The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1946-10-29
Three Chief Objections To
Everglades National Park
Eliminated, Director Says
PARK WILL NOT IMPAIR
COUNTY'S AREA; NOT
AFFECT RIPARIAN
RIGHTS

Gilbert Leach, managing di-
rector of the Everglades National
Park Commission, has written
The Citizen a very interesting
letter about the present status
of the proposed park.
Mr.. Leach, who had come 90
Key West to discuss the proposed
park with a committee represent
ing various civic bodies, states la
his letter that the three chief OBJ
jections raised by Monroe cOun-
ty officials have been eliminated.
Speaking of his trip to Key
West, Director Leach says:
"At this dinner meeting we
considered all the objections and
l undertook to see if they could
not be solved to the mutual
satisfaction of your citizens and
the park commission. The most
serious objection was one which
l thought was perfectly justi-
fled, and shortly after this meet
ing it was solved. Your commits
sioner for the keys district, who
also was representative Of the
fishing industry, called attention
to the fact that the proposed
boundaries of the park took i'm the
riparian rights on all of the keys
to Lower Matecumbe up TO high
water tide mark. This was solved
by moving the boundary 60 the
Inland Waterway line all down
the keys, so that at present the
park boundaries do not touch any
of the keys from Largo TO Key
West.
! Another objection was that
under federal control. there
would be great deal of uncer-
tainty as to what fishermen
would be able TO do, and cOntro-
versy might result through con-
flict of federal and state reguls-
! tions. This also has been solved.
Much of the area which is 10 so
into the, park has been taken over
by the Fish and Wildllfe Con-
serVation section of the Depart
ment of the Interior, for the par
pose of conserving wildlte and
protecting the natural beauties
and natural resources of the area,
also of preventing as far as pos
sible fires which break out m
dry seasons in some of the high
hammocks scattered through the
Everglades This service has q
group of WardenS who have been
given the status of Florida state
game wardens. and the instruC-
tionS to these officers are that
the Florida fish and game laws
alone are to be enforced thus also
was insisted upon at the meeting
which | attended i'm your city II
has taken d good while 10 get
everything set on this score. but !
wish you would tell your people
that this second main objection
has been met
Another point which was con
sidered minor as compared with
the two mentioned above. is loss
of county area when the park
is taken over by the federal gov
eminent | took this up with state
officials and discovered that fears
on this score were unfounded
The area of Monroe county viii
remain the same as now, regard
less of ownership that may pass
into the hands of the federal
government. This will protect
Monroe county in all classes "t
the division of state revenue on
the basis of area OF Of combine
ton area and population.
Incidentally. Mr. Coo resigned
as the executive secretary ~ the
association and the association
itself has become inactive and
has closed its headquarters All
matters pertaining 10 the pro
posed park area arc handled
through Everglades National
Park commission.