The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-02-26
River Improvement

1
Press: viii you kindly allow me to
express some views through your valu-
able paper on the subject of the Mime
sofa River Improvement league, which
may not be altogether popular in some
places, but will we believe represent
the sentiment of Il large majority of
those living in the prairie regions of
southern Minnesota Many of whom
think they take "a broader view of the
matter than do those living along the
river. We of the prairie fully sympa-
thiZc with out brother farmers along
the streams and are glad to see i'm
provement in that or any other dlrec-
ton. But we have had troubles of our
own in the last three years with
water. In fact the excessive rains have
done immes,Table injury to the whole
| country. The loss of crops, the de-
precation of land values, the washing
away of soils, the damage to roads and
bridges, the discouragment of all classes
of people. is not confined to those liv-
ing on the banks of the Minnesota river.
the changeable bank of river takes
chances; he does so with the full knowl-
edge that sooner or later like the man
who built on the sand he may come TO
grief.
In regard to the amount of dam
age done, it is well known that the
lands actually flooded by the river
continue but an infinitesimal part OF
the farming lands of the counties
named. Had the questions asked by
the committee of those living near the
river as to the number of acres flooded,
value of crops lost each year for the
last three years, the depreciation of
the value of the land and the total
estimated damage to each person, been
asked of the farmers living ON the vast
prairies of the counties named the
figures would have been truly startling.
The tens of thousands of acres of
corn, oats, wheat, flax, and a large
part of the meadows submerged and
,, lying waste all these years would cut
some figure in the prosperity OF the
| state.
Southern Minnesota is prairie region
| of great fertility and on the develop.
ment, the settlement and the produc-
tiveness of these vast areas depend
the prosperity not only of the rural
population but of the cities as well
If the prairie farmer gets no relief from
the conditions which have obtained dur
ing the last few years Il larger decrea Sc
in population of the southern counties
may be expected. We know this ques
ton of drainage belongs to a large
subject. This is the age of the ditch
The reclamation age. The time of tho
conservation of natural resources.
| Those who have land near the river
regard the man who digs ditch as hi:
natural enemy. Now the truth is 6
ditch or a tile never made a drop oil
water. The Injunction to keep yom
water where it is" is too silly to merit
any answer.
Drainage by open ditch and tile i:
only in its infancy in our state. An
other year will Sc more drainage done
than in all past years in the history
of the country. All tile factories arr
swamped with orders. Ditching mach
ines have large contracts waiting fol
spring to open to begin work again
1t is folly to stand in the way of pro
gress.
Nor do we believe the amount O
water flowing in the Minneota rive
at any time be materially increased by
the number of bitches that may b,
dug. We have seen higher water il
the years before we had any bitches
than since then.
The decision that ''each man mus
take care of all the water which hap
pens to fall from the clouds or other
wise gets upon his land so as to narn
no one until it reaches the ocean.
is in our opinion impossible and alb
surd, contrary to all reason and Gus
tom among farmers.
The point is, shall the work of drain
ing the rich agricultural lands of on
state be delayed, embarrassed, or il
any way hampered by the selfishnes
and needless fears of those living OF
the bottom lands, whose holdings re
present so insignificant a part of thu
territory under consideration. Tn
damage if any, to these people, fo
which drainage would be responsible,
would be so small in comparison TO TIN
benefits to be derived by the entir
community as not to be noticed in tn,
aggregate.
Improve the river by all means. &c
state and national aid to inpound tn
water for power or navigation purposes
straiehten the channel that the waters
may flow away more rapidly, and bull
dykes to prevent overflow. But d
not try to hinder the necessary drain
; age of those heavy soils from whic
the bread and butter of Minnesota
derived as we'll as the taxes and rev
enues. I'd N~HlEENEI
: No other subject so vitaly affects tn
. welfare of the commonwealth at tn
present time, not excepting good roads
as thorough and intelligent drainage o
| her rich but fiat, lowlying soils. O
, this depends the appreciation OF on
, real estate values, until Minnesota farm
{ land may be worth as much as SINH