The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1917-02-22
Contract Will Soon be Let for the
Big Missouri Drainage Ditch.

The land owners of the Harrison
and Mercer county drainage district
held their annual meeting at the
Girdner hall in this city Wednesday
of last week
A large percentage of the acreage
in the district was representa- by tne
owners who were present, and very
interesting and instructive meeting
Dr.. o. w. Foxworthy, of Leon, Ia,
large land owner in the district,
was elected chairman OF the meeting
and proved to be the right man Tor
the place, presiding in very pleas
met Sallee, of Mt. Moriah, was chos~
en Quite ute a little interest Vas display
ed in the election OF a meln5er or trc
Board of Supervisors. Joseph Poster,
Carl Glaze, Alva Thornton and L.
VanWerden, were appointed tellers 70
assist the chairman and secretary IN
conducting the election. The vote
was taken by ballot, each owner cast.
ing as many votes as he had acres or
land in the district. $500,
Lee H. Russell, Of Mt. Moriah,
having received a majority OF all the
votes cast was declared elected. Mr..
district, a man Of broad business ex-
per1ence, and no doubt will prove
a valuable member on the board.
Three men were appointed by the
Judge of the Circuit Court as the
Commissioners to assess the dement's
and damages, viz: w. a. Rinehart,
who is the most extensive farmer IN
pally in bottom lands and having
varied experience in the reclamation
of the same; II. A. Yeager, also
large bottom land owner and COM
missioner on several OF the valley
drainage districts; l.. d. Breedlove,
president of the board of Supervls.
ors of the Valley drainage district OF
drainage districts both in this state
and Illinois, We're all present and
each told the land owners that pros
poets here for successful drainage
district was the best they had ever
observed or had anything to do with.
alton of the basis upon which their
assessments were made, told the land
owners that with twenty-one miles OF
practically all straight ditch and with
four feet of fall to the mile that
the conditions were ideal here for a
drainage, that the surprise of the
commissioners was that soMeenlns
this valley years before. Mr.. Rine-
hart also answered many questions,
relating his experience in connection
with the same, and. his address on
the whole, was declared by many to
be the best that they had ever heard
on the subject of land reclamation;
A bond isuue of over two hundred
thousand dollars will be necessary
to finance the district, and an ex-
preston of the land owners was call
ed for as to the terms OF the same:
W. II. Leazenby, the largest land
owner in the district, and other men
vitality interested in the same, made
some valuable suggestions and each
expressed his opinion that owing, to
the condition of the money market
and the value of the security to be
offered that the district should be
able to sell its bonds on very favor
able terms.
Judge Woods will hold special
term of court on the 5th day of
March to hear any objections that
may be filed to the commissioners
report, after which the board OF sup
ervisors will be in position to let
the contracts for the construction
work, and the largest public i'm
provement ever started in this part
of the country will be pushed to a
rapid completion.-Cai News.