The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1903-12-31

to % miles long, and the present
channel must be at least 20 to 80
miles. Our county surveyor assures
me the fall for this distance is ovel
40 ieet, so it is easy to see the new
channel would discharge more water
withits short route and swiiteurrent
than the old channel; the old chan.
mel being an average fall OF 6 inches
to the mile and the new chanel fall
of II ieet to the mile or three times
rs much fall.
know a good many people say
this can't be done, ETC., etc. These
people forget the word cant" was
dropped out of the vocabulary ofthe
Americ IN people, so far as undertak
inss are concerned in 1910. 1t can
be done, can be paid for and be bur-
densome To no one, at u cost believe
not to exceed S. 90 per acre OF the
lands benefited, but not under our
present law. II We get our local law
repealed then go to work under the
general statutes section 1918 to Sec
ton S345 inclusive, we can thus
bring in from 10, 900 to 10, 900 acres
in Vernon county to help build this
ditch, which We can never do under
present law.
Under the general statutes the cost
OF the work can be paid by issuing
bonds upon which there will be moth.
ing due for at least two years except
the interest, by that time the new
channel would be done and land own
ers he getting immediate protection,
and the tax would not be noticeable.
Almost the entire proceedings under
the statues are had under the direct
acts OF the county court, and with a
broad gauged energetic court, such
as We have in Bates county, who
doubts the energetic and faithful
prosecution OF the work. | notice
Mr.. Atkeson mentions work being
done in Holt, Charlton and Carroll
counties, IA well az in several OF the
southeast Missouri counties. This j.
true and in every case he men'iUns
the work is being done under the Sec
tions of the general statutes | have
mentioned, and the actual construc
ton work done by dredge boats. 1t
Is also fact that no contract rpqur
ing the amount dirt of moving that
will be necessary in the work under
discussion regardless OF how done,
can be done so cheaply and so quick.
ly az with dredge, and | believe it
possible to get boat owner to taxi
hold OF the work under the present
law.
While, regret greatly the delay il
would occasion, | see no way to now
get work accomplished that will be
any relief to US people who are ben
etica ries and who pay the tax, ex-
cept to get the special act repealed at
next SEES sion of the legislature, then
go to work under general statutes. |
take it as a matter of course every
owner Of bottem land is in favor q,
drainage once he is assured there
will be something accomplished and
tho tax made 50 it will not be bur.
densome. The drainage OF wet land
has become such an established
method Of making almost worthless
lands the most productive and most
saleable in our country, that it would
seem We were in a foreign land to
find person opposed to the drain
aye of such land. | realize that it il
not possible to do the work under
the statutes or otherwise to exactly
suit US all We will each have to
concede some points az to location
If drains, our proportion OF expense,
etc, but it does seem to me that we
should be OF one mind in insisting
that we are assured OF results, and
that we are entitled to have the best
terms possible on Repayment Il the
tax, neither OF which we have under
che local law. Assure me of compar
atively quick results and give me
time on my taxes and regardless OF
amount of tax l will roll up my
sleeves and work increasingly for
drainage OF Bates county bottom
lands. Respectfully,
j. F. KERN.