Newport daily independent., 1911-03-06
Minnesota SWamps Are Turned
 Into Productive Farms.
One-Ffth of Total Area of State or Minnesota Is to Be Reclaimed, Ac- cordng to Report of Drainage
 Commission.

St. Paul. Minn-Reports of the state drainage commission on work done ln Minnesota from August 1. 1898, to Aug ust 1, 1910, have been placed in the hands of the legislature.
 The commission estimates that Min nesota had originally 10,000,000 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. Conserva- tive estimates place the total area re- claimed during 1909 and 1910 at 1.500,- 900 acres.
 \ Ditches are constructed by the state and by the various counties. These ase made by the drainage commission cily where such ditches will benefit state lands. Incidentally private lands are also benefited, and in such cases the cost is defrayed in part by assess Ag private lands according to the benefits. Lands owned by railroad companies are assessed like private lands
 During 1909 and 1910 the commis- sion has constructed or has had under construction 15 state ditches, having an aggregate length of 460 miles, re- Qulrlng an excavation of 6,82S,378 cubic yards, costing $605, 5,S733o, or an aver eee or S.S cents CT cubic yard These uAcnes will drain and reclaim Al, ,144.- " acres of state land and 403,640.81 ~'tss or private lands at an average cOst of SIPS per acre.
 me policy of the commission has sesn to drain only such lands as im- aeulately will become available for az ,cutural uses and lands requiring lit " clearing or other expense to bring luer cultivation. The work to large sA'ent has been confined to localities
 'ne proximity of railroads and trade sA.erS and open meadows and marsh aus the commission avoiding as far practicable the drainage of lands so',s as,e lie of valuable growing timber "vud be endangered.
 ~ the construction of ditches. public ,ssuMays were constructed along the ,s. ss VI the ditch from the earth exca-
 a rom the ditch, wherever such ra, as'ruction was practicable When uase work contracted for in the u,ns isos and 1910 Is completed, there ha .a " 4oo miles of graded roads along
 . vesefal ditches, constructed at a h,,~ aduluonal cost, the average cost \, s not more than one-half a cent
 N sSo'c yard. or $75 per mile of road. toa ue commission, with the co-opera- nrr a ol the United states geological ss vss " nas made a typographical sur as ~ q large area in Ottertail, Doug Bw,tt = an. traverse, Stevens, Pope, .n s.' ana Big Stone counties. The keva .Mo departments have made sur sss or the following waters in tba or 't, ts lor the purpose of devising plans estin,st improvements and preparine tha es or the cost of the work to ao,,s. una that drainage work nav bs Drsraaled and disastrous overfows bfust,nseaa Parts of the Minnesota Vood Aoa' n Watowan, Embarrass Rcd. Ind WIS usuaf' n Chippewa. Long Prairie ~ Bento,A mAa Hice rivers; Stony brook |on M ca.. county; Okabena creek Isol, .lsvtn sounty; channel throuvh , p,oas saeA 6ins hright and Turtle lakes ana psciaca.ss axe. Plans, estimates ana
 V tnese proposed i'm