The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-06-16
DRAINAGE DITCH
|. PROTEST WAIVED
Pryer, Who Asked Injunction To
Stop River Diversion, Now
Strong For Plan
MASS MEETING CALLED MONDAY
Property Owners Agree That II
viii Be Cheaper 10 Prevent
Than Gamble On Floods

A large minority uf the property
owu"rs ia the flooded district are now
willing for the drainage ditch to he
constructed, and they want the work
10 start us soon As possible A mass
meeting ~ those interested will bp
held al 3 O'Clock Monday evening at
the Vi, Is. ] passenger depot where
steps viii bee taken tu start the drain.
axe ditch proceedings again The cOun.
tN commissioners viii attend the meet.
Ing
Somebody tried 10 thrust meeting
upon IN commissioners at q o'cInck
TINS morning. and fcw Interested cit.
lzrns gathered at the court house. but
the commissioners said they had not
called the meeting aud that there was
no authority for the announcement
that such meeting would be held.
II Is apparent, however. that the
subject of the Canadian Is one of Ia
| tense Interest now. II was discussed
today by Il number of citizens In the
| flooded section ~ the city and they
believe II will not be difficult 10 have
the drainage district plan put through.
The meeting Monday evening win be
for the purpose ~ planning 10 re-
/ suine the court proceedings that will
be- necessary The matter IL now tied
up 10y n temporary Injunction issued
| from the district court, but II IL be.
llcycd that this can be dissolved
Pper Comes In
j. W. Prycr is one ~ those who
asked for the injunction and he IN
| willing that II shall be dissolved and
the work be put through II will re-
qulrc several months To get the work
| started, however, and a bond issue by
the city will probably be necessary.
| This IS the most difficult part of the
/ plan the promoters have to face
Commissioners Street and Donelly
went I" the county commissioners
room this forenoon, In the belief that n
meeting of Interested citizens was 10
be held there The gathering was 80
small that no effort was made 10 start
the movement, although the subject NJ
the flood was discussed In Oh informal
way, Pryer reviewed the work that
has been done toward the establish.
ment of Drainage District No. o and
suggested the meeting for Monday ar
ternoon. Commissioner Street. who
has been credited with advocating
plan to build dikes with the trash and
refuse from the city, did not mention
II today.
II was explained by Pryer that the
drainage ditch as planned will not I'm.
terfere with the Clty's waterworks I'm
any way The ditch will take the place
Of the Canadian In carrying Off the
cltys sewage and viii be low enough
Tor the storm sewers to empty into II,
as they do now into the Canadian.
Would Benefit Farmers
Building tho ditch through the city
will be Of inestimahle benefit 10 the
farmers west uf the city, according To
A. G. Wacker OF this city, who owns
a farm In the river valley west of the
city. lie said II will carry off the
water and prevent the farms In the
valley there from being flooded when
the heavy rains come and rise comes
down from the west He explained
that there Is seldom flood in the Ca
indian except when rise comes from
the west and Joins one from Channel
creek, which empties into the Cauadi-
an west Of the city Then the water
oyerfIOws the farms.
Eight years ago the flood broke
2 through the levee ON his farm. built
T nj cost ~ $500, and the high wa
1 ter damaged his crop TO the extent oi
$4,000 a year. Sickness always follows
. an overflow of the river. he said.
p Others were OF the opinion that the
a city will be- nt heavier cost ON ac
I count Of the present overflow than II
$ would have been had II voted bonds
months ago for the drainage canal
\ The cost of the ditch must be borne
/, 10y the property owners, II was ex
s planned. but they must also bear the
70 cost NJ damage suits when they are
brought against the city on account
NJ the high water
Every citizen Interested In the drain
nge ditch Is expected to be- present al
4 the meeting Monday evening. Tn,
county and city commissioners will b,
+ present and Attorney Grant Stanley
p who has appeared for those who wan
/, the ditch viii explain the plans fully