Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30

Hailed by engineers as the Applan
way of the Western Hemisphere and by
motorists as the wonder road of Amer
lea, the Tamiami Trail since the recent
hurricane has merited another affec-
tionate title, and has placed itself in an
exalted position on Florida's scroll of
historical assets. To stricken Floridans
who lost loved ones. homes and all their
earthly possessions in the catastrophe
the Tamiami Trail is viSualized as the
''Road of Solace."
Moreover, this opinion finds response
IN the hearts and minds OF Red Cross,
State and Federal officials, who have
been working under high pressure con-
ditionS to relieve the victims, bury the
dead, treat the sick and wounded, avert
the spread of pcstilence and plan re-
Mobilization program for the ravaged
area of Florida.
Thanks to the ruggedncSs of the
Tamiami Trial. which was unchanged
by the hurricane. immediate relief work
was made possible. Doctors, nurses,
medicines, food, clothing. National
Guard companies and collins were
rushed to the stricken area on the re-
silent surface of the asphalt road.
Aided Relief Work.
Without the convenience offered by
the Tamiami Trail, the death toll would
have been greater, suffering of survivors
would have been aggravated and relief
work would have been gravely retarded.
The only other means of ingress to the
stricken area from the East Coast and
Gulf Coast communities of Florida are
by way of roundabout roads from
Tampa. Lake City and Jacksonville. No
railroad serves the area in the Ever
gladeS stricken by the hurricane. Rail-
roads were seriously handicapped in the
storm-ravaged regions, due to the fact
that in many places the roadbed was
either washed out completely or con-
sidered dangerous for traffic until re-
pairs had been made.
The Tamiami Trail was dedicated by
Gov. John Martin of Florida on April
q last.
The trail was hailed as one of the
greatest highway engineering feats in
recent years. an achievement that was
attained in the face of adverse major
ity opinion voiced by prominent engi-
neers, who had declared that the task
was physical impossibility"
However. in the face of discouraging
professional advice. preliminary work
on the Tamiami Trail was begun in
1928 when group of fearless pioneers
completed perilous exploration trip
and marshes of Big Cypress. blazing
the route of the famous trail that now
provides short cut from the East
Coast to the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Paved With Asphalt.
The Tamiami Trail stretches from
Miami to Tampa. 1t is 40 feet wide and
200 miles in length, and is paved al
most entirely with asphalt
In emphasizing that the Tamiami
Trail in reality is worthy of comparison
with the famous Appian Way, which
still endureS as a testimonial to the
engineering skill Of Appius Claudius and
his Roman engineers, the builders of
this wonder highway in the Everglades
call attention to the strength of the
roadbed
Most of the roadbed. or subgrade, is
Of native lime rock and top soil, which
was dredged from canals and swamps
along the route Of the highway. The
lime rock was ccmpacted with rollers
into a solid base while wet, after which
two coats of asphalt and a layer Of
finely crushed rock were added, thus
assuring an unyielding foundation for
the wearing surface.
In recounting the tough spots
which NAKED the construction of the
Tamiami Trail engineers declare that
obtaining material from the swamps
and old canals was one of the most
difficult tasks in connection with this
project It was necessary to do con-
siderable blasting under the water
which overf1owei the route staked out
for the highway Sometimes the men
were unable to carry dynamite to the
holes they had blasted because of the
danger that they would sink deep in
the mud of the swamps Hence often
1t was necessary to use carabao and
oxen for the task
viii Endure for Years.
When the soil and rock were blasted
loose a dredge scooped up the frag-
mentS and placed them in the path Of
a leveling machine, which rolled the
material onto the prepared subgra6e,
which, prominent engineers declare,
will endure for many years.
Until IS years ago no white man had
ever crossed the Everglades although
many had tried the perilous feat, in
Guiding Ponce de Leon and others IA
nous in history for their dauntless ex-
ploration projects. However, IL years
ago Cornelius Vanderbilt and John Bar
rett were successful in making a cross
ing, and in 1923 a score of men and
women from Fort Myer, Fla, attempted
an automobile trip through these awe
some jungles. Finally, after suffering
intense hardship, they reached the
Gulf Coast, but not in their motor
cars. These were abandoned in the
Everglades after they had been en-
quilted IN mud. Moreover, several men,
bers OF the party became lost in the
maze and were rescued by airplanes.
Completion of the Tamiami Trail is
he u 80 II
Barron Collier of New York. owner of
more than 100000 acres of land In
Collier County. Fla. When Florida
State officials had become discouraged
after spending huge sums to finance
preliminary work on the highway, Mr.
Collier stepped in and carried out the
project by investing approximately
Sl,000,000 of his personal funds. This
heroic act aided in the completion of
one of the most difficult stretches of
the Tamiami Trail and inspired the
State OF Florida later to carry out the
project TO a successful conclusion. In
cloentaIly, Florida has partially REIN
bursed Mr. Collier for the funds he had
expended in his construction efforts.
Uprising Settled.
The progress Of construction through
the Everglades was marked by a threat
ened uprising of the Seminole Indians
who resented this new intrusion by the
white man into the privacy of their
domain. Engineers of the j. B. Nc
Crazy Co, who we're constructing the
highway across the Shark River at that
time. describe the uprising" as follows
We. were getting ready to knock of
work for the day when we observed a
party of approximately 200 Indians who
were approaching our canning Sector
They were led by a Seminole chief, who
introduced himself as Jack Tigertail
V. c. HalloWs, assistant county enci.
neer of Miami. advanced to meet him
whereupon Chief Tigertail said
See um?' He pointed to thu
Shark RiverD Well, Indian use UNI
long, long time. Before white mar