Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-02-26
Mr.. Chairman,
Laoles aud Gentlemen,

Rnte-dntes written history.
To review Its history and develope
ment complete would occupy much
tlme-exhaust your patlence-and Is
not necessary at this time.
1t has been HgltAted and discussed
in this vicinity and is vital question
in this county Ill which every citizen
Is more or less interested.
Many OF our people beiieve that the
proposed plans tor drainage Vt the
overlooked lands i'll this vicinity TO Qe
large undertaking-too expensive to
be practicable or profitable.
Reference to q few works of similar
character which are being prosecuted
In our own and foreign countries will
show that what is proposa I'D here would
be comparatively like the scratch Of y
pin on the esrth's surface.
The reader of history will remember
the Description of the terrific storms
that prevailed In the eleventh to the
thirteenth century In Holland when
the n )rth sea brooks over its bounds
submerged seventy-twn towns and
cities aud destroyed one hundred thnn
sand lives aud formed the Zulder Zee
Fifty years ago a project for the re
clSlnlstion of these lands took shape.
an association was formed for this
purpose the submerged Territory
covering one million acres of land
seven hundred and fifty thousand
acres Of which could be made tillable.
The plans adopted contemplated the
construction Of 9 dam or sea wall
eighteen miles long and the excavation
of \ large canal with MANY branches
The work under this association
proceeded very slowly.
In eighteen hundred and ninety-two
Q proposition WAS submitted to the
government and rovAl commission
was formed to carry ont I'll exhaustive
examination of this deluged territory
and report plans for its reclamation
The plans Of the original association
was gener ally approved and sdopled
The dam was to be twenty tive miles
long and the main canal was to be six
teen thousand four hundred feet wide
(sbout three miles) and nsvigsble.
1t was estimated that the work
would extend over thirty-three years
of tlms-snd under the arrangement
twenty-five thousand acres of land was
to be thrown upon the market every
good soil-reclaimed from the sea-and
would eventually be the very best land
In Holland for agricultural purposes
The estimated cost of the work was
seventv eight million. seven hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, and the
value Of the land reclaimed was fixed
ct one hundred and thirty five million,
eight hundred and thirty-three thous-
and. three hundred and thirty dollars.
The detail plans for the construction
OF the dam and excavation of the canal
and the protection work are very sim
liar to the plans adopted and use in
this country by the Mississippi and
Missouri river commissions
As 1t stands IT. is one of the greatest
engineering projects of the century
and the world must admire the pluck
and perseverance of g people living IN
. land that draws from six to ten feet
of water.
When the Aztics abandoned Califor-
mia and ia little groups commenced
their mysterious march toward the
south. they discovered the valley to
which they lster' gave the name of
Mexico.
Here they founded their capital city
according to the Indian tradition
when the Imperial Eagle, which served
IS Q guide, perched on rock and de-
stroyed serpent in accordance with
the prediction of their orscles. The ex
act spot where the eagle landed is
marked by monument in public
square in the City of Mexico.
This valley is an immense basin,
completely bounded by high noun
tains, and only two or three passes out
Of it. and these are very high.
The surface of the valley has mean
altitude of seven Thousand four hun.
dred and thirteen feet above the sea.
and area of twenty-five hundred
square miles.
Atthst time the bottom of the valley
was occupied by two lakes, with sew
ersl islands emerging above their sur
face.
These lakes are fed by streams of
little volume during the dry season,
but when the rainy season sets in,
they swell to considerable size and At
times overflow the valley.
After gradually making themselves
masters of the surrounding nations,
the Mexicans commenced to battle
with the water surrounding them.
In fourteen hundred and fifty, Monte
yuma constructed an immense dixie,
ten miles long to protect the capitol.
This dixie divided the lake Texcoco
into two parts.
Cortez arrived in the valley Of Mexico
IN fifteen hundred and nineteen, and
ordered tie destruction of the dixie, so
that with his fleet he could beseige the
Mexican capital.
The conquerers paid but little or no
attention to preserving or protecting
the works of the Alters until they had
been visited by several destructive
floods, aud in sixteen hundred and
seven Enrico Martinez undertook to
drain the valley.
Ths plan was to turn the water BY
means of tunnel, and the channels
Of the rivers Tula and Panaco into the
gulf of Msxlco
Tnts tunnel was 81 ,64S feet long, IL u
feet wide, and 1917 feet high, and was
completed in eleven months, SEEM
lngly impossible feat.
They also excavsted an open channel
28,2OO feet long to connect the tunnel
with the river channels.
Unhspptly for supposed economical
reasons, and to save time the Spsnisrds
failed to line the excavation and the
water eroded the banks to such an ex-
tent that two years later the tunnel
was blocksded IS useless.
Some years passed without anything
further being done to remedy the state
Of affairs, and in 1929 terrible food
occurred, which in one month cost the
lives of 10000 people; 10000 families
wera driven awav and the vallav wao