The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-01-07
EXEMPT THE. HIGH LANDS
Asn ror ,neir Elimination
From Drain System
OPPOSING TAX SCHEME
Views Expressed BY Number Of
Gentlemen At Session Held
In This City
[From Thursdays Daily.l

Township, village and city officers
Of this county at massmeeting held
at Blue Earth county court house
yesterday AFTERNOON went on record
as opposed to the food control bill
exception of low lands lying directly
adjacent to the Minnesota river, auu
subject to food.
On motion or II. NJ. Green of Lake
Crystal it was voted to ask for the
elimination OF all lands Of Blue Earth
county from the drainage system pro-
posed in the flood conIroi Dlil, WIEN
the exception of low lands in Cam
bria, Judson, South Bend and Lime
townships.
A committee was appointed by f.
]. Davis, chairman Of the county
board, who presided vat the meeting,
to appear before the hearing to be
Fheld before several judges at the
court house in this city on January
5, and present Blue Earth county's
tee consists of Hon. H. NJ. Green of
Lake Crystal, Robert Haedt of De-
coria, c. E. Whitney, of Mapleton
and Edward Talbot of Pleasant
Mounds and County Attorney c. E.
Phillips
Meetings Largely Attended
The meeting was largely attended
by township and village officers
throughout the county, many of
whom addressed the meeting and
asked questions in regard to the law.
At the opening of the meeting Coun-
ty Attorney G. E. Phillips explained
what is known as the Drainage and
:. Continued On rage Three.1
Col nf ~ Nfao
This he explained provides for drain
age and conservency districts. The
prime object of the bill is TO offer
relief to those owning low lying
lands subject to floods and overflow
from rivers. 1t is provided that af-
ter the organization of drainage dis
tricts that boards of directors shall
be appointed, who will have charge
of all matters of drainage in that
district. Parties wishing to obtain
uses of waters within the districts
organized will first have to make ap-
plication to the board of his district.
This. and many other features of the
bill including the proposed assess
ment of 25 cents per acre on all
lands in the water shed of the river
to be improved were explained.
County Attorney Phillips was Of
the opinion that land owners living
on the Minnesota bottoms, should
stand their share OF the burden of
the improvement. He would favor
eliminating all of this county from
the proposed drainage system with
the exception of the lands immedi-
ately effected by the overflow of the
Minnesota. There are many good
features in the bill, County Attorney
: Phillips said, and the man owning
Ia, LOW To- DC Oh a
lief.
Plan of Controlling Waters
County Surveyor Allison explained
the proposed plan of controlling
the food waters of the Minnesota by
a system of impounding dams. He
said that in the Minnesota valley
proper there are about 100000 acres
Of land. 1t would take $4,000 acres
Of this to provide for impounding of
the waters. The situation in Blue
Earth county, he said is this. Most
of the county Is situated $50 feet
above the Minnesota valley, and the
control of the waters of the Mime
sofa river would not directly benefit
that reason he did not think it just
the fair thing to assess the land on
the high ground Is cents per acre.
Like County Attorney Phillips, he
said that he thought the strip along
the river in this county should be in
Guided in the drainage district.
c. L. Kennedy wanted to know 1t
there would not be danger from the
breaking Of the dams and the de-
vastation of the entire valley. Mr..
Allison. said that he thought that
there would be no danger from that
source The proposed dams will not
H. t~,,s1x &I,@ 80 tr,er
power, and consequently would not
Re much higher than ten feet.
Later in the meeting County Com
missioner Matt Sanger expressed q
fear that the dams in excessive high
water might give away, and the
whole valley would be visited by a
rush of waters which would sweep
every building into the Mississippi
river. He had recently seen in the
state of California just such an in
stance.
Regarded Bill As Arbitrary
Robert Haedt thought that the
flood control bill is a very arbitrary
one, leaving almost absolute power
| in the hands of the board of direct
ors. "The kaiser of Germany would
not ask for any more unreasonable
| thing" said Mr.. Haedt.
Another gentleman said: II sup
pose that il we wanted to throw out
pail Of water we would have to ask
the board before we could do It,"
| Hon. H. M. Green of Lake Crystal
who was a member of the lower
Ihouse of the state legislature when
the flood control bill was passed was
called upon. He stated that he voted
for the measure but his understand.
ing was that no lands but those d.
rectly benefited by flood control were
to be assessed He would not have
voted for the bill If he thought other
wise. "The bill originated in the
senate" said Mr. Green, eff 1t had
originated in the house 1t might meet
the wishes of the people better than
1t does, for the senators are never
in as close touch with the people as
| the members of the house."
/, Question BY Peter Lloyd
| Peter Lloyd wanted to know what
the legislature had in mind when the
bill was framed. Whether they had
| in mind the formation of fish ponds
at intervals throughout the valley, OF
was 1t merely philanthropic idea OF
aiding the farmers along the river. Mr..
Llovd said that the people in Sthe
southern states are getting aid from
the government for the control OF
fha Micciccinni riuar an,,Id