The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-07-29
North States Example.
Work of Reclaiming Its Marsh
Lands an Achievement
Which Will Eventually Add
Immensely to the Wealth of
The State-A Commend
able and Somewhat Remark
able Undertaking in that
The Government Has Not
Been Asked for Aid.

itfAtttoI
We print today an editorial from
the Washington Post referring to the
reclamation OF the swamp lands of
North Carolina, which speaks in com
plimentary terms of the people of the
State in taking this step that will
add SO largely to our wealth. In
this connection it is not amiss to
state that to Congressman John II.
Small is due the credit of starting
this movement in the State. Two
years ago when the first farmers
meetings were being held in this dis
trict he succeeded in getting Mr.. j. o.
Wright, supervising drainage engin-
eer of the United States Department
of Agriculture, to accompany the
party and make talk in each county.
He has since visited each county in
the district at least once, and several
of the extreme Eastern counties n
number of times. Out of the interest
thus awakened grew the organization
of the drainage convention at New
Bern last September which framed
the modern drainage law that was
passed by the recent Legislature.
The movement for the drainage of
our swamp lands is now well under
way, and great value to the State
will come out of it. This is one of
the many good things Congressman
Small has helped to bring about.
The Posts editorial is as follows:
In beginning the work of reclaim
ing its marsh lands, North Carolina
has begun project which will event
ually add immensely to the wealth of
the State. And it is not only COM
mendable, but also somewhat re-
| markable that the State should start
this work without calling upon the
Federal government for aid. 1t is a
precedent which other States with
great swamp areas would be wise to
follow, for, Judging by the present
sentiment in Congress, it will be many
long years before the plan to obtain
a big Federal loan to drain swamp
lands will become a law. North Car
DINA has saved time, and will reap
an earlier harvest because OF her en-
terprise.
| According to the report of the
State geological and economic sur
vey, there are 4 ,505 square miles o
swamp in Eastern North Carolina, to
gether with many thousands of acre,
of Overfiowed land in the piedmont
and mountain sections, a large por
ton of which may be reclaimed to
profitable agriculture The survey
has shown that there are no difficult
engineering problems involved, ant
investigation has demonstrated thai
the cost of drainage and canal con
struction will be small compared will
the value of the land redeemed. Th'
greatly increased value Of the timbe
in these swamps also helps to reduce
the cost of construction.
1t has long been known that th
swamp lands OF Eastern North Caro-
lima are among the most fertile in tn
entire State Reclamation will max
this district one vast truck garden
with tributary markets as far Nortl
as Boston. Already the States trucl
business is reaching great proper
tions, but with the draining of thes
rich lands North Carolina will easil,
take the first place in the country il
this industry, and it's wealth will in
crease in proportion. The region i
we'll served by railroads, and Norfol
is within a short distance by waite
transportation. With the enormou
production which is sure to follo'
the redemption of these lands to in
tensive agriculture. direct lines c
steamships to Northern ports doubt
less will be established.
There is another feature of the rec
lamation of North Carolina swan
lands which will be a State asset
Swamps mean disease, PARTICULAR
f malaria The draining OF the marshe
will go far toward the exterminatio
, of the mosquito, and this vast fertil
district viii be redeemed to health
full conditions. The mosquito is tn
South's worst and most expensiv
economic foe. The tribute in. lines
, due to malaria makes IA rtaggerIn
| total. and is ii serious tax upon eli
cheney. Some day the South viii wax
I'D to this fact IN earnest. Near
,, while, North Carolini hn- taken
long step i'm the,right direction.