Warren sheaf., 1907-12-26
STEVENSON INTRODUCES
DRAINAGE BILL

Congressman Steenerson has begun
his fight for drainage at this session
OF congress. On December 81, he in
troduced in the house the following
bill, which was referred to the com
mittee on Indian affairs and ordered
to be printed:
A BILL.
To provide for the drainage of
certain lands of the United States
held in trust for the Chippewa
Indians In the State Of Minnesota.
Whereas by Act of Congress of
June twentyirst, nineteen hundred
and six, (Thirty fourth Statutes at
Large, page three hundred and fifty
two). the Secretary Of the Interior
was authorized TO make a drainage
survey of lands ceded by the
Chippewa Indians in the State of
Minnesota. under Acts of Congress
of January fourteenth, eighteen
hundred and eighty-nine, and
February twentieth, nineteen
hundred and four, and which remain
unsold and were overflowed and
swampy in character, with view to
determining whether they could be
profitably reclaimed by drainage, and
to determine whether a sufficient
fund could be provided by an in
crease in the price at which said
land should be sold in the future;
and
Whereas by authority of said Act
said lands were withdrawn from
further sale or entry pending said
survey and Improvement; and
Whereas under date of January
twenty eight, nineteen hundred and
seven, the Secretary of the Intrior
made report, (House Document
Numbered Six hundred and seven,
Fifty-ninth Congress, second
SESSION.. of the survey of a part of
said lands, with the drainage plan
of the ''Mud Lake district" and re-
commanding the construction of said
improvement, estimated to cost one
million one hundred Thousand
dollars, said cost to be returned to
the Government by an increase of
three dollars and twenty three cents
per acre of the unsold lands drained.
and proper provision for repayment
of cost by settlers upon land already
entered and incidentally benefited by
said Improvement: Now, Therefore
Be it enacted bv the Senate and
House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Con-
gress assembled. That the Secretary
of the Interior be. and is hereby.
authorized to construct said drainage
works for the reclamation of said
land in said report mentioned. and
the sum of one million one hundred
thousand dollars. or so much thereof
as may be necessary, is hereby appro-
priated for that purpose, out of any
money in the Treasury not other
wise appropriated.
( Sec. 2. That the Secretary of the
Interior is hereby authorized and
directed to make appropriate pro-
visions to secure. by lien on the land
or otherwise, the repayment of the
cost Of the construction, operation.
and maintenance of such works by
the owners or the entrymen for the
lands benefited thereby and for the
entry of the public lands reclaimed
under the homestead law as herein
modified. He is authorized to ac-
quire any rights or property for the
United States necessary for the pur.
pose of this Act, by purchase or by
condemnation under judicial process
as provided in the Act of August
first, eighteen hundred and eighty
eight, (TWenty-tifth Statutes at
Large, page three hundred and fifty
seven). and Acts amendatory there
|of.
Sec. 3. That payments for the
cost of construction shall be made in