The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-08-08
TO DELAY
HOSPITAL,
ADDITION
Flood Of Site for st. Johns
Annex Responsible for
Decision.
WILL AWAIT ADJUSTMENT
May Find It Necessary To
Go To New Site-Drain
Increase Peril.
WILL AWAIT ADJUSTMENT

Fearing repetition of floods that
completely inundated the site of the
proposed $150,000 addition to st.
Johns hospital, Sisters of st. Joseph,
in charge Of the institution, have de-
term1ned to delay construction work
till recurrence of such floods is in
sured against.
Two floods this year have done
much damage to, the hospital property,
flooding the basement Of the hospital
proper. and the basement of the
avenue. The beautiful lawns have
been ruined.
Last June the Sisters of St. Joseph
put on a campaign in the city and re-
ce1Ved pledges of about $4,000 for the
purpose of assisting them in the erec-
ton Of an additional hospital building
to relieve the congestion in the pres
ent institution. It was then the in
tentlon to build either next year or
IN 1918. but since valley drainage pro-
Jects are responsible to a large extent
for the flood conditions Of this year
and with indications that there is
likely to be a repetition of these floods
from year to year, it has been decided
not to build until something has either
been done to relieve these conditions,
or another site is secured. The pres
ent hospital location is a valuable one
The situation is quite serious, not
only for Fargo, where large property
losses have been suffered, but to farm
owners and other town and city prop
erty owners along the stream, and es-
pecially south of this city.
Up to Federal Government.
The matter has been discussed at
meetings of the city commissioners
and Investigations have been started,
but 1T is the general belief that the
matter is one for federal attention
rather than for the consideration Of
towns and counties, and even states,
so far as the Red river is concerned.
City Engineer F. L. Anders stated
today that he had not made a study
OF the situation, and could not talk
authoritatively on the subject. He
expressed the view that the matter is
one that should be taken UP by the
government corps of engineers as it
would entail not only study of the
situation in Fargo, but the situation
along the entire Red river.
May Become Worse.
The indications are that the flood
conditions may become worse instead
OF better. All along the Red river val
ley, new drainage projects are being
promulgated, and are very likely to
be put into operation next year. In
several instances these drainage pro-
jects are countrywide in their scope
entaiIing the drainage of thousands of
acres of land. In Cass county, the
proposition of draining 10000 acres in
the southern portion Of the county is
being considered while Richiand
county has a number of projects un-
der consideration that will dump the
water from thousands of acres Of land
into the Red more rapidly than at
present. Projects are also being ccn-
sidered on the Minnesota side of the
stream, while there are other drains
that will be emptied tinto the tribu-
taries Of the Red.
Should these projects, or even a part
of them be carried out, those who have
studied the situation say that there
will be an increase in the flood waters
along the river-an increase in the
frequency and in the water level at
flood times.