The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-05-05
HARD WILL HEAD
FLOOD WORK BY
new Nd. BOARD
Elected Secretary and Geo
logical Engineer for Flood
Control.
HEADQUARTERS
WILL BE HERE
Meeting Held Friday-Com-
bine Activities With Two
Other States.

The Red river valley food control
and drainage commission, recently ap-
pointed by Governor Frazier, met yes
terday in Fargo to effect official organ
ization.
The board consists of A. C. SorIie. Of
Grand Forks: T. L. Streeter. of Wah-
Deton: and Herbert A. Hard, of Fargo.
member of the commission, was chosen
by the governor and the board as chief
geological engineer in charge OF the
technical work of the survey. for which
the recently enacted state law provides.
Well Posted ON Problem.
Mr.. Streeter is a real estate dealer of
Wahpeton. with broad interests in
Richland county, and has many years
ties. He has been over the whole
southeast section of North Dakota and
western Minnesota. and knows the
needs of the upper end of the Red rlv-
pecially conversant with the conditions
of the lower valley, while Mr.. Hard,
who has been in the state for seven
years, has been all over 1t in the en-
p1oy OF the state and federal govern
ment. He was called by Mr.. Frazier
from his work with the department of
the interior to take up the technical
work Of the present survey Mr.: Hard HARD
problem and was asked to prepare sew
eral bills on flood control, drainage and
conservation OF artesian wells for the
legislature at Bismarck last winter. He
was also made secretary by the COM
mission. and the boards headquarters
are established at Fargo, though their
activities will require their travelling
all over the Red river valley during
the next two years.
Outline work Plan.
Following it's organization, the COM
mission at once got down to business,
organized a plan of action, and is al
ready in communication with Govern
or Burnquist of Minnesota and Gov
ernor Norbeck of South Dakota, for the
purpose of cooperation on a broad,
practical plan to involve. the whole
Red river valley,
Minnesota has a permanent drainage
commission, while South Dakota takes
care Of such matters through its state
engineer.
Further steps were taken to interest
the federal authorities, which have
met with encouragement in that quar-
ter. 1t is hoped that substantial aid
may be forthcoming. ,,..-..
Early in the season dry conditions
prevalent in the valley encouraged most
people to expect little trouble from
ord crop. However, the last snow ana
rain falling on soil nearly saturated
has made big acreage of the lower
lying land. untillable. 1t is unseeded
are affected in Richland and Cass coun-
ties. This condition is reviving wan
ing interest in flood control "
Three states Join.
The Legislatures of North and South
Dakota and Minnesota passed the aanle
law this winter enabling the stategktb
cooperate in reclamation of the Red
river valley. North Dakota passed the
commission bill providing for an irl-
vestigation and survey but entirely
failed to start any provision whereby
the state could make internal im-
provements"-now specifically prohib-
tied by the constitution-such as con-
struction of needed reservoirs and
Strengthening of the Red river. Min
nesota's constitution permits this, and
the most conservative men in North
Dakota have agreed upon it's necessity.
AT present the commission may only
survey and acquire data to enable it to
make recommendation of the most
feasible plans for draining and food
control This report must be filed by
January, 1919, for use at the legisla-
tive session. The field work will be
pushed rapidly this summer. Effort
is being made to interest all CONNER
cial clubs throughout the valley to Co
operate with the commission.