Evening journal., 1919-02-14
URGE RECLAMATION
OT CTITT CINLHInC
III JAIL 0HhMI D
Drainage Commission Asks
$4,000 Appropriation
For Purpose
CHANGE IN LAW TO
FACILITATE WORK
Stan Correspondent.


the Drainage Commission appointed by
the governor in 1917. The commits
sion consists OF A. B. Peet, OF Milford,
chairman; A. NJ. Lynch, Of Selbyville;
ex-senator Edward A. Hart, Of Town
send; John d. Cooper, Of Laurel, and
Walter d. Hawl1ns, Of Hartly. Bills
have been introduced in-the House to
appropriate $4,000 a year for drain
age worg for the next two years. Con-
gressman-elect Caleb r. Layton and j.
Hal Andersen explained the drainage
project and advocated the passage OF
the bills pending In the House.
DR.. Layton declared that he had
been advocating the proposition since
1901, and declared that the drainage
bills were the most important and far
reaching in their consequences Of any
that have been introduced at this ses-
sion. He pointed out the defects ex-
listing In the present drainage laws,
explaining that In order to begin work
under the present laws II would be
necessary TO have petition signed by
a majority Of the persons who would
be affected by the work, and one OF
the amendments introduced provides
that only three persons need sign the
petition In order TO start the opera
lions, but that every property owner
affected would have the right Of a
hearing In court II so desired.
He urged the reclamation Of the
swamp area OF the State, pointing out
that one acre In every eleven Ia Della
ware Is unit for use. He declared
that the swamps had already cost
more in human lives than 10 would
cost to drain them twice over. and he
also pointed out that the drainage of
the swamps was OF vital importance
10 the improved highways OF the State.
as IL would be impossible TO construct
permanent roads through the swamp
area.
Mr.. Anderson advocated the pas
sage Of the bills, declaring there is no
opposition to them, and pointing out
the benefits that would accrue to the
State from a main trunk canal through
the State to drain the lowlands.
Chairman peets report in part fol-
lows:
"The present drainage laws OF this
State may be briefly summarized as
follows Under 20ii. Section 100 Of the
Revised Code any number OF persons,
not less than three, may become incor-
porated under our general incorpora-
lion law as a ditch company with the
power TO dig bitches and drain low
lands. The commission recommends
that this section be repealed so as TO
prohibit In the future a small number
OF individuals from carrying out some
local ditch project which may not flt In
with any general and comprehensive
scheme OF drainage
Qf.n NnHQ lluI n
der chapter i05 Of the Revised Code,
whenever one OF more Of the owners Of /
any low lands shall desire to drain the |
same the Superior Court shall appoint |
commissioners to view the premises and |
lay out bitches. This plan Is open to
the same objection as heretofore stated
with respect 10 private corporations.
"This commission also finds that on
March IS, 1915, the General Assembly
enacted a law providing for the drain
age and reclamation Of low lands, the
same being chapter t05 OF volume 2S,
Laws OF Delaware. This act, generally /
speaking, Is more comprehensive In It's
scope than either one Of the two older
avs Just referred TO In as much as It I
provides for drainage areas OF consld-
erable extent. II might be termed a
district drainage law but Il cannot be |
considered as providing a means for /
any comprehensive scheme Of State |
wide drainage and there is one serious |
defect IN this act which the commission
recommends shall be amended In as
much as this defect has heretofore rem
dered this act entirely imperative, as
one ditch company has seen ut to avail
itself Of the provisions Of this law,
The difilculty offthls act Is that section
haN hafrWa n ditch
company may tlle a petition and lay
out plans for a ditch a MAJORITY Of
the resident landowners In the pro-
posed drainage district shall sign the
petition In as much as IL has proved
Impossible or impracticable 10 secure
such large number OF signatures this
act has never been OF any use. The
amendment, therefore, which this COM
mission recommends Is that section 2
OF this act be so amended that three
or more of the resident landowners in
any proposed drainage district shall be
sufficient to file the required petition
and thereby start the proceedings.
1.-THE commission does not recommend
the repeating of this act but merely the
amending as aforesaid of section 2
thereof. The commission, however. is
convinced that this act does not by any
means meet all the requirements OF the
situation in as much as 1t does not
provide for any comprehensive State
wide system OF drainage under one CEN
tralized control.
''The commission, therefore, recon- |
mends the enactment OF a general State |
wide drainage law creating a non-parti-
san State Drainage Commission COM
posed OF three members. being one from
each county, the said commission to /
naNe she newer to lay out and plan a
general drainage system for the entire II
TOT LARGE and low areas within
sne osate, TO employ engineers, drafts
l.sn anu clerks, to construct according
s,',9 ~ saau s pans bitches and canals which |
~, oe oi general benefit to large areas
,, 70 laKe over any existing svs-
eeilis ol drainage and for the purnose n, |
~. ss'us OUT this act 1t recommend
tlal 'ae Legislature appropriate for ,bo
use OF SAID drainage commiss;or ,to
sum OF s20OOo year for two vesr. '',e
order that the plans made dur;ns M ~
time be subjected TO a fair trial ,rras ,rSe
sum OF 5000 should be allowed sa,s ns
commission to cover its actual exne,,so,
and to defray the cost OF SURVEYS nlsns
and Office work. The commission itself
should serve without pay
"The commission feels that there are
many large areas OF low lands which
VIII never be brought into cultivation
unless the State itself shall undertake
some general system Of drainage and
shall bear the expenses Of constructing
80"