The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-08-23
BUSINESS men FIGHT
TO SAVE COUNTY MONEY
Despite Defense Of Drainage Act by
Volstead, Committee Is Named
to Investigate Ditch.

More than 100 determined and
representative Bemidji busin ess
men at meeting in the city hall
last night expressed frankly feel
ing of alarm that Beltrami county
is facing the peril of shouldering
needless debt of from one ha If
to one million dollars by the pro-
posed construction of drainage
bitches in the north central part
of the county. T. ]. Burke, w.
G. Schroeder and L. F. Johnson
were appointed as a committee to
employ counsel aud ascertain the
exact status of the ditch proposit-
ion.
Congressman A. ]. Volstead, of
Granite Falls, father of the feder-
al drainage act, was present and
explained the bill which he caused
to become law. He was enthu-
siastically received, although it is
the wide limitations of his act
which caused the meeting to as
semble.
A. G.. Wedge, president of the
Commercial club, presided and in
calling the meeting to order ex-
planned the dangers of unrestricted
ditch building so long as the county
may be called upon to pay the
assessments on unsettled land.
w. G. Schroeder sounded the key
note of meeting when he said:
we all believe in bitches, but
for one don't believe in draining
one peat bog into another peat bog
and charging the cost up to the
county,"
On the other hand, A. A. An
drews, who frankly admitted-that
he was attorney for the ditch
petitioners in all but a few bitches,
fought hard against the wave of
opposition which threatens to make
several Of the bitches impossible,
and spared for time by asking that
a representative of his side of the
controversy be named as a member
of the investigating committee, but
be plead in vain.
Attorney E. E. Mcdonald also
urged great caution in the attempt
to prevent the construction of the
canals and pointed out the benefits
that might accrue.
C. A. Asby, a settler from the
affected district, said he thought
most all of the land along the pro-
posed drains would be taken up,
that there were good many settlers
in that district and that the county
would not suffer if the proposed pro-
| jects were completed.
This county already has bonded
indebtedness of 100000 and 1
think it the height of folly to place
it in jeopardy of more than double
that amount" said T. ]. Burke.
M. D. Stoner, city engineer, said:
1t seems to me that what we
want is to favor the building of roads
for to build road means that the
land must be drained and where
roads can not be constructed I doubt
the value of bitches. When roads
are possible we reclaim the land and
connect communities.
Mr.. Burke moved that an investi-
eating committee be appointed and
this was seconded by Mr.. Schroeder.
w. L. Brooks made the point that
counsel, the best we can get
should be employed and that there
necessarily would be some expense
attached. 1t was taken as the sense
of meeting that the committee be
empowered to proceed as it sees fit.
This committee will begin its work
at once at once and hand IN its re-
port at the earliest moment.
In addressing the meeting Con-
gresham Volstead said:
Il am not here to tell you where
you should construct bitches. That
/ is a proposition that you must settle
in clear business like way for your
self. This act became law after
long discussion and much investiga-
ton. It is my opinion that most
all of this drained land will be taken
up by homesteaders, but if not it can
be taken up and Sold"
i ----z-.- . :. - g :. 80 q