The Punta Gorda herald., 1922-05-12
Government Proposes to DredSe
Channel and Turning Basin Near
Bridge Fill; Asks Town to Put Up
One-Fourth Cost Which is Guaran-
teed by Judge Cooper

Ic prospect Vi securing govern
ment aid in deepening the channel in
Charlotte harbor and bringing it tC
a point that will make its use rracti.
cable, seems brighter now than ever
before-in fact, the government
through its engineers, has filed def
mite proposal to do the work, condi-
toned upon the town putting up one
fourth of the total cost of the i'm
proVement, which is estimated at
1000, of which amount the towns
share is $3.50.
At mass meeting of citizens call
ed by City Manager Price Monday
night, after considerable discussion as
10 ways and means Of raising the
towns part of the cost of the inn
leading nowhere, Judge William Fen
nimOre Cooper, OF Punta GOrda ana
Chicago. announced that he would
personally guarantee the amount re-
qulred to be guaranteed in order to
secure the improvements that have
been long desired and much talked
about. The judges offer was greet
ed by spontaneous Outburst of ap-
plause and before the meeting ad-
journed a unanimous vote of thanks
was extended him for his generous
offer, which cleared the way for def
mite and speedy action, the manager
being instructed to wire Major Lem
en- that the town would provide it's
share of the cost of the proposed I'M
provements.
During the past two years, govern
ment engineers have visited Punta
Gorda on several occasions for the
purpose of holding public meetings
pie as to harbor Improvements. AT
the last of these meetings the engin-
oer was told that what the town
needed and wanted was a channel of
sufficient width and depth extending
from the head Of the old city dock
to the bridge fill with a turning
basin between the fill and the rail
'o"u 'iNu lPs uocNS' \ ne" udSS "To
'elteI ana d map SHOWING tue pro
posed improvements were received by
Mr.. Price. The map showed chan
mel 10 feet deep and 700 wide eX-
'ehu'hS from the h'aa oI 'he ola city
dock to the bridge fill and terminal
ing IN a 3OO-foot turning basin. The
IelteI Sldleu ihdl Ih' COST oI lhe pro-
PoSH improvement "ohid pe $5''-
"0O' oL "n'c" Ih' government "ouIu
require '"' lo"H TO pay oHe-ioutlH
or @o''o'' ana I'M ofAlatIoh as 10 the
type an" SIZE oi o"lloiiES ana lhe
l'hIlA ana construction oil DOCKS inc
cIIS "oulu De "l'lLh- 10 erect "h'H
'H' propose" improvements are Ildu''
AZ the hleetlh& MONDAY hIEh' 'h'
le"SiDili'J OF DuIIuIhI d Sea"aIi from
'"e bIiu-' HI I'ldIHl"N wall 10 con
meet win the present Sea"ali WheF.
III euu7 nearly III 'front.' o' '"e no
Punta GoFda was discussed the Id'd
DeihE IAa' the Sahu removed TO MAKE
'he chdAheI ana turning N'1 '"U'"
be pumped In back oi TINS wall ana n
great deal oI 'aiuaolo ana maze lh
TINS manner at no oilie' cost IMAM 'A'
cost oi the seaWaIi II was suggest
ed thal s-Nc" IN" entire county won"
ben"Ht by the Improvement OF the
channel that a special county tax be
levied 10 detray the cost OF the chan
mel, the s"aWaIl to be paid FOR by the
town, but this idea did not seem to
meet with the approval OF majority
OF those present, many expressing the
idea that the entire cost OF the I'M
provement, not to be paid by the gov
ernment, should be pafd by the town,
since It would have jurisdiction over