The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1914-05-29

whom the ANAL legislative light comes
It will be = worthy one Senator
Newlands already has set forth his
plan for food prevention and the do.
velopment Of the inland waterways In
. bill which IL now in congress.
Senator RansdeIl also has his plan
and . large following OF believers.
including 1t is said. some of the army
engineers who have given the subject
study. 1t 10 understood that Senator
Ransdell's plan represents the view
Of the people Of the lower Mississippi
sections and In part those of other
sections. He holds that there IL only
one way at present to conquer floods
and that Is to build levees and tlikes
% that streams cannot overflow.
Levsss vsrsus Reservoirs.
This plan Of Senator Ransden 10
put into effect will mean that large
sums Of money must be spent imme-
diately on levees. Congress has grant
ed a considerable sum already. but
nothing can be done even with plenty
Of money at hand. for . little while
at least. to make 1t certain that the
floods Of last spring will not be re-
peated II the rain conditions shall be
duplicated.
The Newlands measure IL a broad
bill. It provides for q government
appropriation of S60,OOO,000 each year
for a period Of ten years. making q
total Of 5O0,800,o00. It includes =
plan for reforestation which 10 q
good one. but 1t will take q good
many years to grow woods and to
prevent floods by means OF natural
conditions Of the country. Mr.. New
lands plan provides for food proven
ton and protection by means Of huge
reservoirs for water storage purposes
and by the protection of wator sheds
from denudation and erosion, the las
ter plan involving reforestation.
Col. G. Med. Townsend Of the
United States engineer corps 10 chair
man Of the Mississippi river commits
sion. He 10 opposed to Mr. New
lands plan. which. however has re-
ceived the Endorsement Of those con-
servationists who would have refor-
estation the mainstay OF the work of
flood prevention. In writing on the
subject. particularly a. It relates to
the Mississippi river Colonel Town
send says:
While of the opinion that levees
AFFORD the only practicable method OF
controlling the floods of the Missis.
sippi river. desire to state that
am strongly in favor of both refores-
tation and reservoir construction. but
limited to the purposes for which they
are adapted Just as I am in favor OF a
reinforced concrete for small bridges,
though not considering 1t applicable to
one spanning the Lower Mississippi
river"
6lebert May Get Alaska Job.
Lieut.. Col. William l.. Albert. mem
Der OF the Isthmian Canal commits
sion and builder of the Gatun locks,
dam and spillway. has just been
ordered to Washington to report
for duty, his great work on the
lsthmus having been completed. Army
men, and civilians. too, for that mat
ter, are wondering II Colonel Sibert
is to be ordered to Alaska, there to
undertake the Job of constructing the
railroad which is to be built by the
government OF the United States.
Colonel Sibert already has made
great name for himself as an engineer
In the Isthmus of Panama 1t Ia per-
haps a question whether or not he at
heart would care to undertake the
work In the Northwest, for the eli.
matte conditions would be entirely diff
ferent from those to which he has
been subjected for the last seven
years. and, moreover. 1t may be that
he would prefer home Job for some
time to come. However, II he is or
dered to go to Alaska of course he
Will so without word Of demur, as
would any other officer of the United
States army, and there are many OF
them connected with the corps OF en-
intrusted with the great work.
President Wilson and Secretary OF
War Garrison in way have the same
problem confronting them today that
President Roosevelt and
Secretary of War Taft seven years
ago. Pressure is being brought to
bear to have civilian engineer ap
pointed to the work in Alaska. Just as
pressure was brought to bear on q
previous administration to have civil
ians appointed to the work in Panama
Chance for Fame or Failure
The Panama canal virtually having
been built by army engineers. and
built so successfully. 1t would seem
that the natural inclination would bc
to give the next big job into the hand
OF the soldiers. The man who is ap
pointed as chief engineer of this gov
eminent work in Alaska will have al
opportunity to make a great name ,oI
or, as is possible. he may not