Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-08
Vast Areas Will Be Benefited
by the Drainage Legislation
Recently Passed
SATISFACTION IS GENERAL
Many Members of the Legislators Be-
Iieve Passing of the Drainage Bill
Was the Best Thing Done This ses-
sion-Lakes Which Are Little More
Than swamps, to be Drained.
Special to Times-Republlcan

nes Moines April S.-Drainage, lake
beds swamp lands, river chanfiei ISL
and and similar matters are now pref
~ well disposed of in the legislature
and if one may judge by the emphatic
votes for all these important measures
there is general satisfaction over the
results. bill has been passed pro-
viding for a general drainage law.
e bill for the drainage OF the so-calisa
Iowa lakes or swamps, bin Tor the
sale OF the islands in the former nav
aspahla rivers and there has been some
legislation affecting swamp lands III
general. The most important or these
as the drainage bill. soon to become
law. a. bill to provide fer drainage dis
,4ricts and making of extensive drains
by taxation 1t is stated that in nor
thern and western Iowa vast areas Will
be benefited by this law II it WORKS
properly and as expected, that 1t Will
permit of the reclamation of thousands
of acres subject at any time to over
flow. There was SOME opposition 20
the bill. The opposition which was
expected from the railroad Interests
disappeared on the changing of the
bill in the last few days 1t was IN
committee so as not to attach UNIQUE
burdens to railroad companies. But on
the floor of the house one member
stated that the bill called for a system
under which in Kossuth county alone
more than 800 miles Of bitches would
he built as already asked for by the
d,eople 1t will bankrupt some exten-
,siye land owners if all the drains de-
sired are built AS Representatives
Hanna put it on the floor, IF this bill
masses 1 have land to trade for ditch
ing machinery" Judge Oliver of Mon
ppna county spent week In the city
and was directing on the floor of the
house proposed amendments to pre-
Sent. as he felt, overriding the wishes
Of the property owners and to protect
their rights. The amendments vera
not accepted. AS to the constitution.
atty of the bill there is still much
doubt expressed for there are clauses
where il is evident the trainers OF the
bill were engaged in lodging the con-
stitution IN very irregular manner; but
Z constitutional amendment has been
started that Will fix Ii all right IN due
time. On the whole members believe
! this drainage bill the most important
ching done by the legislature.
The bill to permit the drainage o.
The lakes OF Iowa Is one which will
grove of equal great value in some
sections of the state. The records CT
the land office show that the state
Of Iowa has lakes OF an area OF about
SO, 900 acres. Only a small portion or
This lake area is in fact lakes, put IN
the main it is swampy land. which was
originally surveyed as lakes anu mean
dered. The title to the land thus goes
TO the state and the state can 40 Whal
a pleaSes with the same. But there
has never been any way that lake
can be drained and converted into good
tiliable land legally. Now the whole
matter has been placed In the hands
of the state executive council and the
lakes will be drained, or those lakes
that are In fact only swamps and
breeding places for ducks and musk
rats. The big lakes will not be dis
falrbed The whole matter is in the
hands of the executive council TO make
such terms as 1t can for the drainage
or the SWampS ana Sale VI tliS iaH1.
Ii is bill that was introduced and
fathered by Representative Robinson
OF Emrnet county, where there NUM-
Der of these big swamps. They have
been lying idle, these many years while
the land lying all about contributes
10 the upbuilding of the country and
helps pay taxes. Some members ex-
pressed great fear that the bill meant
.ff,e drainage of some of the real lakes
81 the state destruction of spots OF nat
ural beauty in Iowa, but 1t is entirely In
che hands of state officers who are ex-
pected to use their good judgment.
The bill for the sale of lands lying
In the rivers was Of only local inter-
est The chief purpose was to settle
up some matters in regard to land near
Council Bluffs. But IL places 1t within
the power of the state TO keep pace in
the future with the vagaries of the
Missouri river and keep the state line
In conformity with the river line
NEW EMBLEMs ADOPTED.