Evening star., 1933-10-08
TUNNEL PLAN FIRST
AMONG FL0R|DA'S|
RECOVERY PROJECTS.
Tampa to st. Petersburg
Passage Would Require
$7,OO0,OOO Loan.
BY GEORGE HOYT SMITH.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, october T.
With the Endorsement of the Florida
legislature, a plan /, now being ad-
vanced by a group Of citizens and
others to construct a tunnel in Tampa
Bay connecting St. Petersburg and
Tampa by a highway tunnel 7 miles
lond and about 10 feet below the
level Of the bay. The company which
secured permission from the Legis-
lature for the project last Spring
and has since won the consent OF the
War Department to permit the work
to be carried on, Is proposing to ask
for s7.000.oo0 as loan from the Fed
eral Public Works Corporation.
The promoters OF the enterprise de-
clare that the tunnel would make COM
munication between Tampa and st.
Petersburg much shorter and easier
than is now possible by land or water
routes. They assert that it Is believed
a very large amount OF travel would
be through this tunnel, and that the
tolls would make it pay for itself and
continue self-supporting for a long
time. That the project would furnish
work for a large number OF men over
a period of about two years is an argu-
ment set forth in the request for the
loan.
Aid For Forest System.
Acting under authority of q law
passed by the Legislature OF Florida,
recently in session, trustees OF the in
ternal improvement fund will ask from
the National Government a loan OF
S8,O0O,000 for the purpose OF creating
q State forest system, to ultimately
include 100000 acres OF Land. Ihe
State Board of Forestry. meeting IN
annual session in Jacksonville lew
days ago, went On record as approving
the loan request.
The Forestry Board also approved OF
the plan by the city of Fernandina TO
secure a Federal loan, of several MIL
lions, for the establishment OF pulp
mill and the setting up of plant for
the extensive manufacturing of paper
an, other products from Nassau
Co, " pinelands, using the pine trees
for conversion into neWsprlnt ana other
papers.
Tampa set new records on exports IN
September. Phosphate shipments to-
falling 66,046 long tons, went out during
last month from the port. the rock
which is extensively used in the man
ufacture of commercial fertilizer-go-
ing to eight foreign ports. Tampa, often
called the cigar city, because Of its
more than 200 cigar factories, made and
shipped 28.10l.439 cigars in September.
paying Government taxes to the amount
of S10306 on the output.
jacksonville Activity.
Panama City, a Gulf port which IS
row awaiting considerable and m
portant harbor work, passed all RECORDS
for exports last month with values
over a million. At Panama City there
is a big paper mill, which manufactures
kraft paper from slash pine in guam
tity and this goes out, foreign ana
coastwise in shiploads. Panama City
also handles considerable cotton, for
export.
In Jacksonville, in line with the N
r. A. movement, committee OF the
Junior Chamber of Commerce has re-
Gently canvassed the city to get prom
ises of renovation and repairs from
property owners. The canvassers were
pleacantly greeted and tentative estl-
mates were made by those approached
which show that about 100000 will be
expended within the next six months,
"renovizing" The idea is to give work
to carpenters, painters, etc, and to
accelerate sales of materials.
Steps toward establishment in Miami
of a base for proposed Transatlantlc
Zeppelin service between Europe ana
the United States have been taken at
Miami by the Greater Miami Airport
Association.