DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL


and to an extent which no other enterprise ever could do. It will spell oppor-
tunity for every interest in the State, whether these be agricultural, com-
mercial, or financial, and whether they be conditioned upon the maintenance
and increase of our farm and citrus products, our manufactories, our great
tourist interests, or our mineral and other natural resources. I yield to no
man a greater degree of loyalty and affection for the State than that which
activates me, and I warn the thinking citizens, whose future is involved, against
being misled by any interests whose reasons for opposing the canal are obvious.
 O. P. SUMNRrALL,
 Chairman, the Ship Canal Authority of the State of Florida.



DOCUMENT NO. 80 (FILES OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMIS-
 SIONERS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLA.), JUNE 24, 1935

 R ezOLUr ON BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, HILLSBOBOUGH
 CoUNrT, FIA.

 On June 24, 1935 the Board of County Commissioners of Hills-
 borough County, Fia., of which county the city of Tampa is the
 county seat, adopted the following resolution and issued the same to
 the press and transmitted copies thereof to the President, the Gov-
 ernor of Florida, and to other officials:
 Upon motion of Commissioner Ball, seconded by Commissioner Harris, the
 following resolution was unanimously adopted, to wit:
 "mBOUr lON
 "Whereas the Great Maker of all lands gave to the peninsula now called
 Florida many attributes which, in comparison with other lands, are considered
 great assets, to wit: An uninterrupted coast line of more than 1,200 miles; a
 soil so varied and fertile that it produces in greatest bounty the necessities and
 luxuries of food and fruit; thousands of beautiful lakes, in which abound many
 varieties of fresh-water fish, fowl, and game which are the delight of the
 hunter; and a climate which has become recognized as a boon to mankind; and
 "Whereas underneath this wonderful land He caused a myriad of under-
 ground waterways, most of which are as yet unplatted and unknown, but the
 evidences of which have shown themselves upon the surface of this land in
 beautiful springs, notably in the world-famous Silver Springs and the equally
 beautiful Blue Spring in the central part of the State, as well as artesian wells
 to quench the thirst of Florida flowers and vegetables; and
 "Whereas, incited by selfish interests and from purely a mercenary motive,
 an effort is now being made, through the construction of a cross-State canal
 to mar and at least in part to destroy the wonderful superiority of this land
 called Florida, which effort, if consummated, would cut into the very heart of
 this State; would in all probability ruin, by contamination of the salt waters
 of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, many hundreds of these underground
 streams, with the consequent plight which comes to any soil through the
 induction of salt water; and
 "Whereas, compared to the cost of such a canal, the advantages would not be
 commensurate, and compared to the destruction of beauty, fertility, and health,
 the results would be extremely detrimental to a very vital portion of the State,
 and to the State at large: Now, therefore, be it
 "Resolved by the Board of County Commisnioners of Hillsborough County,
 Fl., That this board desire to enter its vigorous protest against the contem-
 plated experiment at exorbitant cost and the possible disastrous results of such
 an enterprise; be it further
 "Resolved, That while the city of Tampa in this county might possibly profit
 by the expenditure of this money in its trade area, this board feels that such an
 enterprise for such a purpose would be tantamount to a sale of the birthright
 of its people for a mess of pottage; be it further


149