The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-05-10
TAMIAMI TRAIL TRUTHS
Miami Daily News)

miami Daily News)
First-hand information on the routing of the
Tamiam trail obtained by representatives of the
Miami Chamber of Commerce, who walked through
the Everglades to obtain facts and sweep away the
mystery to the merits of various proposals, re-
veas the extent to which the interests of the state
may be jeopardized by officials who base their
decisions upon conflicting claims of prejudieed
parties rather than expert impartial observation.
To engineers, men who own no land on either
route and who have political interest, the sur
vey pointed to but conclusion. cross-state
highway is being built through the greatest ex-
panse of virgin land in the United States, land
with metropolitan cities on either side and untold
potential wealth between The steam shoves and
drills are eight miles apart not in direct line
east and west as the trail is to extend, but directly
opposite north and south Midway is the line
dividing rival counties and rival private interests.
IF each turned its equipment toward the other,
each would have but four miles of roadway to
build, at the rate of approximately one mile
month, as they have been making, and by Septem-
Der / this important and long -talked-of Tamiami
trail could be opened, with but few rough stretch
es in western Dade county and eastern Collier
ty that could be repaired at relatively low cost be-
fore September /.
Yet the forces on the northern route say that
they will continue to build eastward to Dade coun-
ty before turning, south connecting link, and
will parallel the southern road instead of meeting
it. The result only be that one of the costliest
as well as most important roads ever built in the
state will overlap for Ia or Is miles, and still will
not be connected until the rival counties and rival
private interests have completed their projects.
The plans for two highways through this dis
trict, as approved by the state highway commits
sion, are commendable, for there will be need for
both as the Everglades are converted into produc-
tive territory. But why, the impartial observer
asks, after seeing the work himself, should two
roads be built which certainly will be blind ends
in a wilderness for another three years before
connecting link is begun which is approved by all
parties concerned and would open the trail by Sep
TENDER /?
Topography and underlying rock formations
seemed to the impartial observers and engineers
in the party to be favorable to construction of the
link which would open the trail this fall. No diff
ference in cost could be anticipated, except that if
the roads were connected now instead of building
the overlap and connecting them later the Tamiami
trail could be used probably three years earlier and
relatively larger gain to all derived.
To make the trail available for travel by Sep
TENDER /, or the ends can be connected
it would be necessary to fill some depressions and
smooth the surface of the road for the western 12
miles in Dade county Engineers estimate that the
cost of this work would be from $4,000 to $685.
DOC and the chamber Of commerce delegation re
ports that this amount could be raised by public
subscription if necessary to put the trail in cond-
ton for eross-state travel by September l.
Collier naturally desires to have the first traf-
fic across the Everglades ON the highway which
will pass through his county without touching Mon
roe county, while the Chevalier Corp. and other
owners of large tracts in Monroe county favor, of
course the route which will be of the greatest bene
fit to them. But the citizens of Florida. as
whole, would not give penny for the difference
seeking only an open cross-state highway at the
earliest possible moment.
If the Tamiami trail can be opened by Sep
TENDER |, as it CAN BE, the people Of Florida gen
orally can see no reason for delaying the opening
another year. BY October Is another cross-sta /,
highway, begun much more recently and skirting
the southern shores of Lake okeechobee, will be
opened. These road builders are not overlapping
their routes and duplicating effort.
The question is squarely before the state high
way commission for answer:
Shall the Tamiami trail be opened September
l, 1926, some uncertain date in future years?
In Tampa the BARRIERS are debating whether
they want to be called chirotansors or srnatinians