Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-15

historic evidence OF this covering the
past fifty years and we have positive
geologic evidence OF this written In
the food plains Of the streams, as
already explained. 1t should be re-
membered therefore, that such dams
may produce bad influences during
mild foods, but that these bad In
Huences decrease as the floods In
erase in volume, SO that when the
food reaches the proportions OF
those of 1903 practically the dams
influences are almost nil.
All too often 1t happens that at
tempts at rivr improvements are
made in the wrog direction. For a
sad example Of this, / need only refer
to actions of citizens at Pine Blur,
Arkansas, in their attempt to protect
property from river destruction DUR
ing the food Of the Arkansas river
only few weeks ago. Here - a
town situated on the convex side OF a
bold ox-bow curve in the river. AT
food time the current was constantly
striking against the bank SO as to
increase the crookedness of the chan
mel. Opposite this part, along tne
conclave side of the curve, where the
current already was SO weak IL was
depositing parts Of its load, a citi-
zen's committee began cutting down
the bank and throwing the dirt into
the water in an attempt to entice the
strong current away from the oppo-
site bank. What they did in reality
was to add to natures methods by
which the river was first made crook
ed, and therefore, SO far as they nao
any influence on the stream they
made it wear away with increased
energy the very bank they had hoped
to protect.
A most important consideration
which should be made prominent Is
the futility of attempting great river
improvements in restricted areaswith
a hope of accomplishing much good
therefrom. A stream large enough
to do great damage MUST necessarily
drain a sufficiently large area TO
make mere local Improvements OF but
little value. We must expand our
conceptions of the magnitude of ma
lures processes and modify our Ell
forts accordingly. For stream as
big as the Kansas river, or the Mis-
souri, river, with a flood plain from
three to five miles wide, what a great
disappointment awaits those who now
have faith in mere local improve
ments. There should be a co-opera-
ton of all interested parties for a
distance of at least a hundred miles
up and down the valley, and two huD'
dred miles would be much better
Great floods are not mere local af-
fairs, and little can be expected from
mere local treatment,
On the other hand, river improve
ments are immensely expensive. NO
class of citizens are justified In
spending vast sums of money to save
property unless reasonable returns
are to a degree assured. While the
American Indians roamed over our
vast prairies and held valuation on
land of less than one cent an acre, no
such land would bear taxation suffi-
Gent even for building respectable
fords across the streams, much less
for building bridges, while as for Inn
proyements to guard against flood
devastation it was entirely unthink-
able. But when great city is built
and land becomes worth thousand
dollars a front foot 1t would almost
stand taxation to encase the streap
in polished marble.
In general land values In America
are now. intermediate between the
two extremes just named. The time
has come when we should begin to
make improvements, but values. IN
general are yet too low to admit OF
very great ones. The intelligent
thing to do, therefore, is to begin
work in the right direction, strictly
in accord with the laws Of nature
and on sufficiently broad lines SO
that ultimately our accomplishments
will be commensurate with our eff
forts. We should harness the water
currents and compel them to turn
their great surplus energies into our
hands for us to direct their expendi-
lures in a manner that will accom-
plish the desired ends. II the energy
of a water current builds great
crooks and curves in a channel when
allowed to run wild, then the same
energy may be made to straighter
the same channel is properly applied
II a stream is capable Of doing sum
Gent work to transport vast amounts
of material necessary to build up it