Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-08-09
DRAINAGE: MEETING I:||:'l
At Crook,ton Largely Attended.
Thos. Olson ofWiIImar Mem.
I'D. - 49, +
-.@@ Der Of Committee.

At the meeting of the State Drain
age League, held at Crookston lsst
week, Co. Commissioner Thos. Il. OF.
son, who WAS one Of the delega ates from
Kanaiyo ohl county, was honored with
membership on the executive com.
mittee. The other members Of the
committee are Erza Gates, Garden
Cit, C. A. Johnson, st. Peter; Senator
Calhoune, Minneapolis; Asher Mur-
ray, Wadena; w. A. McGonagle, Du-
luth; r. G. Wells, Breckenridge. A.
G. Barnard, Of Cass Lake, was elected
% president of the League; c. II.
w arner, Of Crqokston, first vice presi-
dent; H. g. Hayes, of Bemidjt, secre-
tary Captain 81. B. Evs, of Duluth,
treasurer. Wadena was selected -
the next meeting place Of the conven.
ton. .-.--~ s-.- .:.-.- -.~,$ /.
The meeting was largely attended,
about 400 delegates being present.
Besides state officials there were prom
inent representatives from every coun-
ty In the state. Among the prominent
men we're Governor Johnson, Senator
G app, Congressman Steenerson, Dean
Ltg gett, of the State Agricultural
school and Ex-Lieut, Gov, Rice of
Willmsr, seventeen representatives
and fourteen state senator's. Mr.. Rice
was present as chairman of the sgri-
cultural committee of the board of re-
gents of the State University.
The promotion of drainsge thru
state and federal aid over oil sections
of the state In need of such work, is
the key note of both the bylaws and
constitutions that were adopted.
Meetings are to be held annually and
the entire state 10 included in the scope
Of the work.
Prominent speakers made addresses
and pspers were read and discussed
that will result in arousing much in
terest In state drainage. Governor.
johnson, who was present, declared
himee'f . champion of the cause Of
drainage: 30 looked upon the appro.
priation Of money for the drainage Of
swamp lauds o purely business prop
ot ition, and the. only sane course for
the state to adopt. He stased that at
the next meeting Ct tho Legislature his
message would contain an urgent plea
for IN appropriation liberal enough
fully to meet the requirements. He
said = comparatively moderate ex.
peIditure of money would increase tho
value of the state lands affected at
least 100 per cent. As . member of
the, drainage board he would urge
similar recommendations to the legis-
lature. The sympathy of Governor
Johnson in the movement for drain
age and the unqualified promise of his
earnest support created great enthusi-
asm.
Senator Clapp also made IN address
in which he said he believed the fede-
raj government might assist in drain
age If . reimbursable appropriation
bill was made and passed, to be paid
for when the land was sold. If that
was not feasible, he would endeavor
to get bill thru ceding the federal
swamp lands to the state, Is they are
valueless to the federal government
till drained The senator's plans were
endorsed by Congressman Steenerson
and other speakers.
State Drainage Engineer Gsorge A.
Ralph, who has been appointed to
survey the proposed Grow River ditch
in this county, read q paper on the
conditions of the state - regards
swamp or vet lands.
minnesota has IN area of about
ten million acres of land which in its
natural conditions Ia too vet to be used
for agricultural purpose. OF this area
about two million acres have been re-
claimed or ts partly reclaimed by the
construction of drainage bitches.
About one million six hundred thou
sand acres has been drained by tho
several counties OF the state, and the
cost assessed to the land benefited,
under the county drainage law; 300, 900
arces has been reclaimed by the con.
structi0n of state bitches, tho cost Of
which was paid from direct appropria-
tions made by the state legislature,
and about one hundred thousand acres
has been drained by the construction
of bitches by private land owners.
"The estimated cost Of reclsiming
these lands based ON the best informa-
ton obtained and ON the cost Of the
work already accomplished, will range
from 81 to q per acre.
ssThe state of Minnesota has ex-