The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-19
BARNES COUNTY
BROUGHT TO SEE
POWER PROSPECT.

|[UWEk IkUOILCl
The State Reclamation commission
has just completed its preliminary
work on the Sheyenne river in
Barnes county. Engineer Hardy ad-
dressed the Valley City Commercial
club on the commissions program
last week, and the work was started
at once. In Barnes county the work
was done in cooperation with the
Valley City Commercial club and
County Agent James. Much credit
Is also due Major Amasa Peake and
Mayor Moe for aiding in making the
work possible.
These and many other citizens Of
Barnes, Nelson, Wells, Benson and
Eddy counties readily see the numer-
GUS advantages to be found in form
ing large and. fairly permanent
water bodies along the river where
the damage is not excessive. While
not directly interested in flood con-
troll in the Red river valley, they are
interested in the construction or
dams that will afford relief to from
600, 600 to 100000 acres in that
section and incidentally produce
much water power.
Major Peake. who has had much
experience in various reclamation
projects, accompanied Engineer
Hard in locating two possible high
dam sites in northern Barnes coun-
ty. Here the valley contour affords
excellent opportunity for storage
with relatively small damage to any
rich farm land. Further north, in
Griggs county, and in the southern
two -thords of Barnes county the val
ley broadens into rich agricultural
land. 49,,
The river channel through Ran
som county and as far north as VAL
\ ley City affords chance about every
six miles for small dams Is to 20
feet high. The channel becomes
gradually shallower towards the
north and beyond Valley City the
depth is 10 to IL feet. In Eddy coun--
ty the channel is 6 to 8 feet deep and
the river often overflows the narrow
valley which is " to IA miles wide
consisting largely Of hay land.
At one time or another four mills
have been operated in southern
Il
| seIl-Miller Co. plant at Valley City
develops about rs horse power. A
higher dam could be built and IL To-
Gated a little distance from town
where use of the water would not in
terfere with the city water supply
the power output would be more
than doubled.
Mills were once operated at small
dams at Marsh's and at Kathryn, and
the Daley dam is still intact four
miles north of Kathryn where Walk
ers' mill was burned some years ago
This was a successful country mill
and would have been rebuilt but for
the peculiar circumstances attending
| it's burning.
Making Progress.
While the past seasons drouth has
relieved the water logged soil in Cass,
Richland and Trail counties, dulling
the interest in flood control to some
extent, Sargent county has not yet
| dried out. Further, the vast acreage
of cat-tail marshes which have al
ways been fine farms in Richland
Roberts, South Dakota), Wilkinr
Traverse and other counties is a new
er falling spur to continued vigorous
action on the part of the citizens in
those stricken districts. Those men
are still impatient with the complac-
ent and false assertion by men in
more favored spots-that "oh, there
isn't much need OF flood control
and 81 guess everybody has forgot
ten about floods"
That these statements are far from
the truth is vigorously attested by
the definite progress now being made
in the upper counties in the Red
oh II nh WNvsnV
all three states. For instance the
Roberts district has just had its final
organization established in spite OF
all opposition Of any unprogressive
| parties. Great credit is due to the
business men of White Rock, S. D., fol
their untiring efforts to get through
| their district court final incorpora-
ton orders so that contracts for dam
and canal construction may soon fol-
low. If work is prosecuted early IN
| the spring, as is now believed posi-
BILE, relief to several million acres
will soon be reality in spite or any
heavy rains or rapid drainage OF the
high lands by new bitches.
North Dakota Commissioner Hard
who has acted in capacity Of con-
sulting engineer for the other two
/ states, has been called to the Whea-
/ ton, Mimi, hearing on Sept. 20
where the final steps in organizing
] the Traverse county district will be
4 made. Mr.. Hard's official duties pre-
vented his accepting the invitation
to be at the Millbank, 8. d., meeting
yesterday, where still another dis
trict' was made under the new state
| law.
The usual obstacles met. in for
warding so gigantic q movement al
the reclamation of to 10 million
acres of land lying in three states
are gradually being overcome. and
/ the work is taking shape in the up
perFnost counties of the Red river
valley. 1t behooves every citizen Of
/ the valley to boost this enterprise
which can't fail to be one of the big
| gest means yet found to increase
1 grain production in the United
States. Aiding in this work Is just
as patriotic a pursuit as hosting
Red Cross work, bond subscription
or tax levy. If the state admin
stration will promptly meet the pro.
ferred aid Of the United States de.
partment of agriculture, speedy re-
lief will enable thousands OF valley
farmers to produce 100 to 100 mil.
lion bushels of grain for the allies
above what the past three years 81
water logged soil permitted.