Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1920-01-14

alone. This. Of course was an exception,
but vet It indicates the trend Of public
opinion. III # 5#i4
DEVELOPMENT or FARM
BUREAU ASSOCIATION
The Marshall County Farm Bureau
organized in 1917 with paid up mem
bership Of $50. Since then the mem
bership has decreased slightly through
people moving out of the county and ~
dea death. No attempt has been made to
increase 'llcl on this membership mainly
Tor one reason that there were ample
FUNDS to care for this work in the
county b Il n
a campaign was started during the
month Of October for members for the
years OF 1920 and 1921. This campaign
was started with a circular letter. con-
tanning a brief resume. of the Farm
Bureau work in the county and calling
attention to the coming membership
drive. This letter was sent to all
farmers Of the county.
Campaign directors were appointed
IN every township in the county and in
some townships all solicitors who were
to aid the directors were also appoint
ed. In other townships the choice Of
solicitors was left to the township d.
rectors.
Literature including Farm Bureau
Membership checks was sent to all
township directors and the campaign
started.
AT the present date, no call has been
made for the return of the membership
check books and consequently no definite
data Is had on the progress of the drive.
A few Of the membership check books
have been returned, however, and they
showed very favorable results. One
township boasting only fourteen farm
ers in the precient had ten members
and another township with about As
farmers now has membership, of 80.
This is especially Encouraging being that
this township is located in a rather new
section of the county. .n..z. ..-.7 F. Il
FLOOD RELIEF WORK ID
Developed Into Biggest Problem In the
County
The eastern part Of Marshall county
is composed of very level or fiat lands
with very little opportunity for natural
drainage. During late years tremen-
dous dredge bitches with complete sys-
TENS have been dug, which drain a
watershed of about thirty-five town
ships Of land, more than sixteen of
these lying within Marshall county.
All of these dredge bitches and sys-
TENS empty into one small river or
creek, known as the Thief river, and
the flow of this whole drainage pro-
position is that either one of three of
these drainage systems have about the
same carrying capacity Of waters as the
creek into which they empty.
| During the last days of June and
first days Of July this section was visit
ed with a rainy season. It had rained
sufficiently by the second day of July
so that all the bitches were running
| brim full. Then in addition to this, on
the third day a deluge of from seven.
teen to twentyone inches of rain fell
over that entire section in twenty four
hours. The result was that the whole
country was under water. Drainage
bitches and systems were of no avail
This whole sheet of water, moved right
across the country, parallel to the
bitches and into the Thief river. ~
AS stated before this creek was in
adequate to handle these volumes of
water poured into it and flood re-
| suited. The river rapidly backed up
and within five days was from six to
fourteen miles in width, and remained
some twenty-one days before it became
normal. Some four townships of land
were almost entirely wiped out, and
twelve other townships in the county
suffered heavily. ,1 ..|tss
The first call for help came to the
Farm Bureau office asking for assist
ance in conducting meeting at Holt,
Mimi, to take immediate steps for re-
lief The meeting was attended and
the writer acted as secretary pro ten.
At this meeting two committees were
appointed, one on immediate family re-
lief and one on vacant lands onto
which flood sufferers could move The
writer with two business men Of Holt
were placed on the latter committee.
Vacant lands were found as near the
area as possible and some twenty-seven
families were given aid in finding tenn
porary quarters. In addition to this
some fifty tents were obtained from the