The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-24
100000 PER YEAR.
Iowa Can Get Rich by Reclamation
Project.--improve States
Rivers.

Iowa Can Get Rich by Reclamation
Project Improve States
Rivers.
OTTUMWA, Ia. Jan a4.-The Cour-
Ter of this city has learned from trust
worthy sources that in thirty-hse
counties in Iowa 1880, 200 acres OF
land are overfiowed annually by swoi-
len rivers and creeks.
OF this vast area of land rendered
practically worthless by recurring
floods, S5l 900 acres, or considerably
more than half of it, can be saved to
cultivation by STRENGTHENING the
streams which overflow it. and BY
scientific drainage
AT the most conservative estimate
this rich bottom land that can be
saved by a reclamation project here
at home, can produce crops valued at
$40 an acre every year
The value of the crops in those
thirty-fiye counties can be Increased
$34072. 900 by utilizing this overflow
land.
While returns lave not been re-
ceived from every county, the figures
that are herewith given show conclu-
sively that Strengthening The streams
| in Iowa so that the wafer will run
off instead of backing up over the
land, will give for cult,ys ton over
million and a half acres OF land that
does not now YIELD anything. This
land will produce $40 RI the acre, or
a total of s6o.oO0,8o0 Annually. This
means that every year the people Of
Iowa would have sse,o0a,eo0 more than
| they now have from their crops.
Legislature Should Act.
Experience with the Des Moines
river has shown that only perma-
nent cure will come from straighten-
ing the river from its mouth to the
source and giving an unobstructed
| flow to the current With the wide
bends eliminated and the distractions
removed, the water would be made
/ to pass off so swiftly that there would
be no overflow.
The Courier feels that the legisla-
ture should take up this reclamation
Question at its next session and make
a start on some plan to restore the
valuable bottom land in Iowa to cul-
tivation. The fact that official reports
/ from the counties enumerated to In
crease the total value of Iowa crops
by millions justifies an expenditure for
1 this purpose. As for the Des Moines
river, the state can work with the
government in making the improve
ment substantial and permanent The
/ government has made preliminary
investigation of the Des Moines river
with a view to determining its naviga-
bility, and a report has been made by
i the government engineers recommend
ing a governmental survey of the
stream This survey should be made
with view to Strengthening the
stream. which not only would work in
/ with the plans for navigating the
/ stream. but would serve to develop
greater water power for the genera
I ton of electricity to be utilized bs
manufacturing plants along the
stream, and permit as well the cult
walton of thousands of acres of the
richest land in the state which now is
practically valueless.
The manner in which the streams
channel can be changed where IL
passes through Ottumwa affords an il
lustration of the pratieabiiity d
Strengthening the .Des Moines river
Just below the boat house and above
the east dam the river begins a Ion;
bend that serves no purpose bit t.
render of small value Large iraei .
land and reta d the progress of thu
stream to SUI b an extent ~ 10 caits'
oyerfiows both above ard below thii
giant bend The river hsTs can bl
Strengthened by cutting channel from
the point where the mill race branches
from the river. through Central Add
ton 10 the Market street bridge. Thi
would reduce the length OF the rive
and develop greatly inc EASEL wate
power possibility Central addition
and the adjacent bottom lands woul
not be flooded every time there is
!. heavy rain in northern Iowa X thi
i channel were cut through and the bi
, bend near the Morrell plant straight
, ened
What is true OF the Des Nome
river is true of the other rivers c
the state and their feeders. All tn
banks and hundreds Of thousands {
I. acres OF overflow land can be utilize
! in increasing the total yield of low
farms.
All the natural resources to be col
served are not confined to the plain
and forests Of the west nor the mi
eral fields OF Alaska Iowa has gres
natural resources that are being was
ed and a conservation project shout
be started here at home.
The Water Power Boom.