The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-04-08
FEDERAL AID
RECLAIM LAND
Nye Jordan of Dept. of
Commerce Investigates
Irrigation Here.
GET FEDERAL SUPPORT

Federal aid for the reclamation Of
lands in Kenosha county which have
been worthless for lack of proper irri-
eating projects, was suggested today
by Nye Jordan of Mauston. working
under the direction of the department
of commerce, who came to this county
to make a survey of irrigation projects
and the results attained. He is going
to brave the rain and go out along the
banks of the famous old Dutch Gap"
and the "Hoosier Drainage Canal" for
interviews with farmers who have aid
ed in the financing of these move
ments and with a view of getting ex-
act figures as to what has been gained
by the carrying out of the plans. He
has no connection with any drainage
company which wants to organize one
or any financial company which wants
to bond it. He is looking for cold
facts to be used as part of the census
report for Kenosha county.
Government Might Back Bonds.
"The department of commerce stands
ready to aid irrigation movements"
said Mr.. Jordan. 81 do not mean that
the government is ready to subsidize
the proposed work of any body of
farmers in Kenosha county or in any
other county in Wisconsin, but the
United States government is nightly
interested in the development Of
homes, of schools and churches and
all that goes to make up prosperous
communities. 1t hasn't any money TO
aid in these projects but what the
government might be willing to do is
this: 1t might be willing to get be
hind bonds issued for this sort of de-
velopment and give them such fnan-
cial standing that there would be
good market for them. The govern
ment has shown interest in a lot of
big projects in the west. but these
projects have not been for the adj
vancement of the interests of indi-
vidual or corporate property owners.
When the government has had charge
of irrigation projects it has gone into
the territory and has bought land at
som etimes as low as Is cents an acre.
1t has resold this land to settlers at
the cost plus the cost of its develop
ment."
Thousands of Acres Waiting.
The report of Mr.. Jordan will show
to the government that there are still
thousands of acres of land in Kenosha
county which could be made valuable
and productive land by the right kind
of an irrigation project. Before the
war put the prices on all kinds of
work of this nature at a prohibitive
point, several big projects were under
consideration in this county and it is
believed that the projects will be taken
up again possibly before the end Of
this year. Under the Wisconsin law
the drainage districts must be outlined
under state supervision and this super
vision comes as a protection to the
property owner and to the county
Some suggestion has been made that
the county aid in financing some of
these movements. but it is thought
that the possibility of such action
would be very remote.
Would Conserve Resources.
Mr.. Jordan explained that the gov
eminent was ready at all times to give
expert engineering aid in the survey
of projects of this kind on account Of
the fact that it is interested in the
conservation of resources. Before the
drainage plans are submitted to the
United States government they must
be submitted to state experts at the
university and the decision as to the
value of the proposed project as de-
cided by the state experts will be given
full consideration by the federal de-
partments.
Mr.. Jordan expected to complete his
work of making Investigations in Ke-
nosha county bv Friday evening. It
was suggested that he also look into
the possibilities of utilizing the great
peat deposits in central Kenosha
county. but he insisted that this was
a matter outside of his line.