Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-01-06
Not Many More Required-Lands
Jump in Value From $50 and SIS Per
Aero 70 $50 and s2oo-Drainase Al.
60 Made Possible Thriving and Mod
srn Towns.
special to rimes-Republican.

la big ditch passed thru that eectAoA
and a bridge across it had not been
finished. If the question be asked
"What achievement Of the last ten
wears in this part of the country most
nearly deserves the title Of mEacle?'
the one best answer beyond doubt IL
drainage" for this has transformed a
land OF ponds and marshy wastes, with
here and there an irregular tract OF
cultivable country, into one OF prosper
Gus farms and attractive homes VAL
liable beyond the imagination OF the
most ardent enthusiast of the times
when muskrat houses dotted great
areas like shocks Of hay in meadows
and reeds and slough grass grew
from soil that now produces oats and
corn.
Thru the courtesy Of County Auditor
F. E. Osier the following facts were
learned regarding drainage Of Wright
county lands. The first drainage ditch
was projected in the year 1903 and was
finished some time in 1904. At the
present time there are eighty six
bitches in the county, varying in length
from one to twenty-o one miles. the total
mileage being about 800. The longest
of the bitches was put in ut an expense
Of just 500 ,o00 and 100000 Of this was
paid for in advance 1t Is estimated
that about one-half the total expense
Of the drainage bitches of the county
have been paid for with cash, drainage
bonds having been issued to take care
Of the balance. At this time the Cow
cred" ditch is rapidly coming into IA
- ~, To-, io11
to twenty inch tile are used are being
put III.
County Engineer Meachem estimates
the cost Of the drainage bitches as half
the total expense to the land owner
who tiles into these artificial outlets.
The land thru which the ditch runs is
tiled more cheaply than that at a dis
lance, but the assessment - CORE
spondingfy heavier 50 that the expense
is equalized. There will not be many
more drainage districts organized in
Wright county for this part Of the
work is nearly all done. It Is estimated
that the work Of tiling the tributary
farms, however, Is not more than half
completed. Land values in this county
have risen from $50 to SIS, the prices
paid ten or twelve years ago. to $3.50
to 5000, the figures Of the present time
and it Is thought that about half this
advance is due to artificial drainage.
And the effect Of all this Is not con-
fined to farm lands. Thriving county
seat towns with well paved streets,
neighboring towns with splendid resi-
dences and business blocks contain-
ing modern stores, electric light plants
and other city institutions are not pos
sible in agricultural regions where half
the farm land must be abandoned In
every season Of more than normal
rainfall Truly. the coming Of the
dredge and thing outfi: meant some
taken long to produce results thru their
employment
One Of the finest farm houses
erected within the last year in this part
Of the country has been put up by Ed
Roherer on route 4 from Clarion. It Is
strictly modern and is finished in oak
and birch.
d. ]. Bell, on the same route, has a
cement feeding floor for. his hogs. so
far nothing at all uncommon in his
neighborhood. But Bell didn't stop with
a floor. He put up single crib and
rooted It with q double roof and ha>s
Of that roof Is over the feeding fool
which also has end walls and side.
It was put UP with the idea that hogs
need a protected place in which to eat
as well as do cattle and other animals,
and the owner believes the structure
has paid for ITSELF in one year.
IT am not a hunter nor a farmer
either" said a man the other day. "but
I noticed that 1887 hunting licenses
have been sold in this county since
July last. If other counties averaged
this many. then the total receipts Of
the state for license fees is more than
100000 In the meantime efforts are
being made to drain almost every little
lake heqeuntef by hunters who bought
these permits. It seems to me that this
as not giving much back to these men
for their money"
"Old Daisy" Is just an ordinary horse
kept on the Bennett farm, north Of
Clarion. ordinary perhaps in all re-
spects except one. In the past nine
years she has presented her owner with
nine colts. all Of which are kept ON the
farm and six of which are used In do
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