New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-09-17
VALLEY RESIDENTS
FOR FLOOD CONTROL
VICTIMS OF MINNESOTA RIVER
OVERFLOWS ARE TOLD TO
UNITE.
RECLAMATION PLAN DRAFTED
AT MANKATO MEETING,
SATURDAY,.

Delegations from various points in the
Minnesota river valley met at Mankato
last Saturday to discuss plans for OBJ
tanning protection for southern Mime
sofa farmers from food waters of the
Minnesota river. This movement was
started August 4th when about two
hundred farmers from the affected area
met in the New Ulm Court House and
organized what is known as the Mime
sofa Valley Drainage Association.
The flood waters are overlooking
banks in the spring and early summer
because drainage bitches leading to the
river have been built indiscriminatingly
and are pouring a vast volume of water
into the river, according to those ad-
vocating this reclamation project.
With thousands of acres of what
was once the mOat fertile land in the
state being laid waste by the high wa
tiers, the owners Of the land feel they
are justified in asking that all land
owners in the watershed of the river
be assessed to cover the cost of i'm
proving the channel, rather than only
those whose lands are damaged. They
believe that the land that is throwing
down the water ought to help stand the
cost Of keeping the river in proper
shape.
Farmers Must Unite"
people living in this section can
not understand why a strip of land so
fertile as this valley ought to be al
lowed to be subjected to foods said
Joseph J. Moriarty Of Shakopee, secre-
tary of the association, ,.r..--..s .r.as.
1t is agreed that before the drain
age in the valley is properly cared for
something must be done to unite up
land and lowland farmers who have en-
gagged in a drainage controversy in this
state for years. Upland farmers, who
build bitches leading to the river, there
by increasing the volume of water
in the river, resulting in floods, do not
feel that they should have to bear the
expense of the improvement Of the
river channel. In June, during the
heavy rains, the waters overf1owed the
banks, damaged and destroyed crops
to the extent of more than 100000
Within 16 miles of New Ulm alone g.
500 acres were submerged causing a
damage estimated at 100000.
A survey made by J. A. Brown Of
Eden Prairie, shows that the damage
this year extends over 1873 acres to
the mile and that the total area of the
land ruined along the 200 mile course of
the river is 1920 acres. The Mime
sofa Valley Canning company at LIE
Sueur, one of the largest canning fac
tories in the state, lost 700 acres of
sweet corn by the flood this year. The
beet sugar factory at Chaska lost 400
acres of sugar beets.
Costly Land Held Sacrificed.
We're draining the $40 land and
subnnerging the $780," was the way
senator F. L. Cliff of Ortonville ex-
planned what he said was a fault in
the states drainage laws Senator Cliff
came to the meeting to explain new
drainage and flood water bill which he
has introduced in the Senate and which
will come up for consideration in the
Senate Monday.
This measure proposes to authorize
the creation of drainage acreas and re-
quires that property owners on high
lands as we'll as low lands be assessed
for work on. improving channels and
caring for food waters. Senator Cliff
also has introduced a bill for the ap-
preparation of funds for 1919 and 1920
for the taking of an inventory of the
water resources of the state.
The improvement of the Minnesota
river, according to those who attended
the meeting, has an important bearing
on Mississippi river transportation. If
the waters can be regulated by reser-
yoirs, the depth of the Mississippi
channel can be controlled, they pointed
out. Without control of the flood waters
of the Minnesota, vast quantities Of
silt will be poured into the Mississippi
thereby building up bars which will
impede navigation, particularly between
Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Adopts Incorporation Articles.
The drainage association agreed on
articles of incorporation. Headquarters
will be at LIE Sueur. Officers Of the
association believe that if residents Of
che valley show a willingness to put