soil was demonstrated by pioneer farmers who settled, or made crops, on the first areas reclaimed. Far sighted men envisaged an opportunity in opening this new agricultural empire to cultivation; a territory in which the climate was so equable as to make it possible to grow crops at all seasons, and so productive that it was not unusual to harvest a return of a thousand dollars an acre. Syndicates for the sale of these lands were organized by men of large means who purchased thousands of acres from the State at nominal prices, because the State needed money to keep its dredges working, and it was agreed that the lands in their undrained condition were not worth much.
Many thousands of acres were reclaimed, and it followed naturally that the land bordering the southern shores of the lake were at once the most fertile and the first to be ready for cultivation. Here the elevation was highest and the rich muck was deepest. By looking at any recent map of Florida it may be seen that a number of towns have been settled on the southern and eastern shores of Lake Okeechobee, among them Canal Point, Pahokee, Chosen, Belle Glade, South Bay, Okeelanta, Ritta, Bare Beach, Clewiston, and Moore Haven. Each of these was a small but thriving agricultural community. The claim was made during the last trucking season that the deposits in the Bank of Pahokee were greater per capita to the population than those of any other bank in the country, the average being about $5,000 for every man, woman and child living in the village. This indicates the prosperity which rewarded the labor and hardihood of these pioneers when seasons were favorable and prices for winter vegetables were good. It also explains the attraction which had brought people to settle in this region from every part of the United States.
The drainage operations had progressed far enough to demonstrate the value of the land, but in spite of the run-off through the numerous canals which had been opened, it became clear that other works would be necessary to protect the inhabitants near the lake from overflow during the wet seasons, which last from June till October. In view of this discovery, a dike was built around the southern shores of the lake several years ago. This dike was neither very high nor very substantial and consisted only of a bank of the native muck. It was observed at Moore Haven twenty-four hours before the storm that the dike was not more than two feet above the lake level.
Moore Haven, the largest town in the Everglades, was almost totally destroyed in the hurricane of September 18. It was the seat
