Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-10
IOWA SWAMP LANDS.
Thousands OF Acres in NorthcI

Part OF State Held by No One.
Des Moines, Aug. 10.-In northern
Iowa there are many thousand acres
OF valuable farm lands, title to which.
is now held by no one. This land is
now held by no one. but Il title can be
secured by the county in which the
land is situated if the proper steps be
taken. When the government surveys
was often done. Then there were
low lands than there is at the pres
emit time, many large tracts of what
is now comparatively dry land were
meandered as lakes, and the title re-
manned in the government.
Some years 9 parties began to in
vestigate these lands. 1t was found
that the soil was the most fertile in
the state, and that even when too wet
for cultivation it made fine pasture
land. Under the swamp land act of
1870 the title to the land goes to the
state when it can be proven that it
was meandered wrongly. The state
also has passed a laS giving the land
to the counties in such instances, and
it is to the interest of the counties to
obtain possession of as much of this
land as possible.
In many instances this land is now
being used by the owners of adjoining
property. and although many acres of
this land are under cultivation no
taxes are being paid by those who get
the benefit. 1T is stated that i'm one
instance 1900 acres are being farmed
by man who has never paid one
ceEt for the use of some of the most
fertile land in the state. BY obtaining
possession the counties can prevent
this. Where the lakes can be pre-
served by dnmming that policy is fol
loved, as the government has no de-
sire to destroy the lakes.
Attorney T.. y. Evans. OF Des Moines,
has been conducting AN Investigation
along this line and has spent ON
weeks travelling tllroug the northern
part of the state With a view TO ascer-
tanning how much Of this land can
now pe secured by the state and then
turned over to the counties in which it
is situated. He reports that lie has
found more than 10000 acres. all of
which is now being farnlcd or used for
pasturagc by adjoining property own
tIS. ne DdS secured descriptions Oh
the land and will 90 to Washington
next week to take the matter up with
the federal government. \ governs
ment Surveyor will at once begin the
work of making II new survey. and if
il can be proven that the original sur.
vcN was wrong Mr.. Evans is confident
that the title will revert 10 the state
and thence to the counties.
shaw-Wcavc: Discussion.
l}es MONIES. la, Aug. 1O.-A Joint dis
~cussion between Governor j.. NJ. Shaw
and General J. h. Weaver ON the Phil
ippine question was the feature of tho
Epworth League assembly at ColfaN
yesterday. The debate attracted am
audience of several thousand persons
from the surrounding country.
General Weaver attacked in the main
the policy of the government in the
Philippines. asserting il was i'm CON
diet with the constitution, Declaration
Of Independence, the Monroe doctrine.
the laws Of nations and the holy pre-.
ccpts of our religion.
Governor shaw upheld the rcpub-
lican administration in every respect,
declaring that he was for a 'sbroadeI
policy and advancement of the higher
and newer civilization which confronts