Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-07-02
WHAT DRAINAGE MEANS

the proper channels the drainage Ot
all lowlands of the state for both
health and business reasons, is be-
coming annually more manifest. The
gain from point both of health anl
money is spoken of as follows by the
Atlanta Journal:
There is reason to hope that in the
course of its present session the Leg
islature will enact a drainage Law
sufficient to meet the insistent requests
from every part of the state for the
reclamation of swamp and overflow
lands. Scientific drainage is no longer
theory in Georgia, appealing only &c
few people here and there but A
practical enterprise in which hundreds
of farmers and business men are def
nitely interested.
This is witnessed by the fact that
the state and the federal geological
surveys are continually receiving APP
plications from such improvements
and by the further fact that the Geor-
gia Drainage Congress, supported by
the active membership of public spirit
ed men, has progressed so rapidly
within the past few years as now to
have district organizations in different
PARTS of the state Interest in tn S
matter has become specific as well as
feneral. Not only in South Georgia
where there are thousands of acres OF
marsh or swamp land but also in
North Georgia where there are many
tracts of overflow land along rivers,
the drainage question is one of i'm
mediate and vital concern,
Georgia has an inviting opportunity
to meet and solve this issue on az
economic basis in cooperation with
the national government A state
appropriation of five thousand dollars
annually for a period of five years will
secure an equal amount from the fed
eral government and also the later s
valuable assistance in making the
preliminary surveys which are neces-
sary to drainage undertakings. BY a
comparatively small outlay OF moneY
ON its own part, the state can thus
inaugurate a far-reaching and fruitful
campaign for the reclamation of its
swamp and overflow lands AS an in
vestment, this proposition is highly at
tractive, for, the increased tax values
which would inevitably follow drain
age enterprises would within the
course of a few years repay the state
for it's original expenditures a hum
dred times over.
The reclamation of overflow and
swamp lands, far from being subject
/ of individual interest alone, is pre-em-
inently one of public welfare How
true this is, is indicated by the fac,
that in a number of counties farmers
and merchants have organized to pro-
mote in so far as they can the drain
age of wet lands in their vicinity. They
realize that by so doing they will in
crease the production of crops, en-
nance the value of real estate and turn
to practical, business account large
tracts of land which now is relatively
worthless. Such undertakings should
have the states guidance and support,
for, they will extend and quicken the
prosperity of the entire commo l.
wealth.
Besides the economic value of drain
age there is this additional and ve"v
important fact to<be considered. The
existence of swamp or overflow lands
is constant menace to public health.
Official records show that in those
states where drainage enterprises have
been extensively carried out the death
rate from malaria has been reduced 70
minimum, while in other states
where little or no such work has been
done, this insiduous disease is as pre-
yalent and as fatal as ever. AS an