Evening journal., 1908-06-18
AGENT OF GREAT
DRAINAGE PLAN
Appointed as Fiscal Agent of
Project to Reclaim Millions
Of Acres Of Land
HEADQUARTERS IN THIS CITY

Arrangements have Seen made for
opening the offices Of the National
Drainage Association in this city. ana
U. G. Click has been appointed as fiscal
agent. and will have entire charge Of
the work. which viii be directed from
the Office here. When il is known that
the object Of this association is the re-
clamation by drainage of the S0,0O0,00
acreNof swamp and overhowed lands
in the United States. The enormitv Of
the project and the Importance of rhe
work may be appreciated.
Following is a list Of the officers.
Hon. N. 3. Broward. Tallahassee,
Florida, president; DR. James Bosley,
Baltimore. Nd. fi-st vice-president;
w. d. Braddook. Mather. Wisconsin,
second vice-president; General T. C..
dupont. Wilmington. treasurer; Major
]. A. Dapray, Washington, ID. c., Sec
retary. Executive committees: A. c..
Bernard. Cass Lake. Mimi; J. G. Mel
Lush, Bloomington, Ill; c. B. Brown.
San Francisco, Cal: Frank ]. Brock,
Newark. ~ j.; George Z. Barstow,
Texas; N. B. Brownard. Tallahassee,
Fla; T. c. DUPONT. Wilmington, and
u. G. Click. fiscal agent.
Under the Flint bill. now before Con-
gress, the proceeds of the sale of public
lands is set aside as a special fund to
be used. under the direction of the
Secretary Of The Interior, in the ex-
animation and survey for. and the con.
struction, operation, and maintenance
Of. works for drainage CT reclamation
of swamp and overfiowed lands be.
longing to the United States. and for
the payment of all other expenditures
required in connection Herewith.
Among the benefits which will accrue
to agriculture through thoroughly
draining the lands classed as swamp OF
overflow Will be. first of all, the addi-
ton. in accurate figures, of 79,oO5.025
acres of what would be the finest lana
in the world. and which are now waste,
not only totally unproductive but which
are more or less a threatening element
as against proper healfhful sanitation.
According to the report Of the Seore-
tary Of Agriculture 10 the Senate, the
estimate of the number of acres which
can be reclaimed shows 100000 acres ir
I Delaware, or about fifty square miles.
with all the swamp land in The
country reclaimed. It would mean 1850.
: 900 farms of forty acres each, which Is
about all one man can work to ad-
vantage. considering the extraordinary
fertility OF the land. and the fact tha'
there Will be no waste land. Taking
an average of five persons TO a family
a population Of 9,750,000 would make q
comfortable living on lands which are
now not merely worthless, but posi-
tive menace to the health of the coun'
try. This population would add. al
$50 an acre. which is a very conserva-
tive estimate. SS.90O.OO0 900 to the ma.
tional land values. and. with The
moderate expenditure Of $1,000 each fol
house. barn. and general farm equip
ment, an additional total Of $4,000, ,0DO.'
900 worth of improvements. All kinds
of business and transportation interest.
would be benefited D. this drainag'
proposition. as. II only 5000 a year wa
expended BY each family. in clothing
groceries, and general supplies, 1,170,
100000 would be added to the volume
Of internal commerce.