Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-10-17
Dredge tho Creeks.

The time was when 80 per cent OF
the corn produced in this county was
produced on the creek and branch
bottoms, and at least rs per cent OF
it is now produced on the uplands.
The reason for the change is not
that corn can be produced on uplands
more cheaply than in the bottoms; but
because the beds of the streams have
been filled with roots, RATS, logs, sand
ETC., and the low lands through which
they run have become so wet and sog-
gy or so subject to overflow that they
can no longer be cultivated to advant-
age.
OF late years it has been demonstrat-
ed beyond a shadow of doubt that corn
can be raised on uplands with a GER
tainty and at a profit that was hardly
dreamed of twenty-five or even ter
years ago; but it has not yet been
shown that upland corn can be raised
as cheaply as bottom land corn, and fol
certain we'll known reasons it hardly
seems probable that this will ever be
the case.
One of the principal reasons is that
uplands necessarily demand consider
able quantities Of commercial fertil-
iZers, while the bottom lands, where
they have half a chance are constantly
collecting the best and most desira-
BILE fertilizing materials on their own
account without money and without
price.
Bullocks creek, Clark's Fork, Tur-
key creek, Beaver Dam creek, Fishing
creek and Allison creek, with their nu-
merous tributary branches, have all
filled up more or less, and of the thou
sands of acres of rich, workable lands
that used to be included in the bottoms
through which they run, there are now
only hundreds. The value of these
bottoms, which in the old days ran in
to the hundreds of thousands of dol
lars have, because of the filling up OF
the creeks been so reduced that 1t is
now difficult to conceive of compari-
son; but at the same time it is clear
to practical, thinking people that with
the old-time conditions restored, those
values would be as much enhanced
over the highest notch of former times
than were these values at the highest
notch Of former times over the values
of today.
That it is only in exceptional cases
that individual land owners can help
themselves considerably by ditchins
their creeks, is very we'll understood
Unless there is plenty Of fall below
ditching is a waste of time and money
because the work will soon be undone
by another filling up from above, but
experience has proved that complete
and thorough dredging over a distance
of several miles is followed by profit
able results, and with the right kind
of organization among the land own
ers over a five or six mile section, ar
rangements can be perfected by which
these results can be made permanent
The people up in Catawba, Lincoln
and CASTOR counties have already
blaZed the way for those who may be
doubtful as to the practicability Of CO.
operation along this line. They have
already reclaimed thousands of acres
of creek bottoms at a cost Of less than
one tenth their value, and in many
instances such lands as would not
bring $40 an acre on the block, cannot
now be bought for hundred dollars
or more.
It is high time for our York coun-
ty farmers to begin looking into
this matter. The leading farmers own
ing lands along the respective creeks
should get together, formulate agree
ments, get the necessary legislation
and begin reclamation work without
delay. By this plan thousands of acres
of land that are now worthless can be
made productive, and the wealth OF
the individual as well as of the coun-
ty can be greatly increased.
That there is going to be wholesale
dredging of the creeks of York county
some day is practically certain, and
owners who would get the most bene-
fit from the work should lose. no time
in starting.