The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-26
HOLLAND WILL TAKE
MORE LAND FROM SEA
One of Worlds Greatest Engineering
Projects, the Retaining of the
Zuyder Zee, Will Be Started
This Year.

The Hague, Jan. 20 Work is TO be.
gin this year on the retaining of the
Zuyder Zee, one of the worlds great
est engineering projects, by which it is
proposed to restore to Holland within
80 years what was once hers but was
taken away by the storms of many
centuries
When the work is finished. not only
the original land will be restored but
many thousands of acres which always
have been beneath the sea will be
ready for cultivation.
According TO pre-war estimates the
entire work OF retaining the Zuyder
Zee would have cost approximately
$ss, 100000 but, with the increased cost
Of labor and materials in the past six
years, it Is now believed the cost will
be well in excess Of Sl25.000000. The
work viii be done and paid for by the
state, through special loans. and the
state. through rental Of the land re-
claimed, expects the scheme to pay for
itself within few years and there.
after yield handsome revenue.
The total amount of land 20 be re-
claimed will be s27 square miles, which
will constitute twelfth province of
Holland, capable of supporting pop
ulation of 100000, and wherein several
cities of ancient trading fame are ex
pected TO be restored to commercial
Importance.
The engineering work is now well
under way.
Centuries ago, al the beginning of
the Christian era when the Romans
had their settlements in Holland, much
of the space now occupied by the Zuy-
der Zee was land and the south part of
the present sea was a lake called Fleyo.
Northwest tempests swept the North
sea, washing away the tract OF dry
land between the sea and the lake. One
large, shallow body of water--the Guy
der Zee-was formed.
The towns situated on its banks
throve as the merchantmen came into
their ports. But, as ships became
larger and of deeper draft traffic was
diverted to deeper seas, leaving the
once famous towns on the Zuyder's
shores mere fishing villages, which they
are now, while Amsterdam's commerce
came to her through 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 retaining the Zuyder Zee,
explained the plans to the Associated
Press correspondent. He is now mem
Der of the state council which will carry |
out the work.
"The first thing to do" said DR.. !
Beekman, SIS to construct gigantic |
dixie to keep out the North sea. This
will be 30 miles long. stretching from
Wieringen TO the Tristan coast, where
the water ranges in depth from 80 to
II feet. II win be everywhere l6 to u
feet above the sea level. There will be
4 double track railway on top OF the
like. It's construction win take nine
years. and its cost, by pre-war esti-
mates, will be more than s2O,0OO,0O0.
"The total surface TO he reclaimed is
,27 square miles. There will remain q
AXE of 500 square miles, which will act
Is a reservoir during the periods when,
wing to northwestern storms, the wa
.ers of the river Yssel and Of the ca
,als cannot be emptied into the North
,ea. The water Of the lake will be let
nut into the North sea through five
yreat sluices at the Wieringen end of
he dixie.
Most of the land to be reclaimed
low lies Is feet beneath the sea level.
Part of il is expected to be dry within !
a years. as pumping out will begin as
Don as the dixie is completed. The
asst Of the land is expected TO be dry
within 30 years"