The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-02-25
zUYDER ZEE TO
Be RECLAIMED
Work on SIPS, 600, 600 Engineer
ing Project Will Start
This Year.
PROVIDE LAND FOR 100000
Dixie Thirty Miles Long Is Part OF
Plan to Add New Province to HoI-
land-Area Of 827 Square Miles
to BE Reclaimed.

The Hague.-Work is to begin this
year on the retaining Of the Zuyder
Zee, one of the worlds greatest en-
cheering projects, by which it is pro-
posed to restore to Holland within 80
years what was once hers but was
taken away by storms of many cen
turtles.
When the work Is finished not only
the original land will be restored but
many thousand acres which always
have been beneath the sea will be
| ready for cultivation
According to pre-war estimates the
entire work of reclaiming the Zuyder
Zee would have cost approximately
$S8,SOO,OOO, but, with the increased
cost of labor and materials in the
last six years, it is believed the cost
| will be well In excess Of $125, 900 900.
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 a few years,
and thereafter yield handsome rev.
enue.
Will Support 3OO, 900 Persons.
The total amount of land to be re-
claimed will be 827 square miles,
which will constitute a twelfth prov
ince of Holland, capable of support
ing population of 100000, and where
in several cities Of ancient trading
fame are expected to be restored to
commercial Importance. The engineer
ing 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 Guy |
der Zee was land and the south part /
of the present sea was lake, called
Flevo. Northwest tempests swept the
North Sea, washing away the tract |
of dry land between the sea and the
lake. One large, shallow body of wa
ter-the Zuyder Zee-was formed
The towns situated on it's bank
thrOve as the merchantmen came into
their ports. But as ships became larger
and Of deeper draught traffic was di-
verified to deeper seas. leaving the
once famous towns on the Zuyder's
shore mere fishing villages, which they
are now, while Amsterdam's commerce
direct to the North sea.
To Build Dixie Thirty Miles Long.
DR.. A. A. Beekman of The Hague,
who has devoted nearly all his life
to the idea Of reclaiming the Zuyder
Zee, explained the plans to the Asso- 7
,iated Press correspondent. He Is
now member of the state council !.
which will carry out the work I
1.-THE first thing to do, said Doctor
8eekman, sis to. construct a gigantic
like to keep out the North sea- This
will be 80 miles long stretching
rom Wieringen to the Tristan coast,
where the water ranges in depth from
3 to II feet. 1t will be everywhere
6 to IL feet above the sea level. There
viii be dOuble-track railway on top
f the dixie. Its construction will take
inc years and it's cost by pre-war
stmates. will be more than S2O,OOO,-
90.
"The total surface to be reclaimed is
81 square miles. There will remain
lake of 600 square miles, which
ill act as a reservoir during the pc
Iods when, owing to northwestern
forms, the water of the River Yssel
nd of the canals cannot be emptied
ito the North sea- The water of the
Ike will be let out into the North
"a through five great sluices at the
Vieringen end of the dixie
Most of the land to be reclaimed
DIV lies 10 feet beneath the sea
vel. Part of it is expected to be
y within II years, as pumping out Il
i'll begin as soon as the dixie is COM :
eted. The last of the land is ex-
scted to be dry within 55 years."