Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-02-09
Tremendous Difficulties Faced In
Making Road Through Big
Cypress Swamp.
PART OF THE Dixie HIGHWAY
Less Than Twenty-Five Inhabitants on
Million Dollar Stretch Known as
the Taniami TraiI--Opens Up
Paradise for Motorists
and Hunters.


struction when completed cannot tell |
the story of difficulties met and over
come, instead of presenting the smooth |
finished appearance too often taken as
a matter of course by the casual OBJ
server, without thought as to how 1t
was brought about. This is going to
be the case of the Tamiami trail, u
highway, now being constructed
through the Everglades of Florida. The
road will extend from Tampa on the
west coast to Miami on the east, and
when completed in 1918 will represent
total outlay In excess of one million
dollars. Approximately $750,OOO has
been appropriated and work Is under
absolutely assured.
Large bridge projects have been pro-
vided for at the crossing Of the Mana
tee river at Bradentown and across
Charlotte harbor at Punta Gorda. OF
the total mileage Of 276.9, the stretch
| from Punta Gorda to Miami. repre-
senting mileage of 1889, has been in
'oi boiuteu as puit VI the iIiAic hiSh-
way. This is the most difficult part
Of the construction, as greater part
of 1t is through the Everglades.
Tremendous Difficulties Ahead.
With the exception of the compile
ton of the bridges at Bradentown and
Punta Gorda, well-graded road, with
n large part of the mileage surfaced.
will be provided from Tampa to Marco
early In 1917. Some additional funds
nre needed to surface the road In Lee
county. The highway from Marco to
Miami, a distance of SO miles. will
the year to complete. on account of the
tremendous difficulties to be overcome
In building through Big Cypress
swamp. An interesting fact connected
with the construction Of this extreme
Southern cross-state highway Is that
on the entire distance from Marco to
Miami there are less than % inhnbi-
tants. and these are ,mostly Seminole
Indians. Leading out of Miami the
Tamiami trail will extend for "a miles
west without curve or an angle.
The contractors are now obliterating
traces of the story of months spent in
battling against terrific odds In the
muck and water Of the Everglades as
they go, by sowing grass seed along
the embankment of the highway. Prop
erty owners are dotting the roadside
with palms and other tropical trees
md foliage, so that by the time tour
lists can travel this great highway
across the state. only canals. small
lakes and rich fertile fields will be in
the foreground, where once existed m
Impenetrable jungle with water mucb
and mud underneath.
Some idea of the "bigness" of the
Everglades may be obtained from ,
graphic account of his struggles on Biz
Bend furnished by Capt. X. b. Har
vey, who has the contract for IS miles
of the trail from Fort Myers to Mar
20. "There are no rules In the book,
yays Captain Harvey, ito fit the propo
hilton offered by Big Bend. 1t was
case of It's up to you, fight It out /
was scrub mangrove and grass muck
Think of the leaves on the trees shak
Ing and trembling, and the whole mas
} of muck and mud for hundreds of fee
In each direction quiverlng and shak
Ing like mass of Jelly with each vi
bration of the dredge engine. The
think of putting a 40,000-pound engin
across. Well, l put 1t over, but cam
. out wild, frantic and gray-headed. |
takes every nerve one has and ca
borrow. with muck and mud under
meath IL feet deep, and CHANGING tn
slightest mistake or error of judgmen
would make a buried and tangle
wreck Of 10000 pounds of steel an
machinery. Try II, and see what sleeI
less nights are"
In answer to the question OF how h
, he did It, Captain Harvey said that h
tried plank and log cribbing. but thi
. was too uncertain and treacherou
. Then brush mats were made and pile
up four feet high, the track laid o
them and the machine forced over tn
!. brush mats. "These mats" said Cal
p tain Harvey. "were often washed dow
in the muck until the track layer
| Nbulu nave W u lltlT
A In the mud to get out the rails an
a cross ties"
d For Hunters Of Big Game.
{ The tourist who travels this road, {
= he will be able TO do as far as Marc
= In 1917, will miss the thrills of II
= battle with the Everglades. The fir
i travellers may see the brown bear
4 wild cats and other denizens of Il
= jungles, which frequently come with
= POO yards of the workmen 10 satisi
a their curiosity as to what new ere
I, lures have come TO disturb their so
q tude Aside from catering to the d
h sires of the motorlst to explore II
b much-talked-of Everglades, view Il
wonderful scenery, and provide va
50 hunting preserve accessible to hunte
Of big game, the counties involved h,