The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1905-01-19
StraIuhten the river.
M. EnIrnn.

90 your readers by Mr.. John ID.
Moore, ON the overflow Of the Marlas
des Cygncs river, | VIII open
the ball. I have forty acres
by the river, but that don't make me
favor the scheme presented by Mr..
Moore, This gentleman has tried on
several occasions TO arouse peoples
interest ON this question. The de-
struction OF crops, and stock, and
labor almost every year, makes this
overflow prevention OF nom import
than many are inclined to admit,
judging by the way il Is treated.
Most people seem TO evade the dis.
cusslon OF this public question. 1 do
think all owners of land, and farm
ers, merchants and business men
ought to give their views on all pub
lie improvements like this one, and
state why they advocate such views.
MIR. Moore has stated all very
plain, and l think 1t the most FEAST
BILE plan presented TO secure the OBJ
iect in view, viz; TO prevent the over
flow. And the utility OF this project
must be clear To all who have OF.
may examine IL. 1t is the duty OF
all to favor every possible aud de-
sirable Improvement, both for SER
vice or for Identifying every con-
.ceivable thing In the city OF country.
II they wish To increase the value Of
their holdings. and induce strangers
seeking homes. to locate among us.
The river IN it's winding course Is
well adapted to wild men and In
dians. In it's natural form IL Is more
prolific in fish and game, the princi-
pal food OF those people. But we
have come to n period OF time when
we must make provision for the de-
mands OF n civilization far in al
vance of the wild man.
To do this we must subdue the
wilderness and the swamp by pre-
venting overfiows and under-drain-
ing, and by cutting water courses
from u lakes and rivers to irrigate
desert lands where the rainfall is in-
sufficient to mature the growing
crops. s.
As we are continually introducing
new plants and vegetables to salts
ty our educated stomachs and the
demands of hygiene, aud our grow.
ing epIcureau desires, seeking to null
tlply the courses three times daily,
to meet those demands we must
have all kinds of land in cultivation.
from the lowest swamp to the noun.
tain top. These lands vary so much
In their chemical natures and loca-
ton, which is the secret OF their
adaptability 10 the growth Of an
kinds Of vegetation, ana one OF the
many wonderful displays Of Gods
love to man In making everything
so peculiarly adapted to our needs.
God has made the laws OF nature
absolutely ~unalterable, and II we
work In a line with those establish.
ed laws, we need not make any mis-
takes, nor be defeated in the object
sought.
II Is not necessary for a person 20
be thoroughly posted i'm the laws oI
gravity TO know that II we throw n
ball up IL win fall back again, morris
1t necessary 10 understand all about
hydrostatics or hydraulics 10 know
that water will run down aud al,
ways lind the lowest level II WI
make it "a road.
To illustrate this overflow ques
ton, suppose the distance from A 20
Il by the old crooked river to be 4
miles and n fall OF IN foot per mile
aud the straight cut from those two
stations Is just - mikes, It would
make the river - miles shorter n
that distance and the fall would b,
double or two feet to the mile, he
cause the two stations at A and 1
ia the old and new cuts are ON q
level with each other. II we incrcas'
the fall il increases the velocity, ant
II we Increase the volume we increns.
the velocity aud multiply It's me
ehanical force In proportion, whIcl
is IA powerful factor 10 deepening
aud widening the channel.
Now bet Us look at this law NOR
ally. All laws have moral sides ant
we should always look on an sidel
OF a question to comprehend Il fully
The Bible says, Consider the worl
OF God; for who can make thai
straight which lie hath mad,
crooked."
Now this old crooked river chan
mel and an olds crooked life have d
striking analogy 10 each other, and
neither can be made straight. hut
man has power vested In him q
make a new straight channel IN
pince Of the one God made crooked
aud God don't make our old crook,
ed lives straight, but win make "a,
s....s 40. l..uwaH ngsH mill r.rF eI....