Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1917-01-26
ROAD BUILDING IN
THE EVERGLADES
Tremendous Difficulties Faced In
Making Road Through Big
4 Cypress Swamp.
PART or THE Dixie HIGHWAY

Part or THE dixie HIGHWAY
Lsss Than Twenty-Five Inhabltants on
MilIIsn-DoiIar Stretch Known 40
che Tsniismt TraiI--opens Up
ParadIss for Motorists a
and Hunters.
Miami, Fla.--It ID to be regretted
that great and daring projects Of con.
struction when completed cannot tell
the story Of dificulties met and over
come, instead Of presenting the smooth
fnished appearance too often taken as
Ia matter Of course by the casual OBJ
server, without a thought as to how 1t
was brought about. This Is going to
be the case Of the Tamiami trail, a
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
. total outlay in excess Of one million
collars. approximately S75o,OO0' has
been appropriated and work Is under
way, 30 that its ultimate completion 10
absolutely assured.
Large bridge projects have been pro-
ylded for at the crossing of the Mana.
tee river at Bradentown and across
Charlotte harbor at Punta Gorda. OF
the total mileage Of 2769, the stretch
rom Punta Gorda to Miami, repre-.
senting mileage of 1888, has been In
eorporated as part Of the Dixie high.
way. This Is the most dificult part
Of the construction, az a greater part
pf II is through the Everglades.
Tremendous Difficulties Ahead.
With the exception of the comnle.
tlon Of the bridges at Bradentown and
punta uorda, a. well-eraded road, WIN
q large part of the mileage surfaced,
will be provided from Tampa to Marco
early In 1e17. Some additiona, funds
are needed to surface the road in Lee
county. The highway from Marco 10
Miami, a distance OF 81 miles. win
probably require the greater part of
the year to complete. on account az the
tremendous difficulties to be overcome
A, A..sta,- 49,. NJ, ~
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 rs inhabl-,
tsnts. and these are mostly Seminole
Indians. Leading out Of Miami the
Tamiaml trail win extend for "a miles
west without curve or an angle.
The contractors are now obiiterating
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
srty owners are dotting the roadside
with palms and other tropical trees
md foliage, so that by the time tour
lsts can travel this great highway
across the state. only canals, small
lakes and rich fertile Zelda Will be in
the foreground. where once existed an
Impenetrable jungle with water, muck
and mud underneath.
BIuness Of the Task.
Some idea Of the abIrness,. OF the
task Of building 4 road through the
nvereIades NAV be obtained from 4
account OF his strugeies on Biz
Bend. furnished iby Cant. x. d. Har.
vey. who has the contract for Is miles
II the trail fron Fort Myers to Mar.
70. ssThere are no rules in the book y
,ays Captain Harvey, ITO at the propo- (;
sitfon offered BY Big Bend. II was A
It's IN 10 Won. fIeht II ont, II /
was scrub manrroye and grass muck. {
Think Of the leaves on the trees shak- I
~ ana trembling, ana the whole mass
IL muck ana mud for hundreds OF feat
n each direction uuiyering and shak. !;
ING like a mass Of Jelly with each " Y
,ration Of the dredEe engine. Then