Newport daily independent., 1919-01-22

would take all the water off the hills, and thus relieve the Departee basin of all flood water from hills which is a big detriment to farmers in that locality Besides, Departee would become a DRY STREAM BELOW THE CANAL, and by burning out the drift piles, would within itself become an economical drain for land situated in the basin. At any rate it would reduce the problem of drainage to minor question. This canal can be ! dug for 10 cents per cubic yard. (This work is being done today in South east Missouri for 101a cents per cu- bic yard.) With the water of Depar- tee creek to work with, which would be available in 15 miles of the canal, we ought to get the work done as stated above, or even cheaper. A ca- nal 50 feet wide and 20 feet deep and IS miles long would call for the ex- cavation of three million, five hun dred and twenty thousand cubic yards of dirt. It will be ALL dirt-no rocks to handle in this project.
 "The above number of cubic yards, at 10 cents, would be three hundred and fifty-two thousand dollars ($352,- 000)-that is what the work would cost. I like to know, approximately what an improvement will cost, don't you? Then one can tell whether he can afford to pay the bill.
 ] "The above canal ought to carry, when running full, one-third of the volume of water in the river. The reason is that the canal would have three times the fall of the river, so in carrying volume would have equal capacity to a stretch of the river 150 feet wide, and 50 feet deep-or 300 feet wide and 30 feet deep-or 600 feet wide and 15 feet deep. Read this earthly. These figures are authen- tic, and authentic figures will not lie. You do not need to believe any one; figure it for yourself. The width of the river at the ferry at an average stage of water, should say, is about 500 feet. The cable is TOO feet. Take theoretically, 15 feet off your high made no wild statement when 1 con- tend that this proposed canal would make stage of over 26 feet at Newport unlikely Then the benefit: Instead of the banks being fearful of backing farming operations on ac- count of the menace of overflow, the credit of the farmers who own land in Oil Trough bottom would be- come gilt-edged, and their business something to be CONTINUALLY de- sired. The benefit to the business men of Newport would be incalcula- ble, but, undoubtedly if Oil Trough bottom was definitely relieved from flood menace, Newport would reap a full harvest of benefit The benefits of this canal could consistently be spread over a large acreage-in Oil Trough, Padgett Island, Big Bottom and on the Jacksonport side as well as the city of Newport. We are willing to concede that it will benefit every acre of land we own in Oil Trough and the vicinity of Newport. We would be glad indeed to be privileged to pay cur full and fair part toward this improvement. Some say it would benefit half million acres of land. If this is true, and 1 believe it is, the cost will be so largely divided as to give no reason to try to hold the pro iect- up. Publicity, and facts will tend to keep it from being embarrass- ed by litigation. Newport ought to pay a fair proportion of the cost, based on it's assessable property And I may add, do not see any cause for trouble as to either
 "Now, here is the other side of the picture: I am not questioning the good faith of any one here on any of the subjects already discussed or to be discussed You have right to your opinion, also right to express it. You have a right to fight any thing you don't like or question any thing you do not understand. l am firm believer in the efficiency of publicity. No one can sit in the audi ence of a movie and hear the cheers and jeers of the crowd when the vil- lian gets the worst of it or is thwart- ed, without having full faith in the honesty and justice of his fellowman.
 Now, to the other side of the pie ture:
 Newport has levee project. Le- wee District No. has just been au- thorized on the opposite side of the