The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-29
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OFFICIAL PAPER OF PEMBINA CO.
Published every Friday morning, at Pembina
}. I. Subscription, q. 90 per annum. In advance
FRIDAY. MAY %. 1885.
A PROPOSITION.

FRIDAY, MAY %, 1885.
A PROPOSITION.
1t is evident that the Importance of
introducing thorough and compre.
hensive system of drainage into some
portions of this county is becoming
more understood and appreciated,
especially by those who would he more
directly affected thereby. In q
country where drainage is attended
with so small an expense and its ad.
vantages so great and readily percept.
ible, it is strange, indeed, that in some
portions of this county where it is so
much needed its Importance should
awaken so little attention during the
first six years of the settlement and
improvement of the country. Pres.
sure of circumstances in some neigh
borhoods is now compelling attention
to this matter which considerations of
utility and profit have heretofore
failed to do. Wet seasons have made
such havoc of the fond calculations of
many farmers and brought to naught
the expenditure of so much labor and
money that it should now be an easy
task to secure general cooperation
in some comprehensive system of
drainage that will at once open the
way for bringing our large tracts
of wet land-not low land-into a
state of early and easy cultivation
each season. Not low lands, we say,
for there are large areas of marshy
lands eight or ten miles from some of
our rivers that are from twenty to
thirty feet higher than dry, arabic
ground adjoining the rivers. Thou
sands Of acres of such land lie to-day
as uninhabitable wastes, whereas they
should be thickly settled, prosperous
agricultural communities, and would
have been such if one.half the amount
had been expended in a proper system
Of drainage that has been lost in
claims abandoned and in failure of
crops for want of this.
Between the Manitoba railway and
the Red river there are probably
not less than 10000 acres of land un.
tillable fol want of drainage and mucl,
of it unfit for pasturage, or for the
production of hay. That so large a
tract of land of surprising richness
with an altitude, much of it of over
twenty feet above the river and lying
within few miles of it, should much
longer remain proiitless waste in the
heart of so fine a belt of country,
seems contrary to reason. Viewed from
a standpoint of public economy, Penn.
bina county is loser every year from
having within her limits so large an
area of almost non.taxproducing land.
Although this is a question that deep.
ly interests many individual farmers
it is primarily - matter for the con.
sideration of the county generally and
the townships more particularly con.
cerned.
We learn from Surveyor McGuin
that the land along the st. p, NJ. &
NJ. railroad in the central and south.
ern part of this county is over fifty
feet higher than that adjoining the
bank of the Red river. This fact
furnishes an easy solution of the
problem of draining this entire dis.
trict in question, bringing it into the
best state Of cultivation, trebling its
population and property accumula.
tions, and therefore its tax producing
abilities.
1t is not for the PIONEER EXPRESS
to say what would he the best method
to adopt for the accomplishment OF
this work. 1t would be for the engin.
eer to outline the plan that would in
the cheapest and most effectual way
attain the desired end. We may,
however, make a suggestion to the
point. Suppose three leading aque.
ducts were carried from the railroad
directly eastward to the Red river be.
tween Pittsburg and Toilette post.
offices; also one north into the Tongue
river. five OF six miles in length, run.
ming in the vicinity of the Icelandic
coulee. We confine our remarks, at
present to this portion of the county,
there being Il larger proportion of wet
lands lying in that vicinity.
In establishing such system of
drainage as we have here indicated,
the county should take the initiative.
With few leading aqueducts to con.
meet with, the several townships more
directly interested could dig leading
side drains with which again individ.
ual property owners could link their
bitches. 10 carry out such a system
Of drainage the county should take the
lead in opening UP the main acquducts,
and 1t would be the best investment
Pembina county ever made; for every
dollar expended in such Il work would.
in u few years, come back into the
treasury with more than compound
interest. in the shape of revenue from
taxation.
We submit these views to all who
are interested in the better develop.
ment Of some of the most fertile and
valuable portions of our county, which
have been kept in the back ground
heretofore for want of 4. work of i'm
provemcnt which would be so costly
as to be beyond the reach Of individual
enterprise.
Col. Ingersoll is still railing at
churches, priests and ministers and
undoubtedly making lots of money