238 DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL

 In his annual report for 1935 the Chief of Engineers made the
 following recommendation for this project. I quote from pages 620
 and 621 of that report:
 It in expected that work under contract on excavation of the high ground in
 the central sections of the canal will commence on or before October 28, 1985.
 Funds allotted will be applied as follows:
 Clearing right-of-way------------------ ----------------------- $ ,000
 Hopshng, shops, and minor structures------------------ ------ 500, 000
 Excavation in central areas-- -------------- --_---_ 3, 500,000
 Bridge foundations------------------- ---------- 00,000
 Total ----------------- ------------------------- 5,000,000
 The additional sum of $81,000,000 can be profitably expended during the fiscal
 year 1988, as follows:
 Equipment ---------------------------------------- 13, 0, 000
 Housing, shops, and minor structures------------------------- 750,000
 Excavation... ----.---- .----.---------._---------------- 10, 30, 0000
 Bridges --------------.---- ---------------------- 1, 5,00000
 Surveys .----------------..---------------- 1, 000, 000
 Contingencies -------------- ---------------------- 1, 000,000
 Total ----..-----...........-------------------._ 31,000,000
 It is further estimated that the sum of $26,000,000 can be profitably expended
 during the fiscal year 1987, as follows:
 The CHAIMAN. How much?
 Mr. BUCoMAN. $26,000,000 [continuing]:
 Excavation, wet and dry ... ______----- ----------------__ $20,000,000
 Bridges .---------------- ------------------------ 2,500,000
 Flood-control works ..---------------- _____________- 500,000
 Gulf breakwater .----------------- ---------------- 000, 000
 Engineering and contingencies------..------------.-----_ 2,000,000
 Total -----..- ----------. .------------- 26,000, 000
 On October 22, 1935, in conformity with the conditions imposed
by Federal authority, the six counties comprising the Florida ship
canal navigation district voted, by a majority of 27 to 1, a bond
issue of $1,500,000 for the purchase of all necessary land for right-of-
way for the canal. On January 23, 1936, the first block of $300,000
of these bonds was sold, and the proceeds employed to deliver to the
Federal Government right-of-way for excavation in the central or cut
section of the canal.
 The CHAIRMAN. What was the date of that expenditure
 Mr. BUCKMAN. January 23, 1936, was the date of the sale of the
bonds.
 The foregoing is, in briefest form, the official record of the project.
Before proceeding further, it appears appropriate to direct the atten-
tion of the committee to the exhaustive nature and scope of the exam-
inations and studies made of this project by the Federal agencies. I
quote from a letter from the Chief of Engineers to Senator Fletcher
under date of January 28, 1936:
 Mr DBaU SmNATo: In your letter of January 23, 1986 you referred to Senate
Resolution No. 210, with respect to the Atlantic-Gulf waterway and asked to be
furnished with certain specific information.
 I take pleasure in furnishing this information herewith:
 1. You state that paragraph 1 of the resolution proposes an inquiry into "the
nature and extent of expenditures to be made from emergency relief funds and
subsequent expenditures for construction and maintenance to be made from
regular funds", and ask whether or not, in my opinion, there has been sufficient