The Portland daily press., 1897-07-06
REcLAIMs MILLIONS OF ACRES.
Plan to Drain Large Tracts of Swamp
Land in Missouri.
(From the St. Louis Republic. J

(From the St. Louis Republic
D. L. Russell, Chairman of the South
east Missouri Swamp Commission, is in
of fourteen members from as many
counties in the southeastern portion of the
state, and it's object is to formulate bill
to reclaim very large body of land sub
ject to overflow and present the measure
to the next General Assembly. Mr.. Rus
sell will call meeting of the commission
for some time next month The under
taking is one of vast consequence, involv-
ing large area of land that, once re-
claimed, will be worth millions of dollars
At present, 1t is practically of no value.
For the past fifteen years the state has
been making efforts in a small way to re-
claim this land, or, rather, seeking to
adopt system that will result in reclaim
ing it. Last winter the legislature provid-
ed for the commission. Heretofore. &C
ton between the various scounties has not
been harmonious, and each interested
person has urged plan of his own, with
the result that but very little has been
accomplished.
The immense interest involved in the
undertaking is not generally understood
it seems, outside of fifteen or twenty
counties in the southeastern portion of
the state. Ex-senator Ben Walker of
Stoddard County, who is a civil engineer,
thinks 5000, 000 acres of the best land in
the state can be reclaimed. Mr. Russell
makes it 2,000,0 900 to be on the safe side
All this land is covered with heavy
growth of timber, which is the only thing
Of value connected with it at present. An
nually, the Mississippi River and local
streams have flooded this country as far
back as Indian tradition goes.
In brief, the plan for retaining the
land is to close up all gaps in the Mississ-
ippi levee, and drain off the local surface
St. Francis Basin to the Arkansas line
Everybody who is in position to know
anything about the enterprise declares
that it is entirely practical. No estimate
of the ultimate cost has been furnished,
but the outlay, it is said, will be nominal
in comparison with the gain. All the in
terested localities have levee organiza-
tions, and collect local levee taxes, SO that
in reality the work of retaining land has
been going on for many years. Speaking
of his views on the matter to Republic
reporter, Mr.. Russell said:
IT favor closing up all gaps in the
levee, and making complete and sub
stantial levee from the hills of Cape Girar-
deau County, Mo-, down to the Missouri
and Arkansas line, and then favor a sys-
tern of canals down the St. Francis Basin
from the hills, cut by heavy steam dredge
boats, but in operation in every one of
the eleven counties just as soon as posi-
BILE. | believe this to be the best, and, in
fact. the only perfect plan yet suggested
for the drainage and retaining Of this
land. amounting to 100000 acres of the
finest farming land on earth. In the
Thirty-eight General Assembly, of which
l was q member, worked night and day
to secure an appropriation of $40, ZOO to
complete the levee in Pemiscot County
which was then being built by the citi,
zens of that county. During the thirty
ninth qe97) session put on foot the plan
to construct canals down the ST. Francis
Basin, and shall give the best energy of
my life to placing it in successful opera
ton.
One feature of general plan that will
be submitted to the next Legislature for
reclaiining this land will be to utilize the
labor of idle convicts, Of whom there are
a large number now in the penitentiary
Such bill was prepared by Mr.. Russell
last winter, but it was introduced into
the Assembly too late in the session to
receive much attention.