Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1916-11-17
LAKE DISTRICTS OF
COUNTY RECLAIMED
More Than $5OO,OOO Being
Used for Drainage-Lands
Double in Value

Not very many years ago it was
considered cheaper for Stevens county
farmers to buy new land than to drain
the lakes and ponds of water that oc-
cupy many thousand of the most fer
tile acres of the county. But the
increased settlement and the increased
value of land made the buying at
small figure of new tracts in the coun-
ty that did not have lakes and ponds
impossible. The increased value of
land made the problem of redeeming
these swampy areas an imperative
one. This was four or five years ago.
At the present time, although the
draining of lands in the county has
only just started, popular interest is
aroused and farmers are taking an
intelligent view, in the subject. More
than $500, 900 is being expended for
the draining of land unavailable for
agriculture. After the water is
drained, these redeemed tracts which
were worth from $50 to $45 per acre
at once jump to $65 to 500 per
acre in value.
The draining of the land is &C
eomplishing many good results that
is affecting the surrounding dry
lands. according to James Cole,
civil engineer. The draining takes
off the water from the submerged
lands, and leaves the surrounding land
more available to cultivation in wet
seasons. 1t increases the fertility of
the already titled lands.
The fertility of the redeemed lands
is astounding. From time immemorial
the lands have been covered with
water and when drained and tiled
the resulting yields are not surpassed
by the rich valley of the Nile river
districts. The tiling of the land for
the removal of the water also tends to
preserve the moisture in the land
during the dry reasons.
From the standpoint of the good
roads enthusiast, the achievements
of drainage in Stevens county are of
great Importance. In the dry sea
sons there is usually a roadway across
the swamp, but in wet seasons it is
necessary to make wide detours. The
county engineer tells of recently be-
ing obliged to detour six miles in
Everglade township to 20 a distance
of less than two miles. Two years
ago the state highway between Morris
and Alberta had to be abandoned be-
cause the road became impossible. If
the county bitches had been installed
at that time the highway would have
never been closed. The greatest ac-
complishment for better roads that the
drainage bitches are doing is the
checking of the activities of the musk
rat. The muskrat goes wherever
there is an abundance of moisture.
He goes from one pond or lake to an
other by the simple method of burrow-
ing his way in the most direct route.
The roadways of the county are
undermined by muskrats which have
piled dirt on some of the highways
until they have become impossible.
The draining of the ponds and lakes
to the Pomme de Terre river or Muddy
creek or Lake Traverse takes the
muskrats along and eliminates the
treacherous muskrat purrow from the
roadway.
Minnesota and more especially Ste
vens county has profted by the ex-
ample of IOwa's record for drainage.
There more than ST., 900, 600 has been
expended in one township alone. In
the twenty years of Iowa's work of
reclamation, drainage has become a
work of perfection. When a buyer
from Iowa looks at land in Minnesota
that is covered by water, his first
question is not how much water is on
the land but of the possibility of re-
moving the water. More often than
not Iowa buyers chose land that is
under water, knowing that he can
remove the water and double the value
of the land
= Following is the report of the coun-
ty auditor and the county engineer on
the cost of bitches completed, near
ing completion or in the course of
construction;
County bitches completed or nearing
completion: II IA - ---.
No. 15-Everglade. eco. .$43, 500
No. 17-Stevens ............ $500
No. 2O-Hodges .......... 65, 300
County bitches in course of construc-
ton: "A
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