The Pensacola journal., 1920-01-04
Experts Declare Congressman
Clark's Project Feasible
and Worth Cost
SMITHWICK BACKS PLAN
Believes Pensacola Would Gain
Enormous Advantage Along
With Other Florida Ports
sMITHWICK BACKS PLAN
(aY GEORGE s. MANNlNe.A

washington. .. c., Jan. 3-The
adoption of the project for an inland
waterway connecting the Mississippi
river with the Atlantic ocean. ef which
the proposed St Mary's-St. Marks
canal across the northern end OF the
Florida peninsula is to be a principal
part, is to be urged upon congress by
the Florida delegation shortly after
the reopening of the congress sessions
tomorrow following the Christmas
holidays.
a bin to carry out this development,
which offers such enormous advan-
tages for Florida, was introduced in
the house of representatives a bout the
middle of December. by Congressman
Frank Clark of Florida.
Congressman J. II. Smithwick Of
west Florida. who believes this pro-
ject when executed will be the great
est and most beneficial waterway de-
velopment for the state of FLORIDA
since the state was founded, has been
actively cooperating with Mr. Clark
in efforts TO obtain full and prompt
consideration of the project by con-
gress. He will continue his efforts 10
obtain full hearing on the project
by the house rivers and harbors COM
mittee. with view to getting IA
vorable report TO the house on the
plan.
If congress will recognize the enor-
nous industrial, trade and transporta-
ton advantages that this proposed in
land waterway offers and will author
ize and appropriate for CARRYING IL
out, this waterway will prove to be
the biggest trade, Industrial and
transportation boomer that Pensacola.
St Andrews bay, Panama City. Apa
lachicola, Carrabelle, St Marks and
other harbors in western Florida and
the territory contiguous to them have
ever known" said Congressman
smithwick in speaking of the mat
ter today.
The building of this inland water
way from the Mississippi river 10 the
Atlantic ocean is the biggest PROPOSE
tlon IN a business way before Florida
today, continued Mr. Snithwick. 1T
win make the whole west eoast ~
Florida lane for an enormous trade
route that will be built up between the
MISSISSIPPI valley and ths Atlantic
coast and viii put the inland portion
OF west Florida within a few miles Of
tue uirect route between the Afissis-
slppi valley and the Atlantic coast
1t viii put all the west Florida
ports 500 miles nearer to the Atlantic
coast and Europe and viii make sbins
available for cargoes going east [o,. ).
west from these ports almost. e,tarv
day
The carrying out or the provisions
of the Clark bill would cornnlate the
inland waterway all the wav from
Boston to the Mississippi river. The
system now runs from Boston to New
YORK along the Atlantic coast con-
meeting at New York; with the wa
terway through the Erie canal and
Great Lakes 70 Chicago, and goes
south from New York to Cape Roman.
and few miles north of Charleston,
S. c..
It was originally proposed to con-
tinue down the coast to q point near
Miami, then cut through to the west
near Key West. and thence north on
the west coast of Florida around the
coast TO Alabama and Mississippi 10
New Orleans.
The Clark bin proposes to cut
through much further north on the
FLORIDA coast, at St. Mary,s river.
right where the Florida and Georgia
coastlines meet to St. Marks on the
west coast. The building Of a canal
is proposed between St. Mary's and
st. Marks. From St. Marks the wa
terway would continue on by a wa
terway now in use, but which would
be improved, along the Florida coast
to Mobile bay thence via Mississippi
sound and Lake Borgne to New Or
leans.
From New Orleans the ship could sail
up the Mississippi river to a point a
few miles north Of St. Louis. thence up
the Illinois river 10 point near Pc
oria, thence by a ship canal into the
Chicago river. 1t could then, tf de-
sirable, go through the Erie canal
route TO New York and around and
around always on an inland water
way, fully protected from storms and
seas.
The cut across the Florida peninsu
la by the ST. Mary's-S st. Marks route.
would cut off 500 miles BY making it
unnecessary to go around the entire
Florida coast This canal could be
built, engineers say. for less than it
would take to build an inland water