mr.. Ran
dolph. for the State. will spend year
In investigation of these questions be-
fore spadeful of construction Is un-
dertaken. After theT- have made u
their findings and recommendations ii
must then be decided whether to pro-
ceed or to give up the entire plan as
impracticable and uneconomic. That
the vast swamp can be draincl Is not
seriously doubted; that II car be done
without prohibItive expense Il less GER
tain.
In leaving the Government service,
Mr. Leighton resigns post he has
held for seven years. As chief n.y.
drosrapher. he developed the compre-
hensive scheme of storage reservoirs
for controlling waters of the UPPER
reaches of the Mississippi system. lie
urged strongly, that the great expense
of such a stupendous work would be
Justified by the results in power. safety
and property insurance. At the time
the project was put out 1t was secuted
hv many conservatives: TODAY II Is
looked upon as the one practical solu,
tion of the problem Of the Mississippi
basin.