The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-12-30
FOR
THOUSANDS ACRES
Continued from page ID

Continued from page ID
improbab BILE More than that, it
means extra and unnecessary eX
pense, for each drainage district
must construct cross-levees from
stream to foothill at the end of the
district. If the control of such i'm
provements were centrally vested
and the protection of all lands sub
ject to overflow along any given
stream undertaken as a single prop
osition, the development would be
harmonious and much less costly
than under the present regulations.
Voting Supply on Submerged Lands
Again the law requires vote of
the qualified property taxpaying vo-
tiers resident within any proposed
drainage district; also that the cleo
ton shall be held in each voting pre-
cinct or part of a voting precinct
within such district, and in accord
ance with the election law, which
prescribes the number of persons
who shall act as election officers. The
law was drawn by South Texas peo-
pie, primarily TO fit their necessities,
70 drain the flat prairies upon which
many people live. 1t does not well
meet the demands of creek and riv-
er bottom drainage and protection.
River country which is subject to
overflow, ii is quite obvious will be
but spar! sely settled. if settled at all.
Mr. Martin the civil engineer for
the Chambers creek project, is quite
familiar with conditions along the
Trinity river. and he says there are
vast stretches of the overflow lands
along that stream which are not in
habited at all, and others which are
inhabited only by negro tenants. 1t
would be impossible in some of them
to hold an election for the purpose
OF organizing a drainage district,
and yet an election is the only meth
oi provided by law.
Enough in Ellis.
1t is not so bad in Ellis county
because these lands are not subject
to prolonged overflow Some. people
live upon them, but not many. Most
of the owners of the lands live back
on the high ground, and that is not
within the drainage districts. In
the case considered the commission
ers' court struck some knots which
called for thinking The portion of
the proposed district lying northeast
of Chambers creek is in one election
precinct. The court knew of only five
land owners living within it, not a
sufficient number to man the polls.
However, some of these men have
sons of voting age who own taxable
property other than lands, which
qualities them to act and to vote.
The portion of the district south
west of the creek is a mere frag-
ment of another election precinct,
chiefly part of one farm divided
by the creek. So far as the court
could ascertain the owner of this
farm is the only qualified voter In
that portion OF the precinct. He can
not hold an election by himself, nor
can he go across the creek and vote
with his neighbors. The eection was
ordered in both OF these districts,
however, and the. VOTE In ono OF
them will suffice. But suppose 1t had
happened that there Was, only one
qualified voter, or none, In the 9th
er precinct? And, as suggested by
Mr.. Martin, district wherein no
! one resides because 1t is not protec-
| ted from overffows can not be or
ganised and bonded for the creation
OF protective works for the reason
that without such works no one can
reside in the district to do the vot-
ing.
Further, in such a case as that
passed upon by the Ellis county
comm issioners' court, it seems abb
surd and ridiculous that an election
should be held at all; that the peo-
pie should be put to the trouble and
expense of holding an election and
forced to slowly unwind red tapes
when all of them are known to be
| in favor OF the Improvement 1t
would seem that written consent
from all of them. duly attested,
| would be sufficient, and that the law
ought to be amended accordingly.
County Judge Spencer says that a
suggestion to this effect has hereto
i fore been made.
| Basis of Bond Limit Marrow.
| Another feature of the law which
| Mr.. Martin thinks may cause en-
barrassment Is the provision limit
ing the amount OF bonds to be issued
/ 70 Is per cent Of the latest assessed
value of the lands. He points out
the fact that drainage projects are
usnally taken up after o disastrous
overflow; that by the time the is
suAnce OF the bonds is ordered 4 new
assessment has been made. ct reduc-
I'd val1ee., because the real value Of
! the property has diminished. and
therefore rs per cent OF the assessed