The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-06-04
A NEW ERA DAWNS
VICE PRESIDENT OF ILLINOIS
TELLS OF POSSIBLE
DEVELOPMENT.
Over 100000 Acres Call For At.
tenton-RaiIroads important
Factors in the Work
Now Merely Begun.

velopment because OF the possibility
of reclamation in the areas Of swa W
and overflow lands. Long con
nected with the Union Pacific Rail-
way In the West as an official, where
he was closely identified with tae
economic developments that began TO
gain impetus there a few years ago,
and just returned TO Chicago from a
tour Of the Mississippi alley and in
Panama, where The government has
Installed a success full system Of drain
1ge, Mr.. Park is conceded to be an
authority on the subject cl natural
resource development The railway
official is identified this year with
the work of the National irrigation
Congress, which has its nineteenth
sessions here in December, and he
considers this organization TO be a
valuable medium for the further ex-
pansion Of swamp land development,
Of present conditions In these u1-
occupied areas ana of their probable
future, he says
"In my judgement there is not nor,
nor can there be, in the future, any
development work that is so frougnt
With advantageous possibilities as ~
he drainage of our own swamp
ands.
Viewed from the stand pont Of
transportation lines, the Nation the
State, the City, or the individual
,wner, the promise is not only al
uring, but absolutely certain OF SUE
,essful consummation.
"To be successful a transportation
inc. REGARDLESS of whether II is y
dray street car, a steamboat, or
steam rail line must have two things
first, rates that will return fair
profit after all expenses and better
ments have been paid; secons, tou.
mage.
at is an exiom that the more bust
ness transportation line does, DC
the profit per ton per mile ever so
small, the more money goes into It's
treasury that may be classed as met
earnings. It. will therefore be seen
hat tonnage is a vital necessity to
he life of The line; hence II is or tile
Itmist importance to the aranspor-
alton lines that the various sections
Vt country through which they run
shall be productive and prosperous
The prosperity being in ratio TO the
number of acres cultivated and the
productivity of the soil. More acres
cultivated means more marketable
products; more products means more
onnage; more tonnage means more
money, and more money to Transport
tation line means the development
Of the property, Improvement m
service, installation of safety devices,
and general distribution of money,
which tends to The comfort and hip
Diness of it's employees, and the gem
eral Surrounding country.
"When we stop to CONSIDER the
Millions of acres of land that in their
present condition. are worse than
1alueless, because they are not only
dormant, inactive and fon-producns,
)ut are ruthlessly eXactIng their
oil of pestilence and death; lands
hat if drained would be so produc-
i've that the contagious transports
ion lines would nave all the tonnage
hey could handle, and there would
still be tons left for those not yet
constructed, lit seems to me the duly
Vt all transportation lines to get pc.
lind this work, and with intelligent
md never tagging energy push il
0 a successful conclusion. The H.
inois Central and Yazoo e. Misss.
sippi Valley Railroads will render all
possible assistance in this direction.
"The profits that will accrue di
rectly to the owner of swamp lands
by reason Of drainage, and to the
states by reason of increasing the
taxable value of lands within ther
borders, viii be enormous
More than seventy million acres
Of land, now without value, except as
o the timber they carry, by drainage
transformed into homesteads, so re-
tile thaA there is practically no limit
to theft productivity; value of the
land increased from zero to fifty tc
one hundred dollars per acre, and II
many cases more-a farm of 100 acres
for each of seven hundred thousanc
families, made available to the ener
getic man of the crowded city. and
to the former who lis struggling witt
piece of WORKOUT barren 1ani, eacf
eking out an existence or perjury
this, it occurs to me, is a possibility
that snoutd not 30 long unaccoin
plshed,
Another point is that food stun
will be produced III such quantities
that for practically all times TN
supply will be sufficient for our owr
demands, and leave surplus for eS
port 10 those who are less fortunate.,