Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-16

Washington, March Is Especially
There is probably no man in public
life who watches with keener inter-
est every possibility for developing
additional facilities for TRANSPORTATION
than Senator Duncan L. Fletcher of
Florida. For five years Sen. Fletch-
er has been president of the MISSISSIPPI
pi-to- Atlantic Inland Waterways AS
soeiation and director of the Ma
tienal Rivers and Harbors Congress.
During that time he has been an en-
thusiastic advocate of waterway i'm
provement his pleasing personality
and his intelligent appreciation of the
needs Of commerce for added means
of transportation being largely instru-
mental in bringing about waterway
improvements beneficial to the whole
country,
Our people are greatly interested"
said the senator. lin the plan for an
inside waterway from Cape Cod to
the Rio Grande and will do every
thing possible to make this dream a
reality; but, while vitality interested
in the whole scheme of an intra-
coastal waterway, we are especially
enthusiastic over the connecting up
of certain links in this waterway
chain. These links extend from New
Orleans, on the Mississippi river,
along the Gulf of Mexico to the west
coast of Florida. thence across my
own fair state to the Atlantic ocean.
connecting on the Atlantic coast with
the canal or inland waterway from
Key West to Boston.
"a favorab BILE report has been made
by the army engineers on the entire
inland waterway from st. Georges
sound, on the west coast of the penin-
sula of Florida to the Rio Grande.
The portion from Galveston to Cor
pus Christi, Texas. is already in op-
Grafton and the pending river and
harbor bill makes provision for the
sections from Corpus Christi to the
Rio Grande and from Galveston to
the Louisiana line.
"In Louisiana a chain OF waterways
is already open from the Mississippi
to the Mermentau river and work is
in progress westward from the Mer-
mentau to the Sabine river which
makes the boundary between Texas
and Louisiana.
THE sections from ST. Georges
sound to ST Andrews bay and from
Choctawhatchee bay to Pensacola bay
are practically completed and the
present river and harbor bill provides
fer the section from Mobile bay to
the Mississippi river, leaving the sec
tons from st. Andrews bay to Choc-
tawhatchee bay, which is to cost 49,
100000, and that from Pensacola bay
to Mobile bay, which is to cost $780,
1888, for the future. The depth of the
channel has been fixed at five feet
except between St. Andrews and
Chcctawhatchee bays, where it will
be six feet.
Five routes have been surveyed
across Florida and the one, most fav-
orcd by the engineers leads up the st.
Johns river to the Oklawaha river,
distance of about 100 miles and thence
up the Oklawaha to Lake Dora.
thence to the Withlacooche river and
out Of the gulf at its mouth OF
course there is plenty of water up to
the Olxlawaha, and a favorable re-
port has been made by the engineers
and provision made in the present bill
for the improvement of the latter
stream. The depth recommended is 6
feet with a width of 60 feet. several
locks also being provided for and the
whole to cost S733, 900. This will ta.-e
the canal half way across Florida and
more. and eventually | have no doubt
it will be carried to the gulf and be-
come a great transportation highway.
There Is an inland waterway from
the st Johns river to Key West. some
of which is owned by the Florida
East Coast Canal Co, which built 1t.
Tolls are charged on that portion. A
few days ago I introduced a joint res
olution providing for a commission to
look into the feasibility of having the
government acquire this entire water
way, which would then become free
and be maintained by the government.
1t will afford a much needed addition
al means OF transportation along the
coast both for freight and passengers
ard 1t will also afford facilities for
pleasure yachts and boats of all kinds,
of which large numbers are found in
Florida, especially in winter.
THE Cape Cod canal is under con-
struction by q private company and