FLOEIDA. 



273 



preparation of which was intrusted to Colonel 

 J. F. McClellan, was completed by him in the 

 early part of the summer of 1880. The task 

 of revising this work was committed to P. W. 

 White, John A. Henderson, and George P. 

 Raney; but, as the members of the commis- 

 sion declared themselves unable, on account of 

 other business, to perform the examination 

 and revision of the digest, they, with the ac- 

 quiescence of the Governor, placed the work 

 in the hands of Colonel 0. 0. Yonge, who will 

 have ended the labor of revision early in 1881. 



General Gillmore, in his report concerning the 

 deepening of St. John's and Fernandina bars, 

 estimates the cost of excavating St. John's bar 

 to give fifteen feet of water at mean low tide 

 at $1,306,409, and considers that an additional 

 sum of $120,000 will be needed for deepening 

 ths shoal places in the St. John's River 

 between the bar and Jacksonville. He states, 

 however, that a practicable high-water depth 

 of twelve and one half feet, equivalent to or 

 exceeding the draught of the largest craft 

 which can ordinarily be carried between the 

 bar and Jacksonville at high tiele, could be 

 secured on the bar in three years, at a cost of 

 about $800,000, by carrying a single jetty out 

 to the fifteen-feet curve, or a little beyond. 

 At the mouth of the St. John's and south of that 

 point, northecisterly storms strike the coast 

 nearly at right angles, and have a tendency to 

 heap up drift-material at the mouth of the 

 inlets. This causes the depth on the bar to 

 vary greatly, and these variations would be 

 more excessive in an improved channel than 

 where the flow of the tide takes place over a 

 broad expanse. The temporary filling up of 

 the channel resulting from a storm would last 

 some weeks before the channel is cleared again 

 to its normal depth by scour. 



For the Fernandina bar he proposes a single 

 jetty, carried out along the north shoal to the 

 fifteen-feet curve, and a spur-jetty projecting 

 from the north end of Amelia Island. By these 

 works, which could be completed in three or 

 four years, at a cost of $1,000,000, a low-water 

 depth of sixteen or seventeen feet on the bar 

 can probably be secured, and an excellent har- 

 bor of refuge as well as a good entrance-chan- 

 nel be established. 



The River and Harbor Bill, passed by Con- 

 gress, contained the following appropriations 

 for Florida : Improving harbor at Cedar Keys, 

 $15,000 ; improving harbor atPensacola, $40,- 

 000 ; improving Appalachicola River, $2,000 ; 

 improving Appalachicola Bay, $10,000; improv- 

 ing Choctawhatchee River, $7,000 ; improving 

 inside passage between Fernandina and St. 

 John's, $7,000 ; improving Escambia River, 

 $8,000 ; improving Suwanee River, $5,000 ; 

 improving Tampa Bay, $10,000 ; improving 

 Volusia bar, $5,000; improving St. John's 

 bar, $125,000. The bill also directs the Sec- 

 retary of War to cause examinations, or sur- 

 veys, or both, and estimates of cost of improve- 

 ments proper, to be made at Finhollaway River, 

 VOL. xx. 18 A 



Aucilla and Wacissa, Chipola River, Holmes 

 Creek and East Bay, and Blackwater River. 



The Republican State Convention met at 

 Gainesville, May 12th. Ex-Senator Simon Bol- 

 ivar Conover received the nomination for 

 Governor, and W. M. Ledwith that for Lieu- 

 tenant-Governor. 



A resolution was adopted instructing the 

 delegates to Chicago to vote as a unit for Grant 

 for President, as long as his name was before 

 the Convention, and to vote for Thomas Settle, 

 of Florida, for V ice-President. 



The Conservative - Democratic Convention 

 met at Gainesville, June 10th. William D. Blox- 

 ham was nominated for Governor, the princi- 

 pal opposing candidate being Governor Drew ; 

 L. W. Bethel, at the time Secretary of State, 

 received the nomination for Lieutenant-Gov- 

 ernor. Robert H. M. Davidson and Jesse J. 

 Finley were the candidates for delegates to 

 Congress. The delegates to the Cincinnati 

 National Convention were not instructed as to 

 their course, save to vote for the continuance 

 of the two-thirds rule. The following plat- 

 form was adopted: 



Resolved, That the Conservative-Democratic party 

 of Florida congratulate the people of the State on the 

 favorable auspices under which they have assembled. 

 For more than three years they have been blessed with 

 a government which has faithfully fulfilled all the 

 promises made to them in 1876. The onerous tax 

 under which the people suffered has given place to a 

 moderate rate of assessment, absolutely necessary to 

 an economical administration of government ; the laws 

 have been rigidly and energetically enforced ; equal 

 protection has been extended to all persons within the 

 limits of the State, without regard to race or color ; 

 and this beneficent, prudent, and economical manage- 

 ment has inured to the welfare and prosperity of the 

 entire people. 



Resolved, That we appeal to the sober judgment of 

 every honest and unbiased citizen of Florida, of what- 

 ever political affinities, in the contrast presented by 

 the past three years of Democratic rule with the pre- 

 vious eight years of Republican rule. We appeal with 

 confidence to every man in our midst who values the 

 blessings of a just, faithful, and prudent government, 

 to sustain us in this campaign, and with us, by the 

 complete and overwhelming success of our candidates, 

 to put an end for ever to the dangers which menace 

 from a restoration of the Republicans to power. 



Resolved^ That the preservation of good order, hon- 

 est expenditure of public funds, reduction of taxation, 

 and the continued progress of material prosperity, 

 present issues paramount to all mere questions of 

 party ; therefore, discarding the dead issues and party 

 dissensions of the past, we appeal to the intelligent 

 and honest voters ot all parties and races to join hands 

 with us in support of self-preservation. 



Resolved. That the greatly increased influx of intel- 

 ligent and industrious citizens under the_ present State 

 administration is a source of great gratification. To 

 the thousands already here, and the thousands soon 

 to follow, we extend a cordial welcome regardless of 

 party, and pledge the State administration, if 'con- 

 tinued under Conservative control, to renewed efforts 

 to increase the tide of immigration. 



Resolved, That the Conservative-Democratic party 

 of Florida reaffirm their acceptance of the legitimate 

 issues of the war. To all men in our midst, white and 

 black, we pledge the fullest possible protection in the 

 exercise of their civil and political rights ; recognizing 

 fully and sustaining that fundamental law of the State 

 which gives to any citizen the right to vote as he 



