The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1905-06-12

was his journey of 500 miles
which it was necessary for him
to take in order to be present at
the meeting on account Of the
vast swamps between Bemidji
and international Falls.
! Representative Eckman, repre-
senting Roseau, Kittson aud Mar
shall counties, said that there
were 100000 acres of swamp
lands in his district that could
be drained very easily.
Judge Pendergast of Bemidji
stated to the meeting that in his
opinion the northern representa-
tives in the state legislature
should impress upon the minds
of the Representa- tives from the
southern portion of the state the
fact that four ffths of the money
derived by school districts from
the sale of state lands is paid
into the school treasures of
southern Minnesota, and that as
a result the southern districts
would receive as much benefit
from drainage as the northern
portion of the state.
Judge Pendergast was followed
by Attorney b. b. Mcdonald of
Bemidji,> who seconded Repre-
sentative Cole and gave a mum Der
of instances where it had been
proven that with the expenditure
of a few hundred dollars large
areas of swamp lands had been
reclaimed.
Aad A. Tone of Northome
cleared up a few misunderstood
ings regarding the population Of
certain sections of Itasca county,
claiming that the mum Der of set
tiers living in these sections had
been greatly understated. He
gave several instances of this
having occurred, one being in the
township of Engelwood, where,
he stated, the populatin had been
estimated at 100, while really
there were about 1000 settlers
living in the township and all Of
these would be greatly benefited
by the construction of drainage
bitches to carry off the surplus
waite thatremains in the swamps
during the entire summer. ;
Mr.. Anderson of Clay county
declared himself for drainage in
the most emphatic manner and
stated that he would use his in
fuencc in the cause. He stated
that in the county which he
represented there were many
acres of state lands that could be
reclaimed.
Senator A. D. Stephens of
Crookston was the next speaker.
Mr.. Stephens declared that ne
was first, last and all the time for
drainage. Senator Stephens
seconded the remarks made by
Representative Cole of Walker
and promised his audience that
as a member of the state legis.
lature from northern Minnesota
he would do all in his power to
get the right kind of laws and
appropriations.
Mr.. Nelson of Marshall county
presented his views on the matter
and he was followed by Engineer
Abercrombie of Alexandria, who
explained that with the finds
available at the present time little
could be accomplished in the way
of drainage and recommended
that the people of the north have
patience.
Representative Murray of
Wadena took the floor and pre-
scented a resolution asking the U.
S. congressman and represent
atives from the districts of this
section Of the state to use their
influence in getting bill through
congress providing for the drain
age of Indian reservation lands.
The resolution was unanimously
adopted.
Representative Bennett OF
Fosston stated that he was op-
posed to expanding the states
money for the drainage of private
lands and believed that great
precaution should be taken be
fore any work was done in order
to ascertain positively that the