The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-01-16
A Gigantic Drainage Enterprise.

The author of the Ogden farm papers,
in the american Aqricuiturist has re-
Gently been in Europe and thus de-
scribes some of the gigantic drainage
operations of that pattern people, the
Dutch:
In some regions, after the waters had
been inclosed within ponderous dykes
and then pumped out by windmills,
there were developed only vast beds of
barren peat several yards in depth.
This was cut into blocks and piled up
to dry, preparatory to being sold for
fuel the vessels which took it to mar
ket brought back the accumulated re-
fuse of the towns, and this was used to
make n fertile soil in place of the in
fertile one that had been removed. Thus
the former abodes of fishes are now the
seats of the most prosperous agricul-
ture of Europe.
A map of the province of North Hol-
land, made three hundred years ago,
shows bare network of marshy land,
protected from the North Sea by II
range of sand-hills, and inclosing within
its meshes vast bodies of navigable
water-the mere outline of country
entirely unpromising for habitation and
afflicted with a most rigorous climate.
This whole province is now a smiling,
fertile land, busy with every form of in
dustry, and one of the great centers of
the worlds prosperous activity In a
few years, when works now in hand shall
be completed, there will remain no water
within its wide boundaries, save in the
embarked canals, where, high above the
i 1ox,o1 of ALL, IL 1.fto1 10, a.,
to the sea, and affords channels for the
vast commerce of the country.
Arrangements are already being made
for the drainage of the Zuyder Zee, a
work which will cost over $50, 900, 600,
and which will take twelve years for its
preparation alone. When the enor-
nous dyke shall have been built, and
new channels shall have been made for
the rivers which flow into it, it will take
the sixty-three enormous steam engines
several years working night and day. to
pump out its water, which has an area
of about 500, 900 acres, and an average
depth of about ten feet. A survey has
been made of the whole bottom, and the
plan of improvement includes the divis-
ion of the land and the construction OF
the canals (for drainage and for com
munication) which are to serve the
future generations which are to in.
habit it.
This scheme would seem wild and i'm
possible were it not for the experience
with HARLEM lake, which lies within g
few miles of it. This magnificent farm
ing district was only twenty-five years
ago navigable sea about sixteen miles
long and seven miles wide. 1t lay be
tween the cities of Amsterdam anC
HARLEM, its surface nearly level will
their streets, and threatening then
both with destruction during heavy
storms. AS measure of safety it was
determined to annihilate it. 1t was
surrounded with two immense dyke
over thirty miles long, inclosing a canal
and three engines with combined force
of 200 horsepower were set at work t.
pump out the waters. At the end o
three and one-fourth years of ircessan
activity its bottom was laid dry, anC
now its $4,000 acres, lying abou
fourteen feet below the level of the sea
are busy with the production of foo
for the cities which the lake so latel.
menaced.