Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-10-20
Is OUR DITchlNG POLICY WRONG

10 OOh DIlC1lNa POLICY WRONG
The Argyle Banner last week pub
llshed an account of a hunting trip
to the eastern part Of the county by
three Argyle citizens and in the write
up ditching is given a severe rap as
may be seen from the following quo
tation: .5..
"Mr. Ryan informed the reporter
that ditching operations are going
ahead at rapid rate out there and
that the hundreds of thousands of dol
lars that is being spent for these
bitches and the Strengthening of river
beds is What is proving to be the ruin
alton of that country; that lands that
were valuable for stock raising and
the hay they produced and nothing
more, are now ruined and will not
even produce grass in the future. The
settlers of the eastern country are up
in arms over these bitches and the
loss Of their hay and claim shanties.
The country between here and there
abounds with large game of every de-
scription that has been driven in by
the fires, and the possibility is that
many deer will be killed tributary to
Argyle this winter.
The party did not get much game
on the trip, only few ducks and
chickens, but they say they were per-
fectly satisfied with the trip to see for
themselves the devastation of this i'm.
mense country which is due principal
ly to >ditching, and in the future will
be barren of all vegetation and value,
less for agricultural purposes
The above conclusions are certainly
erroneous, preposterous and false, and
that any one at all familiar with the
conditions can make such statements
is wonder. Has not Marshall coun-
ty together with all the other counties
in the Red River Valley for years
been imploring the legislature for
state aid to help drain it's wet lands!
Have not the settlers themselves, es-
pecially in the eastern part of this
county, been clamoring for bitches e.-
er since they located on their lands,
in order that they should be able to
bring said lands under cultivation
and make them permanent homes?
Most assuredly. Why then this harp
ing against drainage and saying that
it is the ruination of the country? Is
it not foolish to talk like that Just be-
cause we have happened to have dry
year, when even as is said elsewhere
in the article referred to, "Mud lake,
which has never been known to be
free from water, is practically dry, on
ly small area of water being visible
in the center and the surroundings SO
dry that team could be driven with
safety almost out to the waters
edge" What assurance have we that
another year will not see the usual
amount of precipitation and large
areas of good tillable land flooded?
To make an outcry against drainage
in dry year is to act like the foolish
rabbit in the story, which during the
cold winter decided to build himself
a house in the summer, but when
summer arrived declared he had a
house in every bush, and next winter
had to suffer as much as ever. Now
everyone at all familiar with condi-
tions in the eastern part of the coun.
ty and generally throughout the val.
ley, knows that without proper drain
age large tracts of land are practical
ly valueless. If ditching is not going
to improve that country and make it
fit for people to live in then we are
much mistaken. To be sure it will
ruin the duck ponds for the Argyle
sportsmen, but the people who have
settled there are compelled to raise
something else than ducks for a liv.
ing. There is no doubt but what the
bitches now under construction will
be the making of that country. In
wet years they will be indispensable
and in dry years they will do no
harm. Anyone who will decry drain
age is not friend of the eastern
country. County Attorney Brown,
who has helped the settlers there get
their drainage systems started, will,