Editing Everglades (section)

===Drainage===
A national push for expansion and progress in the United States occurred in the later part of the 19th century, which stimulated interest in draining the Everglades for agricultural use. According to historians, "From the middle of the nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth century, the United States went through a period in which wetland removal was not questioned. Indeed, it was considered the proper thing to do."<ref name="meindl">{{cite journal | last1 = Meindl | first1 = Christopher | display-authors = etal | title = "(December, 2002). "On the Importance of Claims-Making: The Role of James O. Wright in Promoting the Drainage of Florida's Everglades in the Early Twentieth Century | journal = Annals of the Association of American Geographers | volume = 92 | issue = 4| pages = 682–701 | doi=10.1111/1467-8306.00311| s2cid = 143720189 }}</ref> Draining the Everglades was suggested as early as 1837,<ref name="dovell">{{cite journal | last1 = Dovell | first1 = J.E. | year = 1947 | title = The Everglades Before Reclamation | journal = The Florida Historical Quarterly | volume = 26 | issue = 1| pages = 1–44 }}</ref> and a resolution in [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] was passed in 1842 that prompted [[Secretary of Treasury]] [[Robert J. Walker]] to request those with experience in the Everglades to give their opinion on the possibility of drainage. Many officers who had served in the Seminole Wars favored the idea.<ref name="dovell"/>  In 1850 Congress passed a law that gave several states [[wetland]]s within their state boundaries. The [[Swamp and Overflowed Lands Act]] ensured that the state would be responsible for funding the attempts at developing wetlands into farmlands.<ref name="dovell1948">{{cite journal | last1 = Dovell | first1 = Junius | year = 1948 | title = The Everglades: A Florida Frontier | journal = Agricultural History | volume = 22 | issue = 3| pages = 187–197 }}</ref>  Florida quickly formed a committee to consolidate grants to pay for any attempts, though the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] and [[Reconstruction era of the United States|Reconstruction]] halted progress until after 1877.

[[File:Hamilton Disston Land Sale Notice.jpg|thumb|upright|Hamilton Disston's land sale notice]]

After the Civil War, a state agency called the [[Internal improvements|Internal Improvement Fund (IIF)]], whose purpose was to improve Florida's roads, canals, and rail lines, was discovered to be deeply in debt. The IIF found a Pennsylvania real estate developer named [[Hamilton Disston]] interested in implementing plans to drain the land for agriculture. Disston purchased {{convert|4000000|acre|km2}} of land for $1&nbsp;million in 1881,<ref name="davis2">{{cite journal | last1 = Davis | first1 = T. Frederick | year = 1939 | title = The Disston Land Purchase | journal = The Florida Historical Quarterly | volume = 17 | issue = 3| pages = 201–211 }}</ref> and he began constructing canals near [[St. Cloud, Florida|St. Cloud]]. At first, the canals seemed to work in lowering the water levels in the wetlands surrounding the rivers.<ref>Grunwald, pp.&nbsp;92–93.</ref> They were effective in lowering the groundwater, but it became apparent that their capacity was insufficient for the wet season.<ref>Douglas p.&nbsp;286.</ref> Although Disston's canals did not drain well, his purchase primed the economy of Florida. It made news and attracted tourists and land buyers. Within four years property values doubled, and the population increased significantly.<ref name="davis2"/>

The IIF was able to invest in development projects due to Disston's purchase, and an opportunity to improve transportation arose when oil tycoon [[Henry Flagler]] began purchasing land and building rail lines along the east coast of Florida, as far south as [[Palm Beach, Florida|Palm Beach]] in 1893.<ref>"Henry Flagler". ''Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement'', Vol. 21. Gale Group, 2001.</ref> Along the way he built resort hotels, transforming territorial outposts into tourist destinations. The land bordering the rail lines was developed as citrus farms.<ref>"Henry Morrison Flagler". ''Dictionary of American Biography'' Base Set. American Council of Learned Societies, 1928–1936.</ref> By 1896 the rail line had been extended to [[Biscayne Bay]].<ref name="bramson">Bramson, Seth (1998). "A Tale of Three Henrys", ''The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts'', '''23''', Florida Theme Issue, pp.&nbsp;113–143.</ref> Three months after the first train had arrived, the residents of Miami voted to incorporate the town. Miami became a prime destination for extremely wealthy people after the [[Royal Palm Hotel (Miami)|Royal Palm Hotel]] was opened.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Bush | first1 = Gregory | year = 1999 | title = Playground of the USA | journal = The Pacific Historical Review | volume = 62 | issue = 2| pages = 153–172 | doi = 10.2307/3641982 | jstor = 3641982 }}</ref>

During the 1904 [[gubernatorial]] race, the strongest candidate, [[Napoleon Bonaparte Broward]], a populist Democrat from Duval County, promoted draining the Everglades. He called the future of South Florida the "Empire of the Everglades". Soon after his successful election, he began work to "drain that abominable pestilence-ridden swamp",<ref>Carter, p.&nbsp;78.</ref> and pushed the Florida legislature to form a group of commissioners to oversee reclamation of flooded lands. In 1907 they established the Everglades Drainage District and began to study how to build the most effective canals, and how to fund them.<ref name="dovell"/> Governor Broward ran for the [[U.S. Senate]] in 1908 but lost. Broward was paid by land developer [[Richard "Dicky" J. Bolles|Richard J. Bolles]] to tour the state to promote drainage. Elected to the Senate in 1910, Broward died before he could take office. Land in the Everglades was being sold for $15 an acre a month after Broward died.<ref>Grunwald, pp.&nbsp;148–149.</ref> Meanwhile, Henry Flagler continued to build railway stations at towns as soon as the populations warranted them.<ref name="bramson"/>