The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-05-24
Problem Which Confronted Con-
gress as Result of Ohio Inun-
dalton Raises Question Yet to
Be Answered In Spite of Engi-
neering Faith In Storage Res
erv0irS.

food disaster in the middle
west last March gave the Will
son administration a new and
unexpected problem. M de-
manding careful attention and positive
action. The agitation which this ca
lamity developed has found express
sion in congress-. in which body bills
have been prepared on a plan upon
which NJ. o. Leighton, chief hydrog-
rapher of the government. set to work
following the terrible inundation- Con-
gress will be asked to pass upon these
measures within the ear or in time
10 begin construction of protective
reservoirs before the Ohio valley Is
overwhelmed by the flood following
the next January thaw.
An adequate food prevention plan,
provided such can be achieved. is 60
ing to cost a pretty penny. Senator
Francis Newlands Of Nevada has been
urging that 500. 10000 be used for
the purpose. His project calls for a
nation wide study OF the subject by a
national commission. 1t hinges on
controlling the rivers at the head by
means OF a system of reservoirs that
would check foods and feed streams
in dry weather.
1.-The appalling disasters in Ohio and
Indiana said Senator Newlands.
ssbring home more forcibly than ever
the conviction that our present meth
cd of dredging. levees and bank re-
vetment in limited districts is funda-
mentally inadequate. These things
will not protect jewellers on the lower
reaches of our rivers so long as there
is no control of the h~eadwaters.
Eve must adopt an adequate system
for the control of runoff at the head
waters OF the tributaries of the Mis-
sissippi. The people of Pittsburgh and
Dayton are entitled to this. no less
are entitled to levees."
SECRETARY LANES SCHEME
The necessity for reforming the pres
ent methods of river improvement and
Of devising a plan by which the fed
eral government and the states may
work in harmony were suggested to
President Wilson by Franklin X. Lane.
the secretary of the interior.
"The problem said Secretary Lane.
referring to the swollen streams. "is
not especially TO make these rivers
navigable. 1t Is rather M of con-
serving property and life. Each small
river is a part of a larger river and the
larger river a part of the great stream
that finally carries the flood TO the
ocean. There ought to be first a gen.
eral program. and each improvement
should be part of the whole scheme"
Secretary Lane approves the scope
Of Senator Newlands' suggestion. but
doubts the efficiency of the reservoir
system along the Mississippi valley.
In that fiat country. said, the secretary.
dikes would be necessary in creating
a reservoir. Mr.. Lane thinks the chan
nels are the proper field for the first
stages of the work. and when proper
outlets for surplus water had thus been
made the swamp lands could be drain
ed and thrown open.
The secretary's idea of solving the
food problem has 10 do with the deep
ening and widening of the channels OF
all streams liable to flood conditions.
A RECLAMATION PROJECT
1.-The reclamation service" said the
secretary of the interior. usually is
regarded as relating to the arid lands
of the west which are reclaimed by
bringing water from the mountains.
but in another way reclamation is a
great problem in the Mississippi valley
and the east.
1.-The reclamation Of oyerwatered
lands, however, to be Of real value