The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-11

drainage cnannelS. Each land owner
has the feeling that somewhere in his
neighbours farm is the proper location
for the main ditch. When practicable,
the ditch should be located along one
of the land divisions. This does not
cut up the lands into irregular fields
and 1t is usually easier to secure a
right of way straight across farm
than angling across it, while it is ad-
vantageous to go straight across
farms even though the cost of con-
struction is somewhat increased. The
idea of running bitches straight should
not be carried too far. Land drains
best when bitches are built in accord
ance with the natural drain courses.
Nature has provided certain laws for
the flow of water, and in dealing with
these laws in the reclamation of lands,
we must use our engineering skill to
assist Nature in her own way. Better
work and more satisfactory results
are always secured by deepening and
improving natural courses, than by
attempting to create an entirely new
system.
There is a general sentiment in the
valley that the proper place for a
main ditch is along the section lines.
There is some question in my mind,
as to whether the section line is the
proper location for main bitches. The
objections to locating bitches on sec
ton lines are that buildings and yards
are situated along the road, the resi-
dents of such place object to a large
ditch In front of their dwellings, Deep
dltches along highways are source
OF danger to the travelling public. In
the construction Of large bitches it is
not practicable to throw all the dirt to
one side and where it is necessary to
nave spoil banks on either side of the
ditch. the road right of way Is not of
sufficient width for both ditch and
\ highway. Trees, fences and buildings
along the highway interfere with the
work, of construction, and necessarily
increase the cost.
| investigation in regard to ditch To-
cation where drainage work has been
| carried on for several years, show that
| the residents do not consider the high
way the proper location for the large
bitches unless there are other con-
ditions which necessitate this location
| outside of that for convenience. Hence
| am inclined to believe and advise
that you should commence by locating
the main bitches on the quarter sec
ton lines. where all other conditions
are favorable. The lateral bitches,
which will not be SO deep or large, can
be constructed along one side of the
highway, using the excavated mater
ial for making roadway. The con-
struction of ditch along a quarter
section line would not cause any great
Inconvenience as the large farms are
divided up as the bitches would come
on the division line. This location
would be out of the way and would
| cost less to the district and inconven-
fence less number of people than If
constructed along the highway.
The method by which bitches are
! constructed is also of importance, es-
pecially SO, In heavy, wet soil, where
the seasons are short as in this lati-
tude. bitches in the valley, as far as
know, have been constructed by teams
and scrapers. There is nothing wrong
about scraper ditch If it can be con-
structed, but the size of the ditch and
the conditions under which 1t can be
excavated are limited. I have been
informed that there are now two or
three bitches in the valley which have
been under construction for several
| years that are not completed. This is
1 not due to any fault of the contrac-
| tors, but Is because the seasons have
been such that the scraper work could
not be done in wet. heavy material.
| Good economical lateral bitches can
be constructed by scrapers but for
large main bitches other means should
be employed. bitches that have the
! greatest carrying capacity for the least
! number of yards removed should be
| deep and wide on the bottom, with
side slope, not greater than that at
which the material will stand. 1t is
believed that in the valley for a ditch
six to ten feet in depth a side slope of
| Ill would be sufficient It would be
impracticable to get ditch of this
depth and slope at a reasonable cost
with scrapers
| Machinery suitable for excavating,
SUCH as will be required for main
| bitches is the steam dredge These ma
chimes ars of two classes, one known
| as the floating dredge, which is built
at the upper end of the ditch and
| works down stream, floating on the
| water which collects in the ditch back
of the excavation. This machine can
work where the ditch has it's source
in a swamp; in flowing we'll country
| or In small stream. Only small
7 quantity of water is required to float
the machine and in close, ten
| acious soil, such as is usually found
! where drainage is necessary. there is
| small loss of water by percolation,
hence source of water that will sup
| ply the amount lost by evaporation
! Will be sufficient This class of mach
| 1nery Is the most economical for
| ditch construction as it can begin
| work as soon as the frost is out of the
ground In the spring and can work
continuously through all kinds of
weather until the freeze-up in the fall.
The other class of machinery is
known as the land dredge and begins
Its work at the outlet of the ditch and
works up stream. 1t is moved for
ward by winding on q cable which Is
anchored ahead. This machine moves
on rails laid on a temporary track
ahead of the excavation. Either of
these machines can construct a ditch
more economically, and in much less
time than can be done with scrapers.
One of the main obstacles in the
development of drainage project is
the opposition of part of the land
owners. There are always certain
number of land owners who feel that
their drainage troubles are due to
their neighbors, the one above is turn
Ing the water down and the one below
Is damming 1t back; and that IL the
adjoining farms were drained theirs
would not need drainage. AS result
this class are willing to spend 81 an
acre to fight the payment of a 81 per
acre assessment for q drainage project.
They look upon the payment Of pro-