Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-02-16
CASH IN bitches
IS WELL INVESTED
DRAINAGE is THE MOST PROFIT.
ABLE INVESTMENT KNOWN
TO FARMERS.
1000 PER CENT REALIZED
Southeast Missouri Leading in Mod
ern Methods of Utilizing the I'M
measurable Fertile Flooded
Lands of This State.

That money sunk into very unlove-
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
$4,000, 900 into drainage bitches, and
this p1-.,y has been returned to them
with p.oL.s AEaddin-like in their pro
portions.
Ten years ago there were $4,000
acres of land in this state which were
totally under water or useless be-
cause 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 were inadequate to carry
off the continuously heavy rainfall OF
that region. The land continually re-
sembled an overfowed street with the
rainfall gaining steadily on the insult
ficient sewers; therefore it was but
natural that Southeast Missourians
became the pioneers in drainage
work. By deepening and Strengthening
their streams the f1ow-off gradually
| gained on the rainfall until there was
no excess, and consequently no
swamp lands.
Pemiscot, the s~outhern-most county
work. This progressive county has
added to it's assessable wealth and
tillable area 230,S9S acres Of land.
This work cost about $3S0,000, or
about $1.50 per 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, 500, 600, or a return of
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 10000 acres, at a total cost
of $4,000. Cotton, wheat, corn and
alfalfa have replaced mosquitoes and
miasmatic dampness as the usual
crops from these acres.
Mississippi county has snatched
from the embrace of the swamps 200,-
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
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 dEstriot-the largest in the world
which is now in course of con
struction, and which includes 500, 00(
acres Of land lying in the counties
of Cape G%irardeau, Scott, Stoddard
Pemiscot, Mississippi, Dunklin ant
New Madrid.
This vast area-larger than man!
boosted European principalities-is tt
be reclaimed at a cost of $4,000 OO
or $500 per acre. The increased val
uation of the land will not be lesI
than coz mn mn ond tho IN craa GO IL
the annual crop output not less thai
$12,0 900, 900. This is a cash return il
land values of 625 per cent, and al
annual return from the investment o
| 300 per cent. The cost is higher pc
acre than in other drainage districts
, because the problems met are NOR
complicated and the work when CON
J pleted will be more thorough. How
ever, the work of educating people Il
these counties to the benefits of drair
7 age has been we'll done, and the bul
den of $500 per acre is gladly shou
: dered by the land owners
1 In other counties drainage at
' dearer rate has been accomplished
, In Holt county $500 acres hav
been drained, at a cost Of 1882 pc
. acre; while the farmers of Mario
: county paid $3.50 per acre to drai
10. 900 acres.
st. Louis county, having the mos
valuable land in the state, becaus
of its proximity to a large city an
q consequent availability for truck ga
% dening, paid $2S,799 for draining 7;
acres of land. This was at the raj
of $4,000 per acre. and no n has "
= been heard to complain Of this pric
= for the producing value Of the distri,
was increased $33O,000, or more ths
sr 100 per cent per n
3, Other counties in the state ha'
hardened to the call Of the wor
for more producing land, and have !
vested their money in ditch constru
% lions, and it has Melted them unifor1
ar ly handsome returns. Atchison cou
Ii ty has reclaimed 3,840 acres; HowaI
$500; Lincoln, 1900; Ray, 1900, q
st. Charles 4065.