The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-03-25
Ditcl, water.
Editor Democrat

pose OF draining tho town, and promoting
the COED health of the community. lie said
that the ditch, in its present condition was
the cause of typhoid intermittent and malG-
rial fevers, together with few other pleas
ant troubles of a like nature. That nothing
was said in reply TO that communication
looks as If his remarks were unansworablo,
tut much can be said in favsr Of allowing
things to remain in their present condition.
First. he evidently had not thought of the
Albany cow This is very tender subject
with me, even though her beef is rather
tough. and anything that tends to affect her
condition rouses all the opposition in my ma
ture. Were the canal lowered even two
feet it would be unhandy for hor to drink
when she wanted. She might be compelled
to go to tho river for water, and this trouble
so provoke her that she would give less milk.
Besides cutting off in some degree her
water supply it would affect her feed. The
ditch water overilowing the banks, keeps
her pastures green, and while there is good
deal of slime and strong ODER tho COW
does not .mind this. if only the grass will
grow. and the people in the neighhorhood Of
the overilows can comfert themselves with
the reflection that If tho overflow is bad for
them, it is good for the cows.
The irriga:ing properties of this ditch wa
ter should not be forgotten. Very few
towns can boast of having nice water cresses
growing in their cutters, yet some of the AL
bany cutters are green all the year round.
| When the summer is hottest aad driest these
bitches never so dry. but the drier the sea.
son is, the moro odoriferous they become
One such ditch runs by the Jail. aud how
gratifying to the inmates it must be, TO see
one spot of green in the dreary prospect before
them. Were the canal lowered it would dry
up as well as the others, and this peeuliarity
of the towE of Albany would be lost in obliv.
ion.
But this is a minor reason. aud it is hoped
that due weight will bo given to the follow
ing arguments against any change in the
ditch. The drug business and doctors in
this town have depended for their support
on the bad health OF large portion OF the
community. The last time the writer
counted the number Of doctors living here
there were sixteen but since then one or
two have left. Now, IA the census gave us
nearly 1000 inhabitants this makes about
one doctor to lbs persons. men, women aud
children. or allowing an average Of five to a
family it makes one doctor to every twenty
five families Ia many towns one doctor
can attend to two hundred families. and
hardly make living Now il the ditch wa
ter contributes in any way to maintain such
large and respectable portion Of the com.
munity, it ought to be let alone and those
doctors who say anything in favor Of lower.
ing the ditch, should be ducked in IT,
The lowering the ditch would also render
il dangerous to the children and older folks
living on its banks. it might have to be
fenced in. and then no opportunities for he.
roic deeds wonld be afforded. When one Of
our highly respected lady citizens fell over
the bank some nights ago. hal it been deeper
she might have drowned and her gallant
rescuers unable to pull her out Boys could
10 longer sail their boats in Is. The skating
on town lots during cold weather would be
impossible. The concerts Of frogs would
cease, and the next generation might ask
the question put to Us by a strange lady.
what kind OF birds are those hear sing
ing?''
The complaints made by some foolish per-
sons ought To be stopped. What they OBJ
ject to should teach them philosophy. but
some OF eur oldest citizens are loudest in
their murmurings. When the canal was
first open they did not grumble becluse they
realized tho benefit of water power To the
town aud expected improvements to be made
from time to time. But as the town in
creased in size it was noticed that the avail.
able lots required to be filled in with earth
and gravel to make them habitable, the
grade OF the streets had to be made higher ;
a few things ike these exhausted the slender
stock OF patience of some, aud they began to
grumble. They seemed to forget the advan-
tages OF this state of things men were en-
ployed to haul earth and gravel and thus
helped To make living doctors had to at
tend the sick aud they made living the
sick folks kave to buy large quantities OF
medicine and the druggists have made liv.
living, and as their friends have put tomb
stones over them, our stone cutters and
monument makers also have been somewhat
beneGtted.
Now if any one does not like this state OF
affairs, we have a free country, he can leave
aud go where he pleases. Should he com.
plain that he has spent money ON his proper.
ty and must sell at sacrifice, il the person
seAing makes bad bargain, the one who buys
makes good one, and the satisfaction Of the
buyer il an Offset to the disgust of the seller.
1t is in vain that these murmurers say that
it is nuisance to have the water overflow
in this way and that it is in the power oi
the Council to order it to be lowered. The
Council are chosen by the people and as theil
representatives, have permitted this thing
to go on for years, the longer it continues
the greater will be the precedent for thingi
remaining as they are. If any one is really
damaged why doesn't he sue and try to re
cover damages? We have lawyers who would
be glad to undertake such suits, but 81
hopeless is the chance OF bettering natter
that no one has trie.i t. Thus ye old grum
blers and young ones too you had better le
things go on as they have done in times pas
unless matters would be improved by tax
payers building all the bridges at the cross
walks, and thus give our carpenters some
thing to do and help them to pay their doc
tors bills.
That Albany is naturally one of th