The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-12
VAST SWAMP LAND
: lobe RECLAIMED
DR.. Joseph Hyde Pratt Tells of
Conditions in North
Carolina.
ALL OBSTACLES REMOVED
Now Possible to Make Great
Area Rich for Agricultural
Purposes.
ALL OBSTACLES REMOVED

| ST Louis. April ia malarial com
mission was organized to-day as a de-
partment of the National Drainage Con-
Eress to make careful investigation
OF malaria throughout the United
States and report at the drait age con-
sress next year n plan for q systematic
warfare on the disease. The commits
sion, which is to be composed OF one
representative of each State will be
headed by DR.. Oscar bowling of the
Louisiana State Health Board. He was
chosen this afternoon at II subcommit-
tee meeting, and his name will be sub
mited to the congress Tomorrow
when detailed plans for the commits
sion are presented. That the plan will
be adopted by the congress seems as
sured.
Or. William a. Evans. In an address.
said that by an energetic campaign
tho disease could be eradicated from
the United states In four or five years.
Talks of North Carolina.
DR.. Joseph Hyde Pratt state geolog-
list of North Carolina. spoke on The
Reclamation of North Carolina Swamp
Lands
In North Carolina" declared DR..
Pratt. there are Approximately 4.4O5
square miles, or 2,SS3,2OO acres, of
swamp land, a large proportion of
which is susceptible to reclamation
This swamp area lies In twenty eight
State.
This area is nearly as great As that
Of the Kingdom of Saxony. which has
population of nearly 100000 people
or nearly double that of the total pop
ula ton of the State of North Carolina
Although some of the swamp areas do
not contain land that is very we'll
adapted to agricultural purposes, still
there are vast areas which, if drained.
would be capable OF growing a vast
variety OF products"
1here are three distinct classes or
swamp areas in Eastern North Caro-
lima. DR.. Pratt said. The first is the
great gum and cypress swamp. in a
long, narrow belt. ranging from one
quarter to two miles in width. or in
an extensive area several miles in diam
eter. The second type is known as
Pocosen or open marsh. which contains
little timber. and the third type is the
higher land along the swamp areas.
which it is possible to cultivate, but 1T
is constantly being drowned out by ex-
ccssive rainy weather.
Some of the Obstacles.
The agricultural value of the
swamp lands have been known by the
people of the State many years" he
continued Long before the Civil War
attempts we're made to drain Ger
tain OF the smaller swamp areas.
Some Of this work was successful but
where attempts were made to drain
any Of tho swamp areas on large
scale, 1t was Il failure. Three OBJ
stacies formerly stood in the way OF
the drainage of the swamp lands
Il. Cost OF clearing the land
"2. The excessive cos: of digging
adequate canals to take care OF the
water
"s. Lack OF adequate loans that
would permit the carrying out OF the
drainage proposition.
All these obstacles have been re-
moved, ana it is possible to drain sue
cessfully any land that has sufficient
agricultural value.
The drainage act passed by the
General Assembly of North Carolina OF
1909, and amended in 1911, makes il
possible to carry out any drainage
proposition. no matter how large.
Fertility OF the soil of these re-
claimed swamp lands is unsurpassed.
and sufficient work has been done to
demonstrate that this land is pre-em-
inently a corn soil"
Plans for national federation or
drainage commissions werg completed
late this afternoon at n meeting of a
subcommittee. The report of this sub
committee was presented to the reso-
lu,ions committee Tonight, and if APP
proved. it will be reported TO the Con-
gross tomorrow. the plan conicm
plates a standing committee. TO which
the twcnty-thrce local drainage com
missions in various parts of the United
states shall submit their projects.
The executive committee had not
agreed to- night what recommendations
it would make in regard to the pro-
posed department OF public works un-
der Cabinet minister. Richmond,
Raleigh. Savannah and Memphis have
asked the congress for next years
meeting The place will be chosen and
officers will be selected tomorrow.
aatior rntr ,,o-r,