The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-08
FIPECT AID OF
government IN
LEvEE PROJECT
...,oxsd $500, 900 improvement Is
~ Favored By Mississippi River
Commission

..-,ment approval of the
rect a levee from the
rAp of Rock river to a short
a.ssnee above Andalusla ana the
'aiss; Of a Mil creek drainage
sas,n were foreshadowed at a
syss .sa. NJ a committee of property
rs e promoting the project yes
foNn afternoon in the Offices Of
tfsasw elch in the Safety building.
:. y. .se proposed Ievee and drain
- system will cost, as mas Deen
sassssebly estimated, S5OO,OoO, this
Iosasuncement means that the gov
.ssnt will contribute $500 900 of
- ,ofaI and that the property
LIZ .ers will be assessed the bal
ance. :, A. +a-r;torv
.seeted were represented at the
aAafsrence Yesterday by a commit
- comnosed of Douglass Hall and
Ir.-roe McOuade from the section
VS., Of Big island; Samuel Peter
and 7 M. WEIGH from the sec
in west of Big island; J. L. Yer
~. W. NJ Rock Island from the dis
+rict south Of Mill creek; Mayor
papI Wadsworth and r. E. Disc
ron from Milan.
frank Woods and William Nc
cs-tv from the section south or
NH creek, who were appointed at
meeting of property owners in
Milan last Saturday afternoon were
the only absentees.
/. Richards from the U. S.
engineers office OF Rock Island,
and C. J. Searle were present IN
an advisory capacity.
4.4OO Acres Affected.
Mr. Richards submitted a blue
n-int of the territory involved
showing the area subject to over
flow to consist approximately OF
A4O0 acres. North of the slough
on Big island at least 1850 acres
are subject to frequent inundatlOn.
The committee has received in
formation to the effect that Colonel
H. Burgess, L. S. engineer, will
recommend that the government CO
operate in the expense of creating
a Mill creek drainage system for
the reclamation of land
Colonel Burgess is also a mem
Der of the Mississippi river COM
mission, and it is understood that
the commission does not look IN
faForably upon the suggested levee
Both the levee and the drainage
CT hh ON a Cd 1H
the commission, before the govern
iment will take action in either
case. With Colonel Burgess assur-
ance of cooperation in the matter
Of drainage Of Mill creek, and the
Z further assurance that the Mis-
/ sissippi river commission is in
elined to support the project fol
the building OF the levee, it looks
/ as if the government will do it.
share in both enterprises.
The government, in extending il:
aid to such undertakings generally
pays two-thirds of the cost.
A letter from the commission
taking cognizance OF the leve,
plans, and promising to recommend
favorable government action, is SAX
to be in formative state, and vii
soon be forwarded to Mr.. Searle.
Up to Property Owners.
As soon as government approva
and cooperation have been off
cially pledged, the rest of the pro
iect is up TO the property owners
For the reason that the improve
ments contemplated would great,
enhance the value of their lanC
holdings it is felt that they will b,
willing to bear their one-third O
ne necessary expense. Thus far
every property owner who ha
been interviewed has gone on rec
ora as faVoring the levee and tn,
drainage scheme.
| One OF the first steps to be takeI
10y the government will be the send
ing or staff OF engineers to tn.
territory and the preparation O
workable plans, together with 81
estimate Of the cost. This will b,
submitted 10 the property owners
VINO Will then be informed wha
tAer exact proportion Of the ex
pense will be.
Hhen the commission's expecte,
Ietter Of approval arrives the com
tllttee OF property owners will holC
action :