Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-01-29

Pittsburgh have caused to be made
a survey Of the watersheds of thu
Allegheny and Monongaheaa rivers
and they have found many large sites
that can be utilized for storage pur
poses. They are seriously studying
the question of constructing these res.
ervoirs to avoid the destructive floods
which inflict annual injury upon Pitts.
burg, and in 1907 caused damage in
that city alone of from five to ten mil
lion dollars.
"And 50 it is everywhere. Various
localities are considering this ques-
ton Of flood destruction and are work
ing at the problem, not only in its
local aspects but in the national as
poets. The states that are at the
lower end of these rivers are begin
ming to realize that it is the duty of
the states above them and Of the ma
ton to see to it that the lower states
are not damaged by disastrous sudden
run.offs and floods and fresihets. They
are beginning to see that the question
of the regulation an development of
these interstate rivers and the control
of these flood waters is not a purely
local matter, attaching to the locality
threatened with impairment or des-
truction.
1T involved the power Of the en-
tire nation, for these rivers, with their
sources exist utterly regardless of
state lines, and the power to be ex.
ercised over them ultimately and In
the greatest degree is the national
power of navigation.
Authority Of the States.
1T is true that the main power over
these rivers is in the nation, and tnat
it arises from the power which gives
the nation the control of transpor.
tation, the control of interstate COM
merce, the control of navigation. But
that is the only interest which the
NATION has in these rivers whiEh
gives it the power to regulate and con-
troll them. Every other interest be-
longs either to the state or the in
hab1tants OF the states and hence 1t Is
necessary, if we are to have a full
development of these rivers for every
useful purpose, to see to 1t tnat the
nation is brought into cooperation
with the states.
"The artificial storage Of water &C.
complishes two purposes. In the arid
and semi-arid regions it provides Tor
the impoundng of flood waters which
are led out over the thirsty plains and
absorbed by the soil and prevented
from flowing down below and vexing
neighboring states at the period Of
floods, and they are there held until
thew gradually seep through the soil
back into the rivers. They thus re-
turn to the channel in the form OF re-
turn seepage during the period OF
drought and low water, when they
augment the flow Of the river and en-
large the usefulness of it's channels
for purposes Of navigation.
$50 the artificial storage for 1rri-
cation of water in the Rocky Noun
tains, upon rivers which are tributary
to the Mississippi and the Missouri
and in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
upon streams which are the sources OF
rivers which empty into the Pacific
Ocean. becomes question not only
involving the neighborhood in the re-
clamation Of arid lands, but the en-
tire scheme of river regulation and
waterway development below In the
interest of flood prevention and OF
navigation.
Reclamation Of Swamps.
"Incidetally, in connection with
this question of river regulation,
comes the question of swamp land re-
! clamation. Just as you have too little
water above and you desire to increase
the supply to the land by artificial
storage and irrigation, so below you
have too much water and you seek t.
albert the destructive floods which pre-
vent the cultivation of vast areas by
storing the flood waters above for irri
cation and water power, and by erect
ing levees and providing for the re
yetment of the banks with view Of
Harvesting and controlling the rivers
in such a way that they will not pro
mote destruction or interfere with cul
walton.
"This work is going to cost a grea1
deal of money. We ought to contem-
ilate the expenditure Of $50O,OOO ,OO(
Within the next ten years. And why
should we not We will spend nearly
$500, O0O,O00 on the Panama Canal
Can anyone pretend that that work Is
one of greater value than that con
templated in Harvesting the rivers Of
the country and controlling them fol
the purposes of navigation, with 9
view to preventing the great flood
destruction which today aggregates
nearly 5000, 100000 a year?
"If We can spend $500 900 annu
ally in matters regarding war can
we not spend $50,000,000 annually In
the works Of peace. Can we not de
vote the cost of at least three or four
Dreadnoughts annually to the great
| work of internal development?
"This bill eliminates any apparent
I conflict of authority or power between
the nation and the states by bringing
them into complete cooperation and
| coordination, and each within It's own
jurisdiction and unquestioned constl
tutional authority and power.
Solution Of the Problems.
1T brings together for effective CO.
operation-for team work-the sclen.