The daily sentinel., 1914-03-18
DRAINAGE NEED
OF THE VALLEY

That the interest in the question of
the drainage of our lands is increas-
ing in all parts of the county is
manifest by the large number who
were present at the court house last
evening to listen to an address BIS
Dalton G. Miller. the expert in charge
of the work in this state for the
government. The attendance was
from all directions and from long
distances farmers from Appleton.
Fruitvale, Pear Park and Orchard
Mesa. Mr.. Miller has recently re-
ceived an excellent lantern and has
been preparing slides for some time
and these we're used in connection
with the lecture.
The meeting was called to order
by e. II. Craven and he was made
the chairman he called upon Dr.
Plumb TO make a few remarks touch
ing the use of seepage waters for
stock and domestic use, and said that
II IL were not too strongly impreg-
mated with salts it can be used for
both purposes without serious effect
but that II was not the best water
FOR such uses. 1t has been used by
milkmen without any bad results.
w. S. Wallace was called on to
state something as to what he saw
on his recent trip to Montrose. and
his visit to the drainage sections
while there, and stated that their
problem is in all respects fully as
difficult as ours, and that it had been
successfully overcome by the use of
tile and open bitches, but that the
use of the latter was not satisfactory
for the laterals, as they filled up very
fast. He was surprised to discover
the apparent ease with which the
lands can be drained and thought
most all of our uncultivated lands
can be reclaimed. +. F.. Merritt also
gave a short talk on the same sub
ject and in every respect corrobori
ated the views of Mr.. Wallace.
Opening remarks by Mr.. Miller on
the broad subject of drainage in con-
nection with all irrigated sections fol-
lowed. He stated that there are ap-
500, 900 acres of land
II can be done without too heavy an
expense under the drainage district
law of 1911; this state is in no worse
condition than any other and not
nearly so bad as California, where a
very large per cent of the lands un-
der irrigation are uncultiyated and
must be reclaimed. He advised the
land owners to select their best
lands needing drainage first and that
will aid in the drainage of the worst;
the experiments being made on the
Mckinney tract east of the city are
not fair sample of what can be
done in the matter of cost because
that land is the very worst in the
valley.
With the assistance OF Il. S. Mich
OILS and O. d. Williams, who manipu-
lated the slides, Mr.. Miller then
threw on the screen a number of
excellent views of the work being
done in the San Luis valley, where
there are something like 100000
acres under three drainage district
propositions. He fully explained the
work by means of these slides, show
ing the machinery used and the
methods of work as well as the re-
suits accomplished. This was fol-
lowed by views of the experimental
work in this valley. and he made the
statement that fully so per cent of
our wet lands can be successfully re-
claimed and at an expense which will
be highly profitable.
The lecture was highly interesting
and Instructive. and will go long
ways in increasing the determination
OF those who own wet lands to re-
claim them. We ought to have n
number off districts organized at
once and the work begun as soon as
possible; under the law the lands
are taxed just in proportion to the
benefits derived and payment is made
in longtime bonds at low rate OF
interest. other meetings will be held
in Appleton and Frulta in the near
future, and these ought to stimulate
a united action towards active work.
1t is a condition which confronts
every portion of this country and
should be taken up even before the
work of building irrlgating canals in
order to avoid the loss of those
lands on the lower grounds when
the higher lands are cultivated
At the suggestion of Chairman
Craven the hat was passed and a
handful of nickels and dimes we're
contributed towards the salary of
Janitor Langdon. who had cleaned up
and lookad after the court room