Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-15
THE DRURY LEVEE.
Something OF the History OF the Mat
ter winch is Stirring Up the Lower
End OF the County.

Something OF the History OF the Mat
ter which is Stirring Up the Lower
End OF the County.
A correspondent of the Muscatine
Journal, signing j. P. Walton, writing
concerning the Drury lcvee agitation in
the lower end of Rock Island and the
upper part of Mercer counties. as well as
in Muscatipe county on the Iowa side,
says:
Some three years ago there was a petit
ton circulated and numerously signed by
the property holders asking the court Of
Mercer county TO take the necessary steps
to build levee from Muscatine to New
Boston on or near the east bank of the
river. A commissioner was appointed
Jlook up the matter. After useless
amount of delay, they secured an en-.
=. - made preliminary survey.
and recommended that q district be or.
ganized to construct the levee. They re.
ported that the cost of the contemplated
work would be $3.50, 600 for the levee
81 900 to turn Copperas creek into
Glancy's lake and So, 600 for contingent
cies; in round numbers $62, 900. They
found that there were over 10000 acres
of land in the district and that % 900
acres would be benefited moIe than
$500 900. Land now worth 80 per acre
would be increased to $40 if the levee was
built 1t would cost not to exceed 50 so
per acre, Just what the Muscatine Island
levee cost. 1t was proposed to issue 20
years 6 per cent bonds to raise m oney for
construction. This would make the tax
payer pay not to exceed 10 cts. per acre
per annum. A man with 40 acre farm
would have to pay 50 per year to have
the floods of the Mississippi river kept
off. l think that if the matter was fully
understood there would be but little or
no opposition offered The matter will
come up for hearing on March 6, and I
have no doubt but that district will be
organized, and if organized l am Satis-
| fed that an arrangement can be made
with the Quincy & Rock Island Railroad
Co. l have letters in my possession from
one of the directors favoring this route.
Speaking of manifested opposition to the
project, the correspondent writes:
Almost every great undertaking, it
matters little how good it is, is sure to
meet with some opposition. Little or
none was made until the commissioners
had run off their first district, which for
the sake of squaring 1t up, they included
some of the high ground, but reported
that this high ground would not be ben
Gifted and should not be taxed, (the court
has since ordered it cut Off. thus taking
in a few persons that did not have any
grounds in the low lands. Some of these
! owners became frightened and employed
Va lawyer, and here the trouble began.
Nhe lawyer wanted his money, and his
Clients were willing to pay, but wanted
soNpething done. He told them to secure
an Engineer and have an estimate made.
Mr' StoddaTd was secured, and he, like
inc lawyer, had to do something for his
employers; hence the report Of $500, 600
lor a Drainage system that no one else
cohsluer'2 necessary or asked for. In
tact' an outside issue. II he had esti-
mated the Ncost of levee and published
H. lor ilis employers, it would
nave peeh of more real good to
mem ne claims levee eight feet
hlgh ana 1.-TWO feet wide will
not De sulnclenS If any of our readers
attended the national exposition at New
Orleans some three years ago, and went
from the business part of the city to the
erounu ny ooat ne Ahad to cross the levee
right in the city that was quite high and
less Than Three feet Wide AT the top. This
IS where 1t is, il possible, hundred
times as hard to hold\ within its bank,
being mile wide, ON G hundred feet
deep and having current of five miles
an hour For my part an, satisfied that
levee averaging four feed high will an.
swer all purposes.
| happen to be the owner of the land
that half mile will pass oveNr, A leyee
two feet high is all that is needed for that
part. The article finally sums up by
saying that 1.-The lands will be g6bbled up
by some rich syndicate. result NOT yery
desirable" Here let me make a Sugaes
ton to monIed men. If this levee Ma not
built, form syndicate. buy the lano1s or
at least enough to control them and Make
advantage of the law, and build Lev wee
for one will take stock in it. The land
can be bought cheap. especially after Va
high water or two. / believe syndicatA
cen make hundred per cent on their
money in single year by such an enter
prise.