The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-06-25
NV THOS. p. NASH. JR-)

AndI1ollS, CbiIS |
county bears a reputation for good
roads that is its single best advertise
ment the country over. Years ago 1t
took the lead in this work among
southern counties. And now Neck
lenburg county is pioneer again IN a
work whose execution will set a rec
ord to match its good roads character.
1t has unde rtaken, to quote Richard
II. EdmOnds, editor of the Manufac-
turers' Record, Of Baltimore, FIX
tensive plans for the effective drain
age of more than 20, 900 acres OF land
suitable for valuable
farms, and including lands in the
vicinity Of Charlotte Whlch
have so far been executed that four
miles Of the drainage system is now
completed. In addition to the great
benefit To Charlotte and vicinity, II
is estimated that this drainage sys-
tenn, when completed, Will add to the
value of the farm lands to the extent
Of over S25 dollars per acre, and that
CSC, coo bushel of corn per year can
be raised or the reclaimed lands
AS Mecklenburg was a eader in
road building, SO it is now doing a
pioneer work in drainage operations
which promises to make it q Leader
in the particular kind of drainage
work that it has undertaken. Run
ning through the county, as through
many ttIlItitS III an "a - VI IN
country, thre are a number of wind
ing streams, somewhat sluggish, in
their flow in dry seasons, While at
ter heavy rains they go rushing down
their crooked beds, causing the
waters to overflow many low places,
running the and for cultivation and
producing conditions conducive to
feVerS and other SicknesSes.
Great Drainage Work.
TbrcuCbnpt tho South MANY dis
tricts are carrying on great drainage
enterprises for the purpOS OF re-
claiming land, but Mecklenburg coun
~ is carrying on great drainage oper-
ations not SO much for the purpose
of retaining lands as for the pur-
pose Of cleaning out the streams,
Strengthening their course, and giving
a free flow in a well-cut channel. 1t
is calculated that the deepening of
the beds Of these streams Will very
greatly increase the healthfulneSS of
the county and carry off the sewage
that empties into them without in
jury to the surrounding country.
1.-The county bought rom the Fair
banks Steam Shovel company, of Ma
rion, g., the plans and the machinery
for building two dredging boats.
The boats themselves were construct
cd according to the plans furnished
by local mechanics. right on the edge
of the streams to be dredged. The
total cost was about $1,000 each
The machinery was placed on board
under direction of an engineer sup
piled by the Fairbanks company, an(
the dredges were then ready to Gu
their way down the streams to b.
cleared and opened up.
In this work turns and twists ant
sharp angles Of the streams are Gu
out, the dirt thrown on embankment
~, H., CiIa ar1 ir.tnnI of n yip Il
ing, sluggish stream that might b
five feet wide in some places an
twenty-five in another, and from 20
to 300 or more In time Of high water
there is a straight stream in a channe
gu deep enough to carry off the rus
of water, even after heavy ain |
Doing this there is a saving of lane
which, like some of the output c
many factories, is a b~y-product, bu
the h~y-product becomes Valuabl
enough to pay the cost of operation.
Health is Considered.
The plans were undertaken from
health point Of view rather tina
from that of saving the bottom land
but the retaining of these bottol
lands promises to far more than just
fly the entire expenditure. The co!
Of drainage is assessed against az
jaccnt lands in proportion to the ado
ed value which Will be given to ther
Just as in the opening of a street
a city, the assessment Is in prOpOrtiC
to the benefits to be derived.
1t is estimated that in Mecklel
burg county enough rich bottom Lar
will thus be saved to add annual
more than 6OG ,00o bushels to Il
yield Of corn in hat county. The
lands are not now workable. exec
TO n very limited extent, for the co
slant overflow destroys their Val
for agricultural II
work, upon which considerable pro
ress has been made, set an eXaml
for every county in the country sin
larry situated.
In the overlooked or swamp Ian
operations thrOughC
the South, where millions of acl
arc being reclaimed by great drai
age operations, are undertaken sol,
for the purpose of making the la
available. but Mecklenburg county
undertaken this drainage scheme
order to give a better flow to
meandering streams and to turn tn,
;ntO ctraiCht deep. SWift-rupDi