Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1906-05-03
Drainage Convention.

Drainage Convention.
The Sheaf is in receipt of the fol-
lowing from Secretary Hays, of the
Drainage League:
Bemidji, Minn., April %, 1906.
The second annual convention of
the Minnesota Drainage League will
be held at Wadena, June S, 1906, and
we have barely time enough to tell
you of some of the things accom-
plished since the organization of the
League a year ago, and some of the
things we hope to see accomplished
through the Leagues Instrumental
ity in the years to come.
Drainage was, year ago, topic
little understood, and talked of but
casually. During the year the SUBJ
jbect has been discussed in almost
every newspaper in the state, and the
people have begun to realize the i'm
mensity of the proposition, in fact
recognize that they have holding
of 100000 acres of unproductive
lands, and that these lands may be
improved and sold at large. profit.
They realize that this 3,OV0,000 of
desolation may be turned into $2l,
000,0 cash at, an expense of from
75c to $l.00 pei acre. 1t is purely
business proposition and as such de-
mands and will have consideration.
The League has pressed this fact
as frequently as possible, and with
that fact uppermost has tried to
show what an immense advantage it
would be to add these millions Of
acres to Minnesota's wealth produc-
ing area. We have urged congress
to take up the matter of reclaiming
land by drainage and there have been
bills considered during the present
session looking toward that end. If
legislation now pending becomes law,
we shall have the satisfaction of see.
ing the reclamation of all the waste
public lands, some 1880, 900 acres, in
the state and the state developed to
just that extent. The newspapers of
, the state, with a willingness and
an enthusiasm seldom shown, helped
on the drainage cause until now
scarcely a candidate for public office
but has added a good word for
drainage to his platform.
South Dakota, North Dakota and
Manitoba have been induced to Or
ganize and get to work in drainage,
largely through the encouragement
and cooperation of the Minnesota
Drainage League, and our activity in
this direction has sounded new and
distinct note to the song of prosper
ity, and it will not be long until
twenty-five states in the union will
be enlisted in the drainage work,
thanks largely to the movement in
this state. +
Meantime field work has been going
on. Our own state officials have
practically competed a topographic
survey of several northern counties,
and engineers and soil experts are
turning in most favorable reports
daily. The government will aid Min
nesota in securing a survey, and ir
addition will appropriate SIS, 900 fol
survey of the Red Lake reserva'
tion. Looking over the work Of the
past twelve months we can see pro-
gress all along the line, and this
makes our approaching second annu'
al convention an affair of moment
Will you not call attention TO the
fact and ask your county commits
sioners and municipal officers, youl
Commercial Club and other similar
organizations to take action toward!
sending delegates to- Wadena? W.
want every county and every munich
pality represented, and in return
guarantee that the programme to bt
presented will be of sufficient value
to make the attendance Of delegates
most pleasing and profitable.
We are to have experts on drain
age present who will contribute val
liable papers on the subject.