Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-11-19
INLAND WATERWAYS
RECEIVE ENDORSEMENT

RECEIVE ENDURoEMENl
Because of the intense value to all
central Florida the inland waterways
project which has been made the sub
ject for much comment during the
past half dozen years has of late
received much publicity. At Lees
burg there has been a convention at
which were present more than two
hundred residents of the sections of
the state which would receive mate
rial benefit, and Investigations went
deeper than ever before. Much i'm
portant detail was brought out at
the meetings which were conducted
at the instance of the war depart
ment, the hearing having been called,
it is currently believed, to forestall
a lesser project of constructing a
dam and lock at Moss Bluff, on the
Ocklawaha river a few miles from
Leesburg. The bids for that work
are to be opened on Saturday, No
vember 25.
At these meetings there vas disc
cussed a route for an intercoastal
waterway in which Palatka is strong
ly interested for the completion of
the projected improvement would
place this city at a point of vantage
which would prove most beneficial.
1t would bring about the construc-
ton of municipal docks and build
ings at Palatka which for years
would be the principal point of de-
barkation for all freights, and dur
ing that time theestablishment of
greater enterprises would have tax
en- place whose Importance could not
be easily shaken off.
The route which was considered
and discussed by the gathering at
Iseesburg follows the St. Johns river
to Palatka, already a shipping point
of prominence, thence to Welaka,
sixteen miles from Palatka, but on
the opposite side of the river. At
that point the proposed canal turns
westerly and parallels the Ockla-
waha river to where Eaton creke en-
tiers Lake Eaton, and at this juno
.ture the Ocklawaha river proceeds to
Silver Spring run and to Silver
Springs at Ocala. Leaving the Ock-
lawaha river the route of the canal
runs southerly through a chain of
small lakes to a point east of Lake
Weir, where it again parallels the
Ocklawaha river into Lake Griffin,
thence through Leesburg into Lake
Harris and thence across high land
to Lake Okahumpka, and thence in
northwesterly direction for twenty
miles, where it empties into the
Withlacoochee river mad into the
Gulf of Mexico at Port Inflis on
Withlacoochee bay, in Levy county.
This route is what will probably be
termed the Harris lake route, that
body of water and a few other lakes
in Lake county having been deter
mined ascapable of furnishing "the
summit source of supply"
In a report made in 1913 by Major
W. H. Bixby, chief of engineers of
the United States army, the follow
ing was made of record:
"The board finds that the water
supply of the Lake Harris route is
much larger than necessary for the
proposed canal and will provide a
large surplus for increase in COM
merce and 70 "a possible future i'm
provement or enlargement of the ca
nal, and that. this supply could be
further augmented if necessary by
drawing from other large lakes in
the vicinity. For this reason the spe-
cial board is Of the opinion that this
route by way of st. Johns river, Ock
lawaha river, Lakes Griffin and Har-
ris and the Withlacoochee river is
the best route,
"This project provided for a canal
having a depth of ten feet below
lowest water mark, a standard bot
tom width of 100 feet, to be ncreas-
ed in open water to a maximum of
200 feet, depending upon width of
open water, and with locks of
It disable length and 45 feet
po'le cost was then estimated
sSln0 with S375,OOO annual
esne
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