The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-04-10
URGES NEWLANDS
FLOOD PLANS
UNCLE SAM WITHOUT EXCUSE
IF 1T FAILS TO ADOPT PROP.
ER MEASURES OF PREVENTION

annual ltltAlNloiN vi lANoNN sum ~
are devastating the Mississippi, Ohio
and Missouri valleys. causing the
loss OF many lives and damage to
property that Will probably total
more than fifty million dollars, would
be prevented by the passage of Sen.
ator Francis Newlands river reSu-
latiou" bill now pending in consres-.
This is the statement OF Frank II.
Knight consulting engineer, OF Chi
cago, member for Illinois OF the eX-
Ccutive committee OF the National
Drainaga congress, before leaving for
New Orleans to attend the second
meeting of that organization, April
1913, Mr. knight declared that the
United States government will he
in lhe position of neGlectng plain
duty until it protects its citizens
from such destructive Internal foes
as floods and the disease that re
suits from them
The damage to property from
floods amounts TO at least one hun
dred million dollars year" he said
I The NcWlands river regulation bill
provides a method OF prcveDtinG
floods at a cost of but fifty millions
year for ten years. An editorial
in the Chicago Post on the present
situation SAYS, Aside rom the old
question of saving the trees on the
watershed so that the spring loous
will be slower in running off, the
only thing TO he done is TO keep oil
IN the present course. More leVeeS
and higher levees will have TO be
built until the Mississippi is thor
oughly harnessed'
The Newlands bill provides for
an additional method. 1t proposes to
treat the navigable streams of the
to their mouths. Under the consti-
tutional clause giving the United
States government exclusive juris-
diction over navigable waters, con
Sress has the right to control, reg
llate and standardlze the streams.
Under the public health clause of the
constitution it is the duty OF the
government to protect its citizens
from these internal foes, floods and
diseases resulting from floods.
The Newlands bill would place
the task of regulating the navigaDle
waters-treating them all as parts
of "A unfold, comprehensive system
i'm the hands of a commission. 1t
provides for the storage of the flood
waters in natural and artificial res.
ervoirs, TO hold them back until
times of drouth when they can be
let loose and maintain the navigable
rivers at proper deprn. The refor-
estation of the watersheds is only
one of the methods contemplated b.
the bill for checking the floods 9th
erS are the construction of artificial
reservoirs where these are possible
and practicable, and the full utili
zaton of natural reservoirs. 1t pro
yides for carrying the surplus wat
erS out over the arid and semi-arid
districts, in irrigation operations. to
let it seep back gradually through
the soil. 1t provides for the digging
OF drainage channels to carry off the
surplus waters from the lower
reaches of the river, to help keep
the navigable channels at standard
depth and prevent them from being
shifting, also to utilize these drain
age channels as additional waterways
1T provides also for the construc
tion of dikes and levees. The levee
system is a good thing and has az
complished great deal to protect
people and property and to reclaim
overflowed lands. But this work has
been done by piecemeal; the various
sections are unrelated. In times of
conditions. as at present tie
entire levee system is endangered be-
cause the work of controlling ins
rivers has not been started at the
headwaters and among the tributaries.
These floods occur and recur
year after year. We can expect them
TO continue. We have the means.
the ability, and the power to ston
hem. And It would be economy
10 do so. 1t would be economy with
out even considering the enormoas
waste of soil fertility caused by |
zach flood
The people of Illinois, as well as
hose of the other central states.
ire awake to the necessity OF con-
rolling the rivers. The existence Of |