Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-10-05
For the Grand River Times.

For the Grand River Times.
Plan for the MANAGEMENT OF the State
swamp Lands.
The improvement OF these lands might per-
haps be managed in this manner:
Appoint State Engineer to be the head of,
the drainage department, who shall prepare
plans for general system of drainage, based
upon reports and surveys to DO made as hereaf--
ter provided.
Give to the Board of Supervisors of eachs
county power to appoint county engineer, SUBJ
ject to rejection by the State engineer, in case
Of incompetency. The duties of the county
engineer should be, to make careful surveys of
all the swamp lands in his county, and report
the same to the State engineer.
The State engineer should then proceed to
make a complete classification of the lands, d.
viding them into three following classes:
First, Dry arabic lands, and those which it is
only necessary to clear, to free them from sur
face water. ao
Second, Those which require no extended
system of drains, but in which all the necessa-
ry bitches to make them dry can be made with
in the limits of each forty or eighty acre tract.
Third, Those large swamps and marshes
which must be drained by an extensive system
of bitches.
| The first and second classes should lie offered
for sale to actual occupants in the same manner
as other public lands, first by public auction,
and the remaining unsod portions at fair min
imum, which should be established in each town.
ship by the State engineer and the Board of
| Supervisors of the county in which the lands
are situated They should be sold subject strict
| ly to the following membranes. The first
class to an agreement to occupy and improve
| them within reasonable time, and the second
class to an agreement to drain them under the
direction of the county engineer. No patents
to issue in any case until the improvements had
been made to the satisfaction and acceptance Of
the county engineer, and all payments to be for
feted in case of failure to fulfil the conditions.
The'avails of these two classes should be placed
in the general drainage fund.- and so much as is
necessary should be expended in draining the
third class of lands. Plans for draining third
class lands should be prepared by the county
engineer and approved by the State engineer.
The county engineer should then let the work
by contract to the lowest bidder No contract
should be binding unless approved by tho Board
OF Supervisors of the county. After careful
drainage of the third class lands, let the Board
of Supervisors establish minimum price for
each tract, from careful consideration of its
market value, the value of lands in the imme-
date vicinity, &c. Then offer the lands at pub
lie auction in tracts TO suit purchasers, and get
the highest prices for the lands. All unsod
lands should remain subject to entry at the es-
tablshed minimum. When the lands are all
sold, then close the accounts of the drainage
fund, and if a credit balance is found, petition
Congress to consent to its appropriation in such
manner as will benefit the whole State
Should it fall short, let the State pay the def
cheney.
1t would be nothing more than justice, if the
State claim the benefits, that she also take the
risk Of the speculation. Besides, the benefit
to the State from the drainage and improve
ment of all the swamps and marshes, would be
greater than the whole expenses. It would be
no losing speculation if well managed, to drain
all these lands, for an amount equal to tho in
crease of valuation of the real estate of the
State, produced directly and indirectly by these
improvements. H.D.P.
snow 90 to meeting, denr," said Mrs. Part
ington, as Isaac stood smoothing his hair prepar-
atory to going out on Sunday He looked down
to his new Shoes and thought of the green
fields made him sigh. A fishing line hung out
of his pocket, which Mrs. Darlington didn't see.
| Where shall 90 TO Y asked Ike "Gon re-