Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-19
DRAINAGE MEN
In CONVENTION
LARGE ATTENDANCE AT ANNUAL
SESSION NOW BEING HELD
FORT DODGE.
PRESIDENT YOUNG TALKS
Head of State Association Calls At
tention to the Amount of Land
Already Reclaimed by
Scientific Drainage.

Fort Dodge, Ia, Feb. 17..-The an
nual convention of the Iowa State
Drainage association is in session in
this city. Henry Young of Manson,
a very interesting address which held
the undivided attention of the audi
ence Mr.. Young is very pleasing
speaker, and shows in his address that
he has a close and comprehensive
knowledge of the drainage question
throughout the state Following are
some of the salient features of his adj
dress:
Among the assets to the credit of
the association during the past
Twelve months was the passage of
the law last winter by the general
assembly making it possible for our
state to have a drainage, waterway
and conservation commission. If THIS
Jaw is carried out it will be of great
benefit to the state, as it deals with
the waters. minerals, forests and soils
of the state. An amendment to the
drainage law was also passed permit
ting the board of supervisors to ap-
point as members of commissions to
assess benefits in drainage districts
men from outside the counties IN
which sucn improvements are to be
made. There are so many drainage dls-
tricts in counties now it is hard TO
una any person " SCI VIC vi SuAil Sciii
mission who is not disqualified by
being Interested in a like Improvement.
30 many contractors and members OF
the board of supervisors now attend
the meetings of the association that us
influence is felt throughout the state.
1.-THE magnitude of the drainage
projects in the state during the past
year can partly be estimated by that
done in the Tenth congressional dis
vi IN 7 live and in which |
have obtained an approximate value
Of the work done, by obtaining the cost
from the counties individually. Mn
counties responded to my questions,
and following is the data received from
them:
"winnebago, $4,000; Calhoun, s25o,-
900: Pocahontas, 100000; M .sIos,5
100000; Hancock $4,000; Hamilton,
100000; Carroll, s227,S5S; making an
average for the nine counties of $780,
S39 Applying this average to the
fourteen counties of our congressional
district we learn that there has been
expended therein the enormous sum
of three and one-fourth millions of
This was for drainage districts alone
and is for but a small part of the
state and for only one year and
does not include the private thing
done by farmers which would perhaps
equal the other expenditures in
amount.
"In no interest in the state has as
much capital been invested as in re-
deeming the soil and the expense is
borne entirely by farmers and other
owners of real estate benefited.
'Ittis estimated that 100000 acres
of our state have been benefited and
a great portion wholly redeemed for
farming purposes. But still greater
benefit is brought to the public by
drainage and that stealth Ma
laria, which used to cause a great
many deaths, has now almost disap-
peared. Drainage has resulted in
greater production, more taxable prop
erty, better roads, and better health.
An important part of the duties of our
drainage, waterway and conservation
commission is to investigate the most
economical administration of drain
age projects and a more economical
method of financing the same at low
er rates of interest.
Good, competent engineers only
should be employed and many costly
errors could be avoided by employing
two on the same piece of work. 1t
would usually be cheaper in the end"