The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-12-30
FOR
THOUSANDS ACRES
Chambers Creek Drainage Dis
trict Election Ordered by
Commissioners Court
WILL AFFORD Bis RETURNS
Land Worth $50 viii Go to Sl00
with Small Expenditure-Some
Of the Defects in Drain
age Law.

Another step in the direction of
protecting a large body of Ellis
copnty's fertile acres from overflow
was taken Tuesday when the COM
court adopted the report
of Engineer J. w. Martin upon his
survey of the proposed Chambers
Greek Valley drainage district, and
ordered that an election should be
held within said territory on Satur-
day. Jan. 80, upon the said propo-
sition to establish the district, to Is
sue bonds and to authorize the nee
essary tax. 1t Is foregone conclus-
ion that the proposition will carry.
According to law all who might be
opposed to ordering the election
we're publicly notified to be present
Tuesday. No objector appeared. In
deed, it is known that the sentiment
of the land owners, resident and
nonresident, Is unanimously in IA
vor of the improvement, and the
election will be entirely perfunctory.
The work contemplated will pro-
tect $3.50 acres of fine land from
overflow. 1t is now worth $50 an
acre. 1t would cost about $3.50 an
acre to protect it, if the cost were
all paid in cash at the time the work
was done. 1t is the unanimous opin-
ion of the land owners and the pub
lie officers that this land when pro-
tected will easily be worth 500 an
acre.
j. W. Harrison, one Of the princi-
pal land owners OF the district, who
tjun In
improvement, declares that he would
gladly pay $40 an acre for protec-
ton rather than go without 1t.
About Is per cent of the land in
the district is in cultivation. The re-
mainder is involved in some old
lakes and a slough. The proposed
improvement will reclaim it.
Estimate of Cost.
In his report to the commission
ers' court, Engineer Martin says:
Il find said district to contain s,
$50 acres of land. In order to pro-
tect this area from overflow of the
waters of Chambers creek, the
stream by which the same is now
annually overflowed, l deem the fol
lowing work necessary and submit
probable cost of each item thereof:
Clearing channel of creek, as in
dicated on map filed herewith and
referred to. 9 12 miles, $1,000.
Sixteen miles Of levee, average
height 6 feet, feet wide at top, and
inside slope feet to the foot, out
side slope ! 1-2 feet to the foot
i'262,4OO cubic yards at ~ Lee pei
yard, $32,8O0,
1886 feet cutoff channels, 10l
10 feet. equals 59,156 cubic yards
~ n a1-2e per cubic yard. 81 ,39s.
~ r. 4yWan ialrlll
~ fS1t, eqahl1 J, 434 ouhic yards d
IL lie per cubic yArd. S1,476.
Six months engineers expenses and
salary, $2,184.
Twenty automatic flood valves a
$50 each. $1,000.
Total estimated cost OF necessar,
work, $46.855
Estimated annual cost OF mainten
ance, $500.
Mr.. Martin in addressing the couri
also submitted the following data:
Cost to land owners $50 900, ol
60c per acre per year for interes
and sinking fund If 40-year bond:
are issued: or soc per acre per yea
II 20-year bonds are fssued.
The $3.50 acres which will be pro
tected are worth at present $40 PEI
acre. or $1S7,500, and yield in tax
es to the county and state Cat thu
rate of A SAC per 5000 the sun
of $S39.06
The same at $50 per acre woult
at the same rate yield in taxes t.
| the state and county the sum OF 50,
23749.
Mr Martin said he considered
! that $50 was very low estimate 0
| what the land would be worth whel
protected. The figures were mad
/ merely to show how the county an,
state, although not sharing In tn
expense, would be benefited by tn
| Improvement.
Speeding the Greeks Flow.
He exhibited and explained hi
| plans to the court. The cleaning Gu
of Chambers creek, and the diggin
of the seven cut-offs, the longest 0
/ which will be about 5000 feet, h
estimated would accelerate the flo,
Iof the stream by about 80 per cen
and the volume of water moved COZ
trespondingly. The plans provide tina
the cut-offs shall be only ten fee
in depth, but Mr.. Martin says tn
water Will wash them out until the
are as deep as the creek-about thir
ty feet. The present channel will no