Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-07-24
The Ditch Question.

GNtltol AlMEo Lear OlT. ln your
daily issue of the 2lst July you
publish communication from a
Mondamin subscriber who makes
some statements in regard to the
drainage of the ovelGowed bottom
lands that show that he has EVIL.
IDENTIFY not made a very careful
study OF the situation, and mis-
represents his own town when he
states that Mo Valley is the only
place in the county that has whis-
key and surplus water. He land
ed here with drainage scheme
but did not apparently have the
proper facilities for unloading it
The meeting to which he refers
was called for the purpose of as
certaiuing what had been accom-
plished toward draining the low
bottom lands, and to discuss any
plans that might be suggested in
the matter, and invitations were
issued to parties interested in
order to have full and free dis
cussion of the whole drainag ge
question. The Chairman stated
this to be the object of the meet
ing and called upon those present
for any remarks or statements
they might choose to make, and
this invitation was repeated by
the chair during the meeting.
1t is greatly regretted that the
gentleman from Mondamin did
not avail himself of the oppor-
tunitv to unfold his scheme as the
meeting was representative one
and prepared to analyze, discuss
and adopt any plans or PROPOSE
tions that would tend to forward
the matter of drainage. The sub
scrlber states that the CONNER
cial Club would throw the water
of the Willow and the overflow
from the Boyer into the sediment
filled channel Of the Willow in
Pottawattamle county and let il
find it's way into the Missouri
river as best it could throw the
waters Of Steer creek and Allen
creek into a depression somewhere
in the vicinity of Mobiles Lake,
and there let it find its level"
These statements are SO far from
tha facts that it is hardly worth
while to discuss them. Notwith-
standing his objections to dis
charging the water of the above
creeks into Pottawattamie county,
he proposes to turn the Soldier
river into that county through the
Willow creek channel.
Ii he would kindly read the
petition that was presented to the
| County Supervisors and the re-
port of the commissioner which
was published in full in the Har-
rison County News Dec IL, 1899,
both Of which are on file in the
office of the County Auditor, he
would have a better knowledge of
the situation and would be better
prepared to discuss the matter in
telligently.
AT the time the above petition
was being circulated, petitions
were drawn to be circulated in his
township and townships adjacent
thereto for the purpose of getting
all the lands south of the Little
Sioux river that required draining
into one drainage district. If these
petitions were ever circulated in
| the townships referred to the re-
cord does not show that they were
ever presented to the board of
supervisors and the conclusion
was that the people of these town.
ships we're either not prepared to
take hold of the matter or did not
at that time consider it of suffi-
cient Importance to give it atten-
tion.
Petitions we're also drawn ask
ing for an examination and neces-
sary surveys to determine the best
way to drain that part of Potta-
wattamie county west of the bluffs
along the bottom and north and
west of the city of Council Bluffs.
The petitions were circulated in
Pottawattamie county, commits.
sioner appointed and the examina-
tion and surveys made, but no re-
port has been filed in that county