Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-03-17
Minnesota Swamps Are Turned
Into Productive Farms.
one-Flftb Of Total Area Of state OF
Mlnnesota Is to Be RecIaimed, 40
oording to Report Of Drainage
Commission.

st. Paul. Minn.--Reports Of the state
drainage commission on work done In
Minnesota from August 1. 1898, to Aug
ust /, 1910. have been placed In the
hands of the legislature.
The commission estimates that Min
nesota had originally 100000 acres
of swamp lands, too wet In their nat
ural condition for agricultural pur-
poses. This vast area. comprising
about one-fifth Of the land Of the state.
Is fast being transformed from swamp
lands to productive farms. Conserve
tive estimates place the total area re-
claimed during 1909 and 1910 at 1.500.-
900 acres.
bitches are constructed by the state
and by the various counties. These
are made by the drainage commission
only where such bitches will benefit
state lands. Incidentally private lands
are also benefited, and In such cases
the cost is betrayed in part by assess
ing private lands according to the
benefits. Lands owned by railroad
companies are assessed like private
lands.
During 1909 and 1910 the commits
sion has constructed or has had under
construction Is state bitches, having
an aggregate length of 460 miles, re-
quiring an excavation of 6.S2s.37S cubic
yards. costing s605.s7s.30. or an aver
age OF S.S cents per cubic yard. These
ditches will drain and reclaim 141, 1,144.-
So acres of state land and 403,640.S1
acres of private lands at an average
cost Of s1.25 per acre.
The policy of the commission has
been to drain only such lands as i'm
mediately will become available for az
ricultural uses and lands requiring lit
tie clearing or other expense to bring
under cultivation. The. work to large
extent has been confined to localities
in the proximity OF railroads and trade
centers and open meadows and marsh
lands, the commission avoiding as far
as practicable the drainage OF lands
where lie of valuable growing timber
would be endangered.
In the construction OF bitches. public
highways were constructed along the
side of the ditch from the earth exca
waited from the ditch. wherever such
construction was practicable. When
drainage work contracted for in the
years 1903 and 1910 is completed, there
will be 400 miles OF graded roads alone
the several bitches, constructed at q
small additional cost, the average cosi
being not more than one-half a cent
per cubic yard. or SIS per mile of road
The commission, with the co-opera
tion of the United States geological
survey. has made typographical sur
vey OF a large area In Ottertail, Doug
las. Grant, Traverse, Stevens, Pope
Swift aud Big Stone counties. The
same two departments have made sur
veys Of the following waters in ths
state, for the purpose of devising plans
for their improvements and preparing
estimates OF the cost of the work. h
the end that drainage work may b
facilitated and disastrous overflow
prevented: Parts of the Minnesota
Mustinka, Watowan. Embarrsss. Red
wood. Cedar. Chippewa. Long Prairie
and Wild Rice rivers; Stony brook
Benton county; Okabena creek, Jack
son county; a channel through Pierce
Clayton. Bright and Turtle lakes. an.
Mile Lacs lake. Plans. estimates Ak.
specifications of These proposed I'm