The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-24
ROSEAU WANTS STATE AID.
Valuable Farming Property If 1t
Were Drain

Roseau county will petition the legisla-
ture for money aid for the drainage survey
and has sent it's county attorney, Roger ].
Bell, to st. Paul to push its claims before
the house and senate.
The county will claim this aid not only
because it is necessary to the best develop
ment of that section of the country but also
because the state has in the county about
1900 acres of land and this, so Roseau
county claims, should inspire the state, for
one reason, to extend its assistance.
There are a great many low lands dis
tributed through Roseau county, and re-
cent survey by Civil Engineer George A.
western boundary of the equity to the Lake
Of the Woods, and from the international
boundary on the north to the south boundary
of township 100 north embracing a territory
of about $50 square miles.
The surveyors report states that the coun-
ty Is divided into four great watersheds
with inclinations towards the north, ranging
from one to four feet to tie mile. or these
watersheds, only twO,, those of the Two
Rivers and Roseau r;Tcr, res be considered
as an calculation of the problem under con-
s1deration. The natural water courses are
chiefly rivers. The coulee is seldom found
and there are few natural waterways in
the western part Of the county. The Roseau
from RoSeau lake to where it crosses the Can
adam line is a sluggish stream with low
marshy land on either side. Two Rivers
which is the natural outlet for the south
western part OF the county, is on the contrary
swift current, and with small expenditure
this stream could be so improved as to eff
fectually drain all the land tributary to 1t.
By opening the channel in the marsh lands
where 1t has become choked by an accumula-
ton Of vegetable matter, much of the lands
which are now worthless, would become the
best farming lands in the county.
The estimated cost Of the work is SIT 95e
and the total number of acres benefited 49,
$50, or an average Of 65 cents to the acre
That the work viii pay Is proved by the fact
that the lands are unsurpassed in natural
richness, and the benefits arising In the next
twenty-five years must be considered In 1850
which transferred in trust to Minnesota g.
large area of swamp land for the express OBJ
ject OF retaining such lands. This act Of
congress contains the following provisions:
Provided, however, that the proceeds of such
lands, whether from sale or direct appropria-
ton in kind, shall be applied exclusively as
far as necessary, to the purpose of reclaim
ing such lands by means of the levees and
drains aforesaid
OF the lands already given to the state for
this purpose over 7.e00 acres are located in
RoSeau county, and when the government
survey In the unsuryeyed portion of the
county shall have been completed, and the re-
mamder OF this swamp land turned over to
the state, the above area will be increased
to nearly 2u0 900 acres. large portion of
these n 900 acres have already been used
to promote public improvements, and the state
has been greatly benefited thereby. The ur-
gent need now presents Itself for the return
of these lands to Roseau county for the OBJ
feet for which the stateF received then, in
trust Tho public necessity of promoting the
drainage of the low lands OF Reseau county
ard the fas reach ng results OF the public good
that will follow demand that the state of
Miuneseta restore the equivalent OF as much
Of this gaYeTarneEt grant 81 may be needed
to thnss its rishtful purpose.