Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1894-04-12
"BIG' DITCH.
The Viewers Estimate the Cost at
$1,000 All Told.
Twenty Per Can't Of the Cost 70 Be Taxed
Up to tho Reaevays.
County Commissioners 10 Consider tie
Matter On Friday, April az.

The report OF the viewers, Messrs.
H. H. Blair, F. NJ. Gilmore and Elmer
Seward, appointed by the board of
county commissioners to consider the
advisability Of reconstructing the ditch
leading from the Norwegian lake to
the Big Sioux river, finished their pre-
liminary work last Thursday and their
report is now ON file with the county
auditor. The viewers endorse the pro-
posed plan, giving it as their opinion
that the south ditch be chosen as the
one on which the work shall be done.
They suggest that this ditch have a
width at the surface OF 10 feet, at the
base Of 6 feet and a average depth of
S feet, with a slant on the banks of As
per cent. At every forty rods drain
ways are to be made at right angles to
the ditch through the embankment on
the north side. Under their plan it is
| the purpose OF the viewers to have the
north ditch filled by the earth secured
from the widening OF the south ditch,
thus forming an excellent roadway. :
Engineer Vinson and the viewers es-
innate that it will require the removal
OF $4,000 cubic yards of dirt to COM
| plete the work, which, at an estimate
OF Z cents per yard, would make the
cost OF construction $4,000. They also
recommend that 20 per cent of the cost
be charged up to the public highways,
which is a very fair estimate. This
will make the net cost to the property
owners benefited at 81, 13S. In the as
sessment plat, as recommended by the
viewers, there are 1900 acres which
will be benefited by the construction
OF the ditch. The viewers in their re-
port state: I'VE find the principal
element Of difference to be in the rela-
tive distance each tract lies from the
main ditch or from bitches already
dug, which will have an outlet therein,
n upon this basis we have made tif-
teen classes. No. l represents those
tracts receiving the greatest and No.
10 the least benefit" So it will be oh.
served that the asses sment on the va
rious forties will vary owing to the
distance from the ditch and the bene-
fit to be received from increased facil-
tiles for drainage.
Inc average cost per acre according
v ohS SoOilltttOC II dDOuU l(3 CSUVS,
All property owners seem to agree
upon the proposition that the new
ditch will be Of inestimable benefit.
The development Of the large area Of
land, which today offers no other rev.
enue to the owner than what hay NAV
be cut from off the land, into farms,
and the location of a farmer upon each
quarter section OF land is a realization
which the proposed ditch will bring
about.
1t is conceded by those who have
examined the local conditions here
abouts that with suitable drainage Elk
Point will become the richest farming
section in South Dakota. The soil is
OF the richest quality and a system Of
drainage is all that is necessary to
bring the land up to the $5O-per-acre
mark.
On April 81 the county commission
ers will meet to consider the report of
the viewers and determine the ques-
ton OF going ahead with the work. In
this issue will be found the notice OF
the county auditor to all interested
parties.