New-York tribune., 1878-10-12
DRAINING WET LANDS

WHAT FARMERS DENOUNCE AS A sWlNDLE.
RECIAIMING THE "GREAT MEADOws" " on THE Pc
QUEST RIvRR-MANY LANDOWNERS CLAIMING
TO BE RUINED BY HEAVY AssEssHENTS-COM-
MENTs OF FARMERS UroS THE WORK.
BELvIDERE, n. j., Sept. 20. Professor
George H. Cook, Of Rutgers College the Stale Geoogist
Of Sew-Jersey. in connection with the geological sur
veys OF different parts of the State hos devoted much
time to investigating the drainage OF meadow land and
has made many valuable experiments. He fully realizes
that II the thousands OF OF wet lands In the state
were drained and made productive the revenues would
be largely increased and the surrounding country greatly
benefited. He has spent much time in surveying the
drowned lands in the northern part Of the State.
large tracts OF which exist along the Hacken-
sack Passaic, Raritan, Waikiki and Pequest Rivers
On March 8, 1873, an act passed by the
state Legislature was approved, authorizing
the Board Of Managers Of the State Geological Survey 10
plans Of drainage for tracts OF drowned ands
The plans the drainage OF the large tract along the
PeQuest River, in Warren and Sussex Counties, were
prepared by board 1871 after the passage Of
the Drainage Act" the Supreme Court appointed
Amos Hoagland OF Townshury James Boyd, OF Vienna,
and william L. johnson, Of Ha"kettstown, commission
ers TO superntend The work; A. r. Day OF Hacketts-
town being employed as engineer. The work was begun
in 1874, and is not yet completion Ihe tract OF
wet lands known as the Great Meadows" Il situated
on both sides Of the Pequet River and on both sides Of
and embraces an area OF nearly 5000 OF land.
After the passage Of the special in this supple
mentary act passed, by which the coinmls"
sioners were gwen the power 70 deduct from or
add 10 the land they are engaged In draining
The work done by the commissioners has already cost
about S75 OOO and It will cost from $4,000 to 100000
to carry their plans to completion. The original plan
has been changed that lald assessed only aggre
gates about 5000 acres Tue farmers have refused to
pay the assessments and they denOuuce the eutire
q swIDde One OF the landowners stated that
the scheme Of robbery and 1t would be Of great
damage to the peoples 1t would rob many Of the farm
ers OF their all. Many of the who assessed"
he sad are not all benefited by this sO-caied i'm
provement they receive any benefit from
H. The land 10 this section is worth, on average,
$40 per acre The farmers have nothing else but their
land as a general thing, and many Of them have that
heavily mortgaged and have al they do In these
times 10 make both ends meet The assess
ments run from S12 to S2S per acre and In nutshell
II we TO pay the assessments we shaH DC buying
our land over again"
Dr. W. ID. Roe, OF Vienna. VINO owns large farm IN
the centre Of tue "Great Meadows" which Is known
"Roes Island" found hard at work with his men on
mis- farm.
am assessed on 11s OF land" said the Doctor
cat S25 per acre, making aggregate OF $2.95O The
drainage OF my land will benefit me about $1,000.
would be willing pay 900 for the improvement but
not 81 O50 This drainage has been badly managed
from the start The estimated cost Of the work was
$4,000 In this estimate, about $4,000 was allowed
for cutting through rock but there nothing OF the
kind to be DONE with the exception OF few small reefs
The landowners had idea that the work would coat
so much Why, II will cost fully twice much II
ought to cost II and shoals IN the river had
been removed the boulders taken out and the bed Of
the stream widencd in places where 1t was necessary
would have had the needed effect the stream would
have cleared its own channel This would not have cost
over SO an acre. aggregate OF S30O0O but Instead
SO 1t is $50. have never been able TO find
out what the work Is costing how much has been paid
out shall pay my assessments but not because think
# s right or that it benefit to property but slm
ply because do not how can help myself. as my
lands Will be sold IL do not pay 1t has been frequently
asserted that the drainage OF these meadows viii be
sanitary benefit TO this portion OF the country, but this
fact has been by Professor Cook and other
persons The truth Of the matter thata ditch eight
nine miles long Is costing US SiOOOOO, "nen VIII
NOT benefit us over what It should have eost-Y3OOOO
Polbemus Cnmmins another farmer, stated that $50
acres his land assessed at S2o an acre About
100 acres would De penehea ny Tue m u' @ tnd
he would have TO spend considerable money in ditchnR
the fields before the water would be carried on by the
stream "My name appears upon the petition request
ing the passage OF the law 10 pfOylde I Tue uunge
said Mr. CumIniUs but did not sign H. ana some one
Isaac 6ummIns, his brother, bitterly denounced the
his broIher and himself ran large ditch, which
drained their meadoV-land ps wei Ss they wanted
10 DONE " III TIE pru VI lup tNpO''J
cleaned Of ali oOstruotoDs" SAID Mr. Cummins, where
Il backs water on account OF shoals, Dars ahd nsn-
dams the water would have been carried OF. and the
expense would have been very small compared to the
cost of the work now being DONE"
Another large property who refused 10 allow
hs name to be toned stated that the work OF the
commissioners was Improperly done, ana tha Tue Ddhks
would not very long after the work was finished,
as thcy were composed " quicksands, which would
up AGAIN. The survey iDcluded nearly thirty
acres of his land which would not be benefited:
Why II this wac the western part Of this county
said be- the people would resort to arms before they
would pay the excessive price demanded for this work
10 pay the assessments"