DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL 115

 I am, therefore, joining in the request of Senators Fletcher and Trammell
and others In urging your favorable consideration.
 Very sincerely yours,
 PAT HABRIsoN.



DOCUMENT NO. 55 (FILES OF SHIP CANAL AUTHORITY OF STATE OF
 FLORIDA), SEPTEMBER 19, 1934

 COMMUNICATION FROM SENATOR FLETCHER TO THE PRESIDENT

 On September 19, 1934, Senator Fletcher addressed the following
 letter to the President:
 SnEPTEMB 19, 1934.
 Hon. FRANKLIN D. ROO6EVELT,
 The President, Hyde Park, N. Y.
 MY DEAs Mn. PRWIDENT: I am just in receipt of a telegram from Senator
 Hugo Black requesting that his name be placed upon the joint letter to you
from the group of Gulf States Senators dated September 12, 1934, bespeaking
your favorable consideration of the trans-Florida ship canal project and urging
your prompt initiation of the construction work thereon.
 I, therefore, ask that this letter serve to affix the Senator's signature thereto,
 in accordance with his telegraphic authority to me this date.
 Respectfully,
 DUNCAN U. FLETCHEB.


 DOCUMENT NO. 56 (FILES OF SHIP CANAL AUTHORITY OF STATE OF
 FLORIDA), OCTOBER 15, 1934

 ANALYSIS AND CRITICISM OF DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS ON THE CANAL
 BT HENRY H. BUCKMAN, CONSULTING ENGINEER

 Under the above date, at the request of Senator Fletcher, Henry
 H. Buckman, consulting engineer, prepared a memorandum of an-
 alysis and criticism of the several departmental and other reports
 on the canal for presentation to the President by Senator Fletcher:

 TBANs-FLOBIDA SHIP CANAL COSTS, REVENUES, AND ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION

 (By HNYar H. BUCKMAN, Consulting Engineer)

 The following is a brief conspectus of a lengthy and detailed analysis and
 criticism of the reports of the War Department, the Department of Commerce,
 the Public Works Administration, and the special board of review. The Presi-
 dent is requested to permit the presentation to him of greater detail regarding
 all statements and figures herein set forth upon which he may require further
 information.
 Submitted to the President by Senator Fletcher, October 15, 1934.
 CONSTRUCTION COSTS

 The special board of review has abandoned the plan for a lock canal on the
 entirely adequate grounds that a sea-level canal is cheaper to construct, oper-
 ate, andi maintain. In arriving at its construction costs, however, the board
 has failed to take advantage of the fact that with a sea-level project the work
 may be reduced to a major operation in hydraulic dredging, and that the nature
 of the materials and the immense yardage involved permit the construction
 (and amortization on this job) of dredging units of design and capacity which
 will reduce unit excavation costs substantially below the average unit costs