The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1920-01-31
HOLLAND PLANS
GIGANTIC Dixie

THE bAoiE, JuH' o'--ibS Moii''
Work is to begin this year on the re-
claiming of the zuyder Zee, one Of
the worlds greatest engineering pro-
jects. by which It Is proposed to re-
store to Holland within SO years
what was once hers but was taken
away by the storms of many CEN
turtles.
When the work Is finished, not
only the original land wiz be re-
stored but many thousands Of acres
which always have been beneath the
sea will be ready fer cultivation. :,
According to pre-war estimates,
the entire work of reclaiming the
zuyder Zee would have cost approx
imately sSS,S00, 900. but. with the
increased cost of labor and materials
in the past six years, II is now be-
lieved the cost will be well In excess
of s125,000, 900. The work will be
done and paid for by the state
through special loans. and the state.
through rental of the land reclaimed.
expects the scheme to pay for itself
within few years and thereafter
yield a handsome revenue.
The total amount of land to be
reclaimed will he S27 square miles.
which will constitute a twelfth prov
ince of Holland. capable of support
ing a population of 100000 and
wherein several cities of ancient
trading fame are expected to be re-
stored to commercial Importance.
The engineering work is now well
under way.
Centuries ago, at the beginning OF
the Christian era, when the Romans
had their settlements In Holland.
much of the space now occupied by
the Zuyder Zee was land and the
south.,part Of the present sea was
lake called Flevo Northwest tenn
pests swept the North sea, washing
away The tract of dry land between
the sea add the lake. One large,
shallow body of water-the Zuyder
ZeenTwa formed.
The towns situated on hs banks
ehrove as the merchantmen came
into their ports. But as ships be-
came larget and of deeper draft
traffic was diverted to deeper seas,
leaving ithe once famous towns on
the Zlfyder's shores mere 4shing vii
lagos, which they are now, while
Amsterdam's commerce came to her
through a canal leading direct to
the North sea.
DR.. A. A. Beekman, of The Hague,
who has devoted nearly all his life
to the ideal of reclaiming the Zuyder
Zee, explained the plans to the Asso-
ciAted Press correspondent. He is
now a member of the state council
which will carry out the work.
''The first thing to do. said. DR..
Beekman,' sis to construct a gigantic
dixie to keep out the North Sea.
This will be 80 miles long,, stretch
ing from Wieringen to the Tristan
coast, where the water ranges in
depth from '33 to II feet. 1t will be
everywhere 16 to IT feet above the
sea level. There will be a double
track railway on top of the dixie.
It's construction will take more than
nine years. and its cost. by pre-war
estimates, will be more than S20,-
900.
"The total surface to be reclaimed
is S27 square miles. There will re-
main a lake of 600 square miles,
which will act jas a reservoir during
the periods when, owing to north
western storms, the waters of the
river Yssel and of the canals cannot
be emptied into the North sea. The
water of the lake will be let out into
the North sea Through FIVE great
sluices at the Wierineen end Of the
dixie.
"Most Of the land to be reclaimed
now lies 13 feet beneath the sea
level. Part of 1t is expected to be
dry within IA years, as pumping out
will begin as soon as the dixie is COM
pleted. The last of the land is ex-
pected to be dry within 35 years"