Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1911-02-02
DRAINAGE Is THE MOST PROFIT.
ABLE INVESTMENT KNOWN
TO FARMERS.
1000 PER CENT REALIZED.
Southeast Missouri Leading In Mod
ern Methods 6 Utilizing the I'M
measurable Fertile Flooded
Lands Of This State.

49, totN se"
ly and very muddy bitches Is money
we'll spent has been thoroughly
proven by the progressive farmers Of
Missouri. Figures gathered by the
Missouri Waterway Commission in its
recently completed study Of drainage
conditions show that optimistic Mis-.
sourians have put the vast sum Of
$500. 900 into drainage bitches, and
this money has been returned to them
with profits Aladdin-like In their pro
portions.
Ten years ago there were $3.50, 900
acres OF land in this state which we're
totally under water Or useless be.
aus Of excessive moisture. South.
east Missouri, rendered low by the
New Madrid earthquakes Of 1S11.12,
was more extensively cursed with this
excess Of natures greatest gift than
any other part Of the state.
Rivers in that territory were small
and crooked and had but a slight fall,
hence they we're inadequate 10 carry
of the continuously heavy rainfall Of
that region. The land continually re-
sembled ar overlooked street with tho
rainfall gaining steadily on the insult.
ncient sewers: therefore 1t was but
natural that Southeast Missourians
became the pioneers in drainage
work. by deepening and Strengthening
their streams the fow-off gradually
gained on the rainfall until there was
no excess. and consequently no
swamp lands.
Pemiscot. the southern.most county
Of this state, leads in the drainage
work. This progressive county has
added to It's assessable wealth and
tillable area 230, 1913 acres Of land.
This work cost about 1886, 900, or
about $3.50 e acre. and has in.
creased the value of the reclaimed
area from practically nothing to from
$500 to $4,000 per acre. The total
increased value is placed conserva.
lively at 81. SOC. 900, or a return If
more than 1000 per cent on the orig.
Inai investment!
Dunklin county farmers have
spurned the tabled omen and have
constructed thirteen drainage dis.
tricts, totaling 100 miles in length and
draining $4,000 acres, at a total cost
of $3.50. 900. Cotton. wheat. corn and
alfalfa have replaced mosquitoes and
miasmatic dampness as the usua!
crops from these acres.
Mississippi county has snatched
900 acres. and has restored them to
eager farmers, who have given good
account of their stewardship.
One hundred thousand acres in
Stoddard county, $4,000 in Butler and
$4,000 in Scott county have been. by
engineering ingenuity, added to the
wealth Of the state. at a cost not ex-
ceeding $500 per acre. These figures
do not include the Little River drain
age district-the largest in the world
which Is now in course of con
struction, and which includes 500. 900
acres OF land lying in the counties
Of Cape G%irardeau, Scott. S%toddard.
Pemiscot. Mississippi. Dunklin and
New Madrid.
This vast area-lSrger than many
boosted European principalities-is to
be reclaimed at q cost OF $4,000, 900,
or $500 per acre. The increased val
uation of the land will 10 be less
than S25, OO0, 900. and the increase In
the annual crop output not less than
S12, 900 900. This is a cash return In
land values OF 625 per cent, and an
annual return from the. investment Of
800 per cent. The cost is higher per
acre than in other drainage districts.
because the problems met are more
complicated and the work when COM
pleteG will be more thorough. How
ever. the work Of educating people In
these counties TO the benefits OF drain
age has been well done. and the bur-
den Of $500 per acre Is gladly shout
dered by the land owners.
In other counties drainage at a
dearer rate has been accomplished.
In Holt county $1,000 acres have
been drained. at a cost of $3.50 per
acre; while the farmers of Marion
county paid $3.50 per acre to drain
10 900 acres.
st. Louis county, having the most
valuable land " + .0t ''ocause
OF its proxim! 70 aud
"OnseOue G.,. ... Ar
a. 90