The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-01-25
Tremendous Difficulties Faced in
Making Road Through Big
Cypress Swamp.
PART OF THE Dixie HIGHWAY
Less Than Twenty-Five inhabitants or
MiIIion-DolIar Stretch Known as
the Tamiami TralI-Opens Up
Paradise for Motorists
and Hunters.


strucEion 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
be the case of the Tamiami trail,
greater part of which is over the Dixie
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
a total outlay in excess of one million
dollars. Approximately $750,0OO has
been appropriated and work is under
way, so that it's ultimate completion Is
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
cOrpOrated as part of the Dixie high
way. This is the most difficult part
of the construction, as a 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, a well-graded road, with
a large part of the mileage surfaced,
will be provided from Tampa to Marco
early in 1917. Some additional funds
are needed to surface the road in Lee
county. The highway from Marco to
Miami, distance of SO miles, will
probably require the greater part of
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
Miami there are less than 25 inhabi-
tants, and these are mostly Seminole
Indians. Leading out of Miami the
Tamiami trail will extend for "a miles
west without a 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
and 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 an
impenetrable jungle with water, muck
and mud underneath.
Some idea of the "bigness" of the
task of building road through the
Everglades may be obtained from a
graphic account of his struggles on Big
Bend, furnished by Capt. X. B. Har-
vey, who has the contract for So miles
of the trail from Fort Myers to Mar
co. "There are no rules in the book,
says Captain Harvey, ito fit the propo.
sition offered by Big Bend. 1t was a
case of It's up to you, fight it out 1t
was scrub mangrove and grass muck.
Think of the leaves on the trees shak-
ing and trembling, and the whole mass
of muck and mud for hundreds of feet
in each direction quivering and Shak-
ing like mass of jelly with each vi
bratiOn Of the dredge engine. Then
think of putting a 40,O00-pOund engine
across. Well, I put it over, but came
out wild, frantic and gray-headed. 1t
takes every nerve one has and can
meath II feet deep, and CHANGING the
slightest mistake or error Of judgment
would make a buried and tangled
wreck of 10000 pounds of steel and
machinery. Try it, and see what sleep
less nights are"
In answer to the question of how he
he did it, Captain Harvey said that he
tried plank and log cribbing, but this
was too uncertain and treacherouS
Then brush mats were made and piled
up four feet high, the track laid on
them and the machine forced over the
brush mats. 'These mats" said Cap
tain Harvey, "were often washed down
in the muck until the track layers
would have to fish to their shoulders
in the mud to get out the rails and
cross ties"
For Hunters of Big Game.
The tourist who travels this road, as
he will be able to do as far as Marco
in 1917, will miss the thrills of the
battle with the Everglades. The first
travellers may see the brown bears,
wild cats and other denizens of the
jungles, which frequently come within
200 yards of the workmen to satisfy
their curiosity as to what new crea-
lures have come to disturb their soli-
tude. Aside from catering to the de-
sires of the motOrist to explore the
much-talked-of Everglades. view the
wonderful scenery, and provide a vast
hunting preserve accessible to hunters
of big game, the counties involved had
a tremendously big commercial idea in