Evening journal., 1899-05-08
CREATING FARM LAND
Thirty Three thousand Acres Re
covered in Indiana.
The Draining OF a Great Marsh by
an Enterprising ARriculturist OF
Jasper County-A Great
Success.

The largest owner of swamp lands
under cultivation in the world is b
+. Clifford, of Jasper county. Ind. in
which nearly all of this body OF fertile
soil lies. Twenty years ago, where the
thousands OF acres of Mr.. Giford's ten
foot corn bends 10 the autumn winds,
there was naught but dreary stretches
Of morass. In the driest seasons the
water stagnated on the surface Of the
black and Shiny ooze. built up in stratas
Of decayed vegetation, year by year. In
the spring and fall this wide area OF
marsh was not infrequently trans.
formed into a series of lakes from three
TO ten feet deep All this has been
changed by the thorough system Of
drainage adopted by Mr.. Clifford. who
realized in the black muck limitlcss ca
pacity for the production of marvellous
crops Of corn and vegetables
The experiment of drainage was a
doubtful one. It meant an immediate
outlay Of a fortune, with the possibil-
sly that when the vast improvement
was completed it would stand on the
debt side of Mr.. Gifford's ledger at a
sum far in excess Of what equally good
land might have been bought for in
more desirable localities. Mr.. Gif.
ford took the chances. The success
which has crowned the venture has
indicated his judgment.
He obtained from the state OF In
diana deeds 10 $4,000 acres of this
swamp for q song, and then bought q
steam dredge and began operations.
For five years, save in the dead OF win.
ter, this dredge has been in operation
constantly, day and night, and it has
cut in that period 70 miles of bitches
These bitches were the main lines. and
measured from G TO 10 feet deep and
from 10 TO 20feet wide at the top Dis
charging into them were laid several
hundred miles of tile drains, all sizes.
criss-crossing the immense tract at such
distances as would serve to extract the
superfluous moisture from the marsh
The water Is running from these tile
drains almost theyear round, and there
is never q period when there Is not n
good head of water in the main bitches
AS the dredge plowed its way through
the dismal eNpanse the reelsing mud
was dumped along the sides of the
cutting and a hydraulic ram attached
10 The dredge forced . powerful stream
of water on it and Washed It far back
from the verge, so that in the storm.
lest seasons il never drifted into the
channel and choked II up. The crops
raised on the enormous tract afforded
sufficient traffic to keep n small railroad
busy, and as Mr.. Clifford estimated h,
could with profit build his own line anc
haul his corn, stock, hay, vegetables
and other products TO the Chicago
market, he surveyed line from the
center Of the tract, and Is now con
structing a freight line from the cen
ter Of his farm north to o point o
Junction with the Indiana. Illinois ant
Iowa line. which gives him direct con
nection with Chicago. The grade OF thii
road, the heavy work on which hni
been completed, is along the principa
lines of main bitches, and the earth ex
cavated in cutting the bitches is be
ing worked into fair roadbed at mod
erate cost.
There are $50 tenants on the farm
and every tenant has a comfortable
flve-room dwelling. These building
are all alike, and in themselves consti
tute a colony of no mean proportions
Last year Mr.. Giford's corn crop ex
ceeded 100000 bushels, and beside
this, he has disposed Of 100000 bushel
of onions, which, in the rich, blac
vegetable mold, grow 20 unheard-o
sizes and in a profusion beyond one
most tropical fancy. His hay crop o
the wet prairies IS enormous. aud con
minds q price in the city markets onl
inferior 10 that of prime timothy. II
has hundreds of horses. which he
raising for farm work and for the maj
ket.-Chicngo Tribune.