The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1906-09-07
t,E. 4. I. nv
DRAIN THE STATE !
SWAMP LANDS. Is
NON. ALBERT L. COLE GIVES Hl3
REASONS Fer THINKING SUCH
WORK WOULD Benefit THE
ENTlRE STATE.

Hon. Albert l.. Cole in his speech
opening the campaign discussed the
question of the drainage Iof the states
swamp lands, and incidentally de-
scEibed briefly tho law drafted by him
which provides for preliminary topo-
graphical survey. The best of his re-
marks ON this subject q rs follows:
During the session Of 1906 q law was
enacted by the legislature. providing
for a comprehensive syStem of drain
age of such parts OF the states swamp
lands rs, In the opinion of the state
drainage commission, is. advisable,
This system involves a. Typographical
survey. In Nocember next. the engt-
neer In charge of the survey is to de-
be filed with the state auditor, map
OF the swamp and ma:shy, lands he
has surveyed, which will show not
only the, location, length, size and @ap-
proxtmate cost Of each ditch; suggest
ed. but 1t will also show each forty
acre tract CT land to be benefited by
each drain. Any one carefully exam
lining that map and the reports which
will accompany 1t, which are to be
printed for the information Of the leg
islsture and the people. can distin'
guish not only the lands owned by the
state that will be benefited, but he
can tell what lands to he drained are
owned by private individuals or cor
rcrations. Every essential fact with
regard to each drainage ditch will be
In possession of the legislature, and
they will be in a position to act intel
ligently on any drainage project they
decide to undertake. Thus tbs lega:-
lature will he able to so apportion the
cost of drainage, that the burden will
fa!, on each fo:ty-acre tract In proper
ticn to the benefits received. Fer my
self, will say that am not in favor
Of paying a single dollar OF public
money for drainage of lands owned
by private individuals or corporations.
State drainage as advocated by me
does not mean the drainage OF SIN
gle piece of property owned by tndl-
viduals or under any other ownership
except the state, and only such lands
belonging to the state, as, IN the oTln-
Ion of experts, viii be valuable enough
efter such drainage. to mere than re
pay the money expended upon them.
The state owns nearly 100000,
acres CT land that is entirely worth
less ulti! /. is dlci1eG. There is Gf
fo:G2l un:i.i=i e kabIe proof that al
least l ,r0H coo acres OF this land, when
reclaimed t. G;tc;,ing, Will be as good
as the average swamp lana that the
state has already sold ai1pFoX'uatlrs
$4,000 acres, and sold at the average
rrice of S6.43 Ter acre. Even if the
market value of this class Of land does
not Increase in value as time advances,
which is altogether improbable, that
100000 acres, when drained, will
cell for $6.43O.OO0. The estimated
cost OF draining these lands is $1,000
oO0 This sum, however, comes out OF
the current funds, and the whole OF
the Sc, 600, when the land Is sold,
will go into the school and other trust
funds of the state. This money. when
placed at interest at per cent, will
Yield net income Of $257 200, which
will annually be pouring into the state
treasury as interest from the sale OF
these lands alone. This income is not
for one year only, but 1t Is to last for
all time. More than one-half of this
annual income goes into our school
fund to be paid out annually to sup
port the common schools Of the state.
10 not the drainage of this land good
business proposition?-one which CON-
neuds itself to all thinking men?