The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-22

difficulties will naturally arise. fine
progress has been made, and Ii will
surprise a few to know that some
counties and districts have made
definite arrangements to build dams
and canals, and assess the cost upon
their land IL the state viii not help.
Other communities have actually
secured owners ACCOMPLISHMENTS on
lands likely to be flooded by. the
reservoirs made by flood control
dams. This is notable along parts OF
the Sheyenne river. as well as about
Lake Traverse, where the people will
store up water which is valuable for
their own use IL retained, while IL
allowed to go I'm the spring drive 1t
is curse to the fiat valley. Sew
eral towns on the Sheyenne were al
most destitute for their water sup
ply this fall, where dams for flood
control below, would If placed at
their doors, would solve a need that
becomes more acute with the steady
growth Of the town and its larger
use Of water.
The state is very fortunate to Sc
cure the federal authorities on this
work. An ordinary surveyor can
run levels" for a ditch, but Ii re-
quires engineering ability Of a high
order to solve the ancient troubles
of the raging Red" and 1t is firm
ly believed that the government has
men of that ability.
Surveys Without Result.
Real business men have rightly
said that the valley has already had
too many surveys,-surveys that are
disconnected and unrelated, and that
have got us nowhere-or worse-have
been laid out by counties to bring
bitches that do not drain, or il they
do work 1t is to ruin of other lands
because of no big controlling sys-
tenn of well conceived drainage and
flood control. The coming work will
do away with all Of this and bring
order out of the drainage work. Cost
estimates are to be made this win
ter where data is available on con-
struction. and all will be gotten ready
in the spring for as early work as
the districts can be ready to use.
The Red River Valley Develop
ment association is manned by such
progressive spirits as G. G. SelVig
and G. H. Zealand of Crookston, Les
lie WeIter of Moorhead. Henry of
Hallock, Pitkin of Thief River Falls,
Olson OF Warren, Burrows of Breck
enridge, Neuman of Wheaton, Bal
lard Of Paramount, Emery Of Fargo,
Nelson of Grand Forks, Andrews Of
Walhalla and many others.
The recent association meeting at
Crookston was we'll attended. and
the business session productive of
Important results. Two Fargo men
were on the program. Bolley spoke
on barberry eradication, and Com
missioner Hard spoke on flood con-
troll measures.
The association placed reclamation
work on the same basis the depart
ment of agriculture does-a patrio-
tic increase OF production in the val
ley, and passed the following under
title of a war resolution:
Resolutions Are Adopted.
The Red River Valley Develop
ment association, fully awake to the
great problems that confront the ma
ton in the present world crisis,
pledges its members to their coun-
trys cause.
Be it resolved: That this associa-
ton join with the department Of
agriculture and general public senti-
ment in the urgent need Of decreased
productive utilization of all Guilt
waited lands, to the end that the full
est possible results of increased farm
products may be obtained to aid in
winning the war. That all farmers