Morris tribune., 1917-04-20

that country successfully. Most of
the territory covered by this ditch
has been covered heretofore with
bitches and the engineers have given
like favorable reports thereon. In
this instance their report is correct
in part only. That it will aid and
afford a better fall to the Mustinka
creek, or any other creek by straight
ening it is an accepted fact in all
states where drainage is being done;
however it will not be permanent
cure-all for the territory embraced
by the proposed ditch, and will aid
but little.
The Wisconsin Agricultural Col
lege has done very splendid work on
drainage. Their report may be had
and it has been largely followed in
drainage work in that state, as we'll
as the matter discussed by the State
Drainage Association of Wisconsin
and other states. In that report the
rule has been pretty we'll adhered to
that there are two very important
things to be done in drainage; that
is, first drain the marsh higher up
and take care of the seepage. Ap-
ply this same rule to the ditch in
question and you will observe that
it does not have that end in view.
The thought of the engineers no
doubt was that it would take care
of the water better after it got into
the ditch or cut off of the Greek, but
it does not touch the main starting
point of the rule above referred to.
Stop to think of where the water
comes from that does the damage to
the Valley around this proposed
ditch. It comes from the rolling
country to the East of the ditch, and
instead of taking care of it after 1t
gets on the fiat why not take care
of it and not let it get upon the fiat
land. Run a ditch North and South
and handle the water and head it
off like you would prairie fire or
a run away team, don't run with
it in the same direction but head it
off by a short cut. The State Uni
versity submits a plan where the
tile has been run around the slough,
showing how necessary it is to catch
the water before it gets to the pot
hole, rather than a tile thru the
center and have all the water run
half the length of the pot hole be-
fore it gets to tile. Further and
valuable reason is that you can
get so much better fall to the water
by keeping up on the high land and
around the rim of the slough or
swamp.
What has been said of slough or
pOt-hOle is true of a valley, as a
valley is only larger pot-hole. Be-
ing a catch basis just the same only
for a larger territory, or watershed,
the rule works identical and just as
effectual.
! 1t is with much satisfaction that
the writer read in the morning pap
er that Governor Burnquist has re
quested that there be a drainage
board as outlined in the Public Do
main bill or that the appropriations
for drainage be cut off 1t is a wise
and just position. There is one
thing that should be stopped in this
state 1t is the drainage Of the lower
end first and the redOubling of the
work and all with a plan of the
, various engineers thruOut the state
rather than emenating from one
source, one head and one definite
plan working and co-Ordinating with
it's smaller plans, which has been the
plan in the past. Our drainage law
is a good one, needs some amend
ments but most Of all it needs con
certed action under one head work
ing with a definite plan for the whole
state.
Yours truly,
Dan Meyer.