The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-06-29
SHOULD RIVER Be
DREDCED THRU CITY
Arguments pro and con Given---Each
Citizen Should Give Situation Care
full StudyBig Dredge About to be
FlOated Down River

Ire big dredge Which has been
coming down Yellow river Is about
ready to pass through the city. a
dam is being constructed above the
Reeves bridge in order to hold back
the water for floating the dredge
down to that place. The work is
about completed at the old dam
site and they will be taking the
dredge through Plymouth in few
days. The river bottom will be
cleaned out in places as it passes
through. The island just above the
Reeves bridge will be scooped out
and there will be some work done at
the Pennsyl -ania railroad bridge.
A second dam will be erected near
the L. E. & W. bridge, in orde..
to hold back the water to float the
bic shovel from the first dam
through the city.
During the past few weeks there
has been considerable agitation for
dredging the river through the city.
A number of parties have secured
figures on the matter and some of
the arguments pro and con are civ,
en- below.
Those in favor of dredging the
river drought the city tsav that
during the heavy rains the city
will behooded worse than heretofore
The river being dredged above the
city Will now carry more water and
carry it faster than before. In
stead of all the extra supply being
held in check on the low farm lands
in the northern part of the county.
1t will now be swiftly carried be-
tween the hieh containing walls on
either side Of the river as far as
the former dam. The same amount
OF water flowing through the dredg
ed river must be taken care of as
it passes through Plymouth. There
will be no deep channel with high
banks. What is the conclusion
This must spread over the lower
parts of town as heretofore but to
a greater exent. Some say, that
the lower part of the river being
dredged, will he in a condition to
take care of the over flow. A little
study on the question, will soon dis
prove that statement. Tt is fact
that more water VII be turned into
Yellow river. now that the river Is
dredge. than ever before. 1t Will
reach here in from 3 to 4 hours
where before it took that many
davs. The same amount of water
will flow through the basin Of the
river in this city as in the channels
above and below here. What must
become of the surplus The people
living in the low portions of Piym-
outh can give the answer.
Those opposed to dredging say
that the beauty of the river will be
spoiled. Must the value of prop
erty and the Inconvenience brought
about by the floods, be sacrificed for
beauty? 1t would simply be a
question of time until the banks
would be covered with foliage. and
with the right amount of labor ex-
pended upon them they would be in
better condition than at present.
Some oppose he work on the ground
that the sewerage of the city would
be interfered with. This point will
bear Investigation, as it would be
a vervN important matter to 'consid-
err. The cost to dredoe through now
would he about $500. including
the leveling of banks. IF the work
has to be done later it would cost
ten times that amount. But, If
this work is not necessary, why
spend the money?
The above arguments are not set
forth by tbs paper but by different
individuals interested In the city,
welfare. Our columns are open to
any one wishing to express their
views on the subject.