The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1915-03-11
W. B. Clay GETS
LARGE CONTRACT
HE HAS BEEN APPOINTED CHIEF
ENGINEER FOR CONSTRUCTION
OF THE NEW FORT MYERS,
MARCO BAY AND MIAMI RAIL
WAY TO BE STARTED AT
ONCE.

Is learned that Mr.. Walter u.
Clay. of Arcadia, has been appointed
the chief engineer for the new line OF
railroad that is to be built across the
Florida peninsula from Fort Myers to
Miami.
\The name of the new line is the Fort
Myers, Marco Bay and Miami hall-
road II will be constructed by the
West Coast Construction and Develop
ment Company, company especially
cbsrtered for this work. 1t is the larg-
est and most important piece OF con
structlon contract work that has been
let since the Florida East Coast Rail
road contract was let by Mr.. Flagler,
ana Il IS a source for sincere pride for
That our esteemed Arcadia citizen
IA hp nv dominant figure in this
duperu y undertaking, and we not
,pIy -. but we know, that Mr.. Clay
,.nI make good and place himself, by
lhIs own efforts, among the great con-
str,,rt ion engineers of the world. This
piece Of railroad building VIII be an
item, of immense magnitude, and 1t Is
hard for us to Mt first realize Just how
much It means to Florida, and the
Whole country There viii be great OBJ
stacIcs to\oycrcOme, and when COM
pleted itywNl be among the greatest of
\englnecfhg fonts the modern times
pfodnces J a great part Of the road will
lBe through marsh und swamp and EV-
| erglades, 'r here no engineer has ever
surveyed and heretofore called impen-
I etrable.
I il will rellirc over two millions Of
dollars 10 complete the road with its
docks aud terminals, and the money Is
available for the work from eastern
and Chicago capitalists.
The engineering end of the work Is
LIN charge of Mr.. W. Il. Clay, of Ar
cadia, said to be the most experienc'
civil engineer in Florida, and certain-
ly possessed of the best knowledge Of
I the southern portion of the state. MI .
Clay has two engineer assistants with
him. and is getting together his crew
of men. Mr. Clay has trampcd over u
counties of the state, and has made
and had published large maps of these
counties from. his own and government
! surveys, and there are few places IL
these counties that he or his assistant
have not seen.
, On the 10Th of this month Mr.. Clay
with his assistant engineers and sur
b vcying crew, will start out on the per
e manent survey from Fort Myers. liz
T. will have twenty men, three doubt
mule teams and all camp and surle!
h equipment that is necessary. Bases o
4 supplies will be provided along tn
:. route as the work progresses, and tn
c survey will be pushed as rapidly a
II possible. He expects to have the wor
= completed in two months or three Il
II the outside, and will make most elal
crate profile maps, and from his dc
= tailed reports the contracts can be le
J. for the actual construction Of the roaC
y for the condition Of every yard on tn
l. route. the material underfoot, tn
r. grades and fills, the water encountered
!. etc, viii be shown.
l. The route decided on for the roa
"a and the survey will be from Fort My
4. ers almost due south to Naples an
$, Marco Bay, thence straight across tn
&C state. east, two-thirds of the distance
TT and then taking a southeasterly dire
m ton to Miami n total distance Of Il
10 miIas