The Pensacola journal., 1913-01-08
Park Tramnell Inaugurated
Governor of Florida
CONTINUED From Page seven.)


the ApalachicoIa river to the Suwanee
river. Leon county is the daughter OF
Gadsden county. You are sons and daugn-
ters Of Leon county. My father lived IN
Gadsden county years before ! was born.
and was residing in it at the time OF
my birth. Being a son of Gadsden county,
l am therefore a first or second cousin
to all of YOU people.
DRAINAGE OF THE EVERGLADES.
In other states, governors duties are
confined almost exclusively to executive
duties. In other states, various boards
perform the duties which under our con-
stitution and laws are performed by
boards consisting of the governor, as
chairman, and various members OF the
cabinet. OF these boards, the chairman
ship of the trustees of the Internal I'M
provement Fund of Florida imposes Of
tentirnes about as much work upon the
governor as is required in the executive
duties proper. The trustees are charged
with all the duties incidental to the drain
age of four million acres of land, includ-
ing the financing, letting of contracts,
surveying, sale and adjustments of va
rtous claims against the same. Prior to
the beginning of this administra ton.
there had been constructed 1924 miles of
canals in the Everglades. the first dredge
having commenced work on July 4, 1908.
the work costing ,lS.1 cents per cubic
During this administration, from Janu-
airy /, 1909, to July l, 1910. there were
constructed 1884 miles of canals at
y
1910, contract was let to the Furst-
Clark Construction Company TO execute
about 1s4 miles of canal, work to COM
mence July 1, 1910. the contract for ex-
cavation of rock being 20 cents and for
all other material cents per cubic yard.
the aYerge cost estimated to be 10 cents
per cubic yard The details OF the state
ment of the dredging operations may be
found in my message to the legislature
of 1911.
The contract provided for the construc-
ton of a canal from Lake Okeechobee to
Fort Lauderdale, from Lake Okeechobee
to Miami, with branch canal to Fort
Lauderdale. and canal from Lake
okeeehobee to the HiIlsborough river.
These canals are about so feet wide and
feet deep.
During the latter part of December,
1912, a contract was let for the eXcava-
ton of a canal from Lake Okeechobee to
West Palm Beach. at a cost of excava-
ton, of all material, without claSsif1ca-
ton, of 765 cents per cubic yard. This
canal is the shortest and widest of all
Il averages 70 feet wide at the bottom and
to 10 feet deep. In my opinion, when
these canals are completed, they will
about lower Lake Okeechobee to the
minimum depth allowed by the govern
ment, 16 feet above sea level. One or
two other canals may be necessary.
Lake Okeechobee is u feet above tide
water. The drainage of the same is en-
tirely practicable Water will run down
hill Nature has eDdeavored to ahord
drainage for the Everglades, as shown
in the many little rivers which head IN
the Everglades and empty into the At
lantic ocean. contract has been let
Tor the opening up and extending OF four
of these in the Everglades. 1t is neces-
sary that others should be extended. A
canal to Shark river on the Gulf of Mex
leo will probably be built. Without going
into further details, the Everglades can
be drained, win be drained and will be
great asset to the state Of Florida.
LANDS HELD BY THE TRUSTEES.
Under recent decision of the supreme
court of Florida, in the Root case VS..
the TRUSTEES, it was held that the. lands
were not 'irrevocably vested" in the
trustees, as was claimed by previous ad-
ministrations, but that legislatures subse
quent to the legislature Of 1855, which
over1owed lands in the trustees, had as
much control over the lands as the said
legislature. unless through operations of
the act of 1855 and of other acts, vested
rights had accrued; that the various acts
should be construed collectively; that the
first trust under the act of 1855 was the
trust to drain and reclaim the swamp
and overfowed lands granted by the act
has been executed, the claims of land
grant railroads were to be considered; ;
after which would come in the act Of
1908, directing the proceeds from the
sale of said lands to be applied on the
construction of hard roads.
AS appears from the foregoing, the
trustees might tear their shirts and work
themselves gray with the result that after
the lands, had been drained, all that was
left of the lands would become the prop
erty Of the various land grant railroads
The Florida East Coast Railway Company
was suing the trustees for 2,540,8de acres,
claiming that SOC, 900 acres were within
the six-mile limit of their railway. On
page 4S3, Vol. 4. of the minutes OF the
trustees, 1t appears that on February
18th, 1898, the trustees reserved all the
de eif faI he
low township IS for said railway com,
pany Subsequent trustees decided 61,65o. Sc
acres Of this reservation. The railway
company has secured a lis pendeas ca
OF their railway. On December 14th, 1912
the trustees conveyed to said railway
company all the lands held by them in
s serss ana also ecea Acre. sb99 %
uate on the eastern boundary of the
Everglades, and northward of Mort Laud-
erdale. The railway company conveyed
to the state school board all their rights
and claims to any Of the other lands.
On December 81, 1912, the trustees en-
tered into an agreement with the owners
of the grant of land made by acts Of
Thomasvilie & Gulf Railroad Company,
whereby this company is to convey to
the state school board all their claims
to zoos acres in consideration OF their
receiving township, %. 400 acres, the
same being situated in the southeastern
portion OF the Everglades. There are
now but few valid claims, If any. against
the lands held by the trustees The trus-
tees now hold between 100000 and
1000, 900 acres.
1t is the policy of the present trustees
to clear up all such claims on a reason
able basis, as indicated in the foregoing
transaction After such is done, I would
recommend that the legislature repeal
the act of 1908, chapter 5245, directing
that the proceeds Of the sale of swamI,
and overdowed lands be applied to the
construction Of hard roads. In lieu of
the same, it would be wen to pass an
act conveying the lands after they are
drained to the State Board of Education
On account of the sale of swamp and
overfowed lands, there has been placed
to the credit OF the State School fund
during this administration, $1f1,S91, and
on account Of the sale Of school lands,
ADMINISTRATIONS OF GOVERNORS.
The fact of their being any lands owned
by the trustees is due largely to the in
it1ative steps taken by Gov. W. S. Jen-
nlngs. 1t was during his administration
that the trustees first claimed that no
more lands should be decided to land
grant railroads, and that the lands should
be reclaimed and drained The patent
OF the United States government to the
state of the lands in the Everglades was
made during his administration. This
probably emphasized the Importance of
action. He was retained as attorney for