The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-01-25
DRAINAGE IN THE COTTON BELT
Need Of Further State and Federal LeasIations
Increase Value and Sanitary Conditions

bought into the high state Of cult.
vation in which II now is (and We
all know the great superiority 81
the European IL making the most
Of what he hasl, BY reclamation
Through drainage. Alarge percenss-
age Of the swamp and oyerHOwed
lands Of the United States are III
the cotton states. With most 81
these lands we can do what Europe
has done; but we cannot accomplish
much by purely individual effort.
For comprehensive scheme
we must have wise and eficaciogs
state legislation, energetic promo
ton By men 81 affairs. and aid BY
legislation and appropriation from
the federal government.
Where large bodies Of land are
held together III one ownership. IL
will frequently be possible that
complete reclamation scheme can
be carried out by the owner alone
but in these the public ii; much less
interested than ii the smaller hold
|ings- Here the individual owner
cannot act without the cooperation
of his neighbor. Frequently his
lands can be successfully drained BY
outlets through the lands Of another.
Frequently the work which be
would do would bring resultant
benefit to the lands Of his neighbor
and the expense, If not distributed
would be prohibitive.
II the drainage issto be effective.
il is necessary that the right 81 en-
1inent domain Be given; andif econ
omy Is to be assured all the swamp
and overfoWed lands that can be
included within any drainage
scheme would Be taken IN ii once,
rather than that the work should BE-
done piece-meal at greater ultimate
cost. This necessarily involves the
establishment Of drainage districts
as lawfnl organization under the
state government, clothed with
authority, authorized to incur debts
by bond issue or otherwise, and
with power to assess upon the lands
bensfted the cost Of the work in
proportion to acreage, with due al
loWance for the different degrees az
benefit on account Of varying topog-
raphy and other causes.
The idea is Of course not new.
1t is now being agitated through
. large portion Of the country, and
particularly in the South. The III
inois Central Railroad Company
and the Central Of Georgia Railway
Company have recently taken II up
actively by the dissemination Of
information and BY urging appro-
pirate legislation and active steps
for the reclamation Of the lands
contiguous to their territory.
Doubtless the same is true Of other
railroads. North Carolina enacted
Fl 1909 . practical drainage law.
Public spirited citizens in Geor-
gia took up the subject several years
ago and finally succeededin securing
from the legislature Of Georgia in
1911 the enactment Of q statue from
which excellent results are expected.
A considerable amountof valuable
work has already been done il
North Carolina, and steps have al
ready been taken in Georgia to es.
tablish several drainage districts.
That the Piedmont and noun.
famous section Of these states are
interested as are the lowlands Is
illustrated by the fact that before
the passage Of the general law b
North Carolina, special Law was
enacted for a general drainage
scheme in Lincoln County, Norh
Carolina, is a very billy country.
and that since the passage Of the
drainage law moro districts ham
been established in The hill country
tlauin the eastern counties. TIE
frst move in Georgia for the estab.