DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL 143

dedication of the same to the Federal Government, without charge,
for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, and operating a ship
canal. This involved the issue and sale of bonds for approximately
$1,500,000. The title of the act referred to is as follows:
 An act creating and incorporating a special taxing district, comprised of
Duval, Clay, Putnam, Marion, Levy, and Citrus Counties, Fla., to be known as
the Florida Ship Canal Navigation District; providing for the government
and administration of said district by a board of commissioners; providing
that the members of the board of directors of the Florida Ship Canal Authority
shall be ex offcio the members of the board of commissioners of said district;
defining the powers, duties, and authority of said board; providing for the
payment of the costs and expenses of said district; authorizing and empowering
said district, through its governing board, to borrow money and to issue its
notes and bonds in order to carry out the provisions of this act and prescribing
the terms and conditions upon which such notes and bonds may be issued;
providing that the proceeds of all loans made by the district, over and above
the amounts required for the operation and administration of the district, shall
be turned over to the Ship Canal Authority of the State of Florida, to be used
by said authority for the purpose of acquiring a right-of-way for a ship canal
across the State of Florida, running through or adjacent to the counties com-
prising said district, and for the purpose of paying any other expenses incidental
thereto; providing for the levy and collection of taxes upon all taxable property
in said district for the purposes authorized in this act.


DOCUMENT NO. 77, (FILES OF SHIP'CANAL AUTHORITY OF STATE OF
 FLORIDA), JUNE 7, 195

 COMMUNICATION FROM SENATOR FLrOHEB TO THE PRESIDENT

 The President having suggested to Senator Fletcher that as a
 condition precedent to construction of the ship canal by the Federal
 Government, the State of Florida should provide all necessary right-
 of-way, the legislature of the State enacted the necessary legislation
 to make appropriate provision for this (see Doc. No. 76) by creating
 the Florida Ship Canal Navigation District. On June 7, 1935,
 Senator Fletcher addressed the following letter to the President:
 UNmrn SrTAB SKmATs
 Wa~higton, Juse 7, 1935.
 Hon. FarAxuL D. Roowaar,
 The President, the Whte Hosse.
 Mr Dman Ma PRWBIDT: In further reference to the trans-Florida ship
 canal and your suggestion that you feel the State of Florida should furnish
 the right-of-way required for this project, I am pleased to advise that, in
 response to this, the State legislature has just passed by an overwhelming
 majority the legislation necessary to acquire and furnish to the Federal Gov-
 ernment without charge all the land requisite for this purpose, comprising,
 as I understand it, some fifty to sixty thousand acres.
 I take pleasure in enclosing certified copies of the acts (three) in question
 as approved by the Governor, and I very earnestly hope that you will be able
 to approve this splendid undertaking, which is so well fitted to the needs of your
 work-relief program from every point of view, and which will yield increasing
 benefits to the whole country as time goes on.
 Mr. President, you will recall that engineers of the War Department made
 a full and detailed study and report respecting this project; the Public Works
 Administration engineers did likewise, and then you appointed a reviewing
 board to consider these reports, analyze them, and submit its report. This
 was done, and I would call your attention particularly to that report, which
 covers the whole subject.
 Very truly and sincerely,
 DUNoAN U. FWirCrE