The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1911-07-28

ascertaining the facts; first. by the
election Of supervisors, as provided
for In section s255, Il. S., 1899, and
their organization, and, second. by
the employment of a competent en-.
gineer and making a complete topo.
graphical survey Of the district, with
maps and profiles, and full and COM
pete plans for draining and reclaim.
ing said district. with length and
depth Of the bitches. the length and
height Of all the dykes and levees,
and the nature and character of other
artificial work necessary for the pur.
pose. and Its cost. The cost Of all
this elaborate work Of preparation
and information, was to I've assessed
against the lands Of the district and
paid by the board Of supervisors tsec-
tion s262). When all this has been
done, the tentative formation. indi-
Gated by the judgment, of the Circuit
court had evidently served its pur-
pose. and the board of supervisors
were In complete possession of all the
facts necessary to Judge. In prelimi-
nary way. how the different tracts 81
land that had been called upon to
bear this expense, would he affected
by the proposed work, II II should he
completed according to the original
plan. Many things might yet trans
pire. however, to change the condi-
tions 81 ascertained. The cutting NJ
bitches and making VI entertainments
dykes and leyees, the cleaning Of
channels and the occurrence VI Hoods
with their deposits Of sediment which
might completely change the topog.
raphy Of any locality In the distric, =.
any or all of these causes might make
a revision Of the original plan and
district necessary. Persons who we're
nwilltng TO join IN the formal ion uf
the district. making II impossible To
obtain sufficient number Of incor-
porators To include their lands, would
be given the chance To enjoy the
fruits Of the work, a. II proceeds. and
to build bitches of their own to dis.
charge the overflow Of their lands
into the bitches and streams con.
structed and improved al the ex.
pense Of their neighbors, without
par, icipating. TO any extent, In the
cost. Tie attention Of the Legisla.
ture of nos seems to have been called
To these difficulties and absurdities,
and 1t undertook To provide for them
proceeding was instituted.
There can be no doubt of the neces.
sity Of these amendments to promote
jiisti Ice and fairness between neigh.
bors equally benefited, and to increase
the efficiency and usefulness Of the
laws providing for the reclamation Of
these lands. There are many points
OF similarity between these srganiza.
tions and municipal corporations,
with respect to their creation, power
and growth. Both are created for
the purpose Of exercising important
functions belonging to the general
poIiSV YuVSI VI tIlV utNttV's
In which peculiar conditions call for
such local instrumentalities.
Both the municipal corporation and
the drainage corporation are formed
In this state upon the initiative OF
those interested with respect To the
welfare Of their persons and property,
aud there Is no constitutional reason
In the world why both can not he
similarly extended. As We have al.
ready said. 1t has become the settled
law Of this state that the limits of
the municipal corporatio may he
reasonably extended by the unaided
action Of the members of the munici.
pality, and We can imagine no reason
why the limits Of the drainage dis.
trict cannot Ike extended by the ac-
,ion Of the members Of the original
community, with the judicial assist
ance Of the courts, whenever condi-
tions arise which indicate the pro.
priety Of such course. We do not
think that the exclusion, by the de-
cree Of the court, of lands described
In the articles Of association, has any
other or greater effect than would
the omission Of the same lands from
the articles Of association, as origi-
nally filed. In either case the limits
may be extended to include them
when the necessity arises
This Is certainly an important de-
cision to the people of Holt county,
for there are several drainage dis
tricts now organized and acting, on,
along the Missouri river bottom coun.
try In the west side Of our county,
and one very long and extensive dis.
trict existing on the east side OF same
along the Nodaway riyer-and the