Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-06-17
Retaining Scamp Lands.

n meets at Marietta next Thursday, again
invites attention to the Importance OF reclaim
ing the swamp and overflow lands OF georgia.
No constructive movement now engaging the
attention of the state deserves more encouI-
agement than the drainage campaign, ana
If is encouraging to note that widespread
interest is felt in the Forthcoming assembly at
Marietta. .-.
The question of drainage, as means OF
retaining non-productive agricultural iands
and generally improving heatn conul'i on
through better sanitation, is entltleo 10 Inc
same measure of thoughtful consideration
and announcement as the agitation Tor hlgh-
way construction in the state. Inc Denenclai
results of drainage, if~local1zed, Will ada just
9s much to the wealth, health and happiness
If the neonIe as a system of hard roads
throughout the state. There is not a county
in Georgia in which there is not more or less
fertile land now in 1lon-productlve snd IN
sanitary state due to temporary over1lo"s OF
a permanent swampy condition.
geological survey of Georgia discloses
that there are 7,723,137 acres of land in Geor-
Ola that are practically useless for agrlcul-
tural purposes, because OF their sWampS
state. due to permanent or temporary over
flows Most of this acreage may be reclaim
ed and made to blossom like rose ana II ID
the object of the Georgia Drainage association
to stimulate interest in the redemption OIL
this land.
There is a popular, though erroneous, I'M
preston that these swamp and oVernoW JANUS
= are confined almost entirely to south Georgia
and that the question OF drainage tnerelole
Z il cnfs of interest only to the W1regrass sec
ion But the very fact that the drainage
association is to hold its convention IN CoDp
county is an evidence that sucn Is not TIE
case The convention is going to be held at
Marietta because the people or CoDD county,
with a commendable spirit of progress, are
among the first north Georgians to engage
actively in the reclamation OF their swamp
and overflow lands. Elsewhere in TINS issue
of The Journal appears an account OF "haI -
being done in Cobb county IN the matter ol
drainage and land redemption.
The geological survey shows that per
cent of the land in Fulton county, at the very
threshold of Atlanta, needs drainage tnat
is to say, there are $500 acres OF permanent
swamp land in the county, ana 4'Ooo acres
that are subject to temporary overflow tnat
renders them untillable and practically use
less. OF course Fulton is not mountain
county but it is many miles removed lrolli
the popularity accounted loWlands OF soutn
Georgia And examination OF the state ueol-
ogist's report indicates that lew, II any VI
the counties in Georgia are wholly Tree OF
nermanent swamp lands and temporary over
flows.
AS further emphasizing that the CUES Ion
of drainage is by no means local TO souIn
Georgia, attention is invited. TO inc repoi'
of State Geologist S. w. McCalne, on aSrl-
cultural drainage in Georgia, in which ne
noints out the first drainage project UNDER
taken in Georgia, after the passage OF nee
essary legislation, was in Walton ana Twill
nett counties, in north Georgia Inc Dig
HAYNES creek in these counties, received
attention shortly after the legislative en-
actment, since which time as DIR. McCallle
saws "as an object lesson it has done more
than anything else to stimulate drainage IN
the Piedmont area.
That north Georgia apparently has dis
ootiv Georgia
the question of drainage is attributed by Or.
McCallie to the fact that the drainage PROB
lens of the wiregrass section are much more
difficult and involve far greater outlay
of money, and not to any lack OF appreciation
by south Georgia of the Importance of drain
age.
Everyone familiar with the rural districts
of the Piedmont section realizes how often
and with what dire results the small creeks
overrun their banks. They understand, too,
how these streams wind a serpentine course
through the agricultural sections, with the
result that the frequent overflows render
valueless for either agricultural or grazing
purposes thousands of acres of bottom land.
The problem of reclaiming these lands is the
problem of changing the circuitous course OF
the creeks, combining their waters to chan
nels of sufficient depth to prevent over
flows and proving current that amply will
drain the country in all seasons. 1t is a
comparatively simple problem, and when one
understands L0dL THESE WOTCul6SS JANUS Inlay
be- thus reclaimed for about $50 per acre
add when reclaimed, are worth not less than
$3.50 an acre, it is not difficult to understand
why the Piedmont section is aroused over
the subject of drainage.
1t scarcely is necessary to comment upon
the relation of drainage to sanitation. The
stagnant and overflow waters in all sections
of this state are a menace to the health o.
the people Mospitoes and malarie lurl
in the still waters of the creeks AND
swamps. II measured only in it's worth tt
the health of the people the drainage Of
every swamp and overflow acre in the statt
should commend itself. When one stops tt
consider the financial return that flow.
ton with better sanitation, one wonder
why the question of drainage in Georgia ha,
received such tardy recognition.
The convention at Marietta on Thursda,
will attract a number of notable drainag
experts who will give to the visitors tn
benefit of their experience in Georgia AM
reclamation through drainage is live issue
other sections of the south where Ian
In fact, the chief objection that the Re
publicans seem to have to the treaty is that
Democratic president helped make it,
The question is whether Willard O
Dempsey will get an indemnity.
Opportunity is a stickler for good form
never pushing on in after knocking.