The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-28
WILL RECLAIM THE
SWAMP LANDS Of
The CH|CKAHOM|NY
Official Report of the Survey
Made by United States
Engineers Public
PROJECT OF GREAT
IMPORT TO RICHMOND
Its Fruition Means the Re-
Ctamation OF 5000 Acres
OF Most Fertile Lands
in State

The great undertaking of reclaim
ing the swamp lands of the Chicka-
hominy rlver--important because II
is the pioneer project OF It's kind IN
virginia, and more important be-
cause 1t spells the beginning Of the
end OF movement which. when It
attains fruition. will bring into bios
som fifteen thousand acres OF land
now worthless - land as fertile as
that forms the valley OF the Nile.-
reached the first practical stage the
past week with the completion OF
the official report of the survey BY
the federal government.
This report. which was prepared
after months OF toll by George f
Warren. drainage engineer of the L.
5. department of agriculture, and his
assistants, John r. Haswell and New
ton ID. Quade. was given out yester-
day. II covers the ground so COM
prehensively that little introduction
to 1t is needed, beyond giving credit
where IL is due and few words ex-
planatory of the origin OF the move
ment In order that history may be
kept straight.
DR.. d. w Starbuck. A practical
farmer--a country gentleman from
old Missouri--is rightly called the
father of the movement. He came
to Virginia TO farm and purchased
lands on the ChIcRahominy. por-
ton OF this land lay along the Chick
ahominy swamps; and. farmer that
ne is. and having had experience with
the wonderful fertility OF swamp
lands. he began TO agitate the passage
of drainage law by the State. The
law was passed. Il provides for the
formation OF thls---or any other
drainage association. which has pow
err to issue bonds 10 raise money for
such an undertaking. and gives the
farmer an opportunity 10 repay lis
portion OF the expense on the install
ment plan, tightening the burden
Just how small this burden will be
as compared with the value OF the
reclaimed land is shown by tflp state
. ment of the DIR. Starbuck, who says
that one acre of the reclaimed land
will pay a farmers assessment three
times over in year. BY the drain
age law the farmers are given twelve
years In which TO repay the drainage
association the cost OF the under
taking
The drainage association which is
20 carry ont the work has been Or
ganized. with DIR. Starbuck at the
head OF Ii. Charles A. Miller OF the
State Agricultural department is its
secretary. Mr.. Miller has given much
OF his time and talent TO fostering
the movement, and Commis sioner
Kelner has promoted the project
with all the energy. IN his power. and
that Ia saying great deal, The fed
eral government, cooperating with
the State, has done the preliminary
work ard brought the great project
to q focus-~not only educational
work--and that in itself was great
undertaking--bu laid the foundation
FOR the actual work OF ''diteh-d dig
a. .ging.''' With strong organization
as n basis work will be started very
soon and within, perhaps year
vast fertile territory contiguous TO
Richmond will be opened, its prod
ucts shipped TO Richmond, its trade
directed in this channel and new
avenue of wealth turned toward the
Virginia capital.
Mr.. Warrens Report I'm Part,
NJ Warren's report is valuable
document and warrants reproduc-
ton in full. but space does not per-
NIT. In part. II follows:
Introduction.
The proposed reclamation OF the
fowlands along the ch!ckahominy
river in the vicinity Of Richmond. Va.
is OF more than ordinary interest and
Importance for two reasons
First. 1t is the pioneer project OF its
kind. that of reclaming periodically
{,,4 -. In ISM lar
taken in the State OF Virginia
The present movement 10 promoto
better agricuiture In the ChiciSa-
hons,y river valley through more sys-
temaSc drainage was started by Mr..
william NJ. Milan, DIR. Daniel w.
Starbuck, Mr. Rue O. Moore ard
other Interested landowners Their
efforts have had the eordia, support
Of Hon. John Lamb. OF Richmond. the
officials OF the NirSimia State Drain
age association. and the newspapers
of Richmond
In February, 1909, a preliminary
examination and report was made
By Mr.. l.. L. Hidnger drainage en-
gIneer, ffYeU OF tfE tinitett Stttr~- ti-~
nartment OF agriculture. In Marcn,
1911, Mr.. Samuel H. McCrory. drain
age engineer. also or the depart
n,ent of agriculture, Visited the To-
cality and went over the general fea-
lures OF the project. On May II,
1911, the writer was authorized to
make survey and prepare plans. and
estimates for the systematic drainage
OF the valuable overfiowed lands Of
the valley.
The Chickahominy river has Its
rise about five miles within the Pied
mont plateau and near the easteriy
boundary of Goochland county, En-
terine the coastal plain and Rowing
In a ssoiitheasterlv direction. !. forms
tho boundary line between the coun-
ties ~ Hanover. New Kent and James
CITY on the northeast and the coun