The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-16
PROPERTY OWNERS APPROVE DRAINAGE
 0F 22,0OO ACRES
Convention at Fayette Starts Movement That Will Re- claim Vast Area In Fay
 cite and Lamar

Fayette, January 15.-(Special bland owners, in convention at Fayette, today voted unanimously on motion to pro ceed at once to prepare for bond issue to cover drainage of lands included in Fayette and Lamar counties drainage district. The meeting was largely at tended by landowners of the district and of nearby swamp lands and by state and federal officials and contractors
 Cutting of canals and lateral ditches is expected to begin by June and be com pleted within two years. Plans are now on foot to have the lands cleared when canals are completed. Richness of soil, improvement in health and increased wealth of this section were strongly am- phaszed by the scores of landowners and others in attendance
 HUGE AREA AFFECTED
 Over 20,000 acres of wet land will be re- claimed when the movement launched here today is completed. This is the first project of its kind to be inaugurated in Alabama and marks an epoch in the history of the reclamation movement.
 Todays meeting of landowners was called by Propate Judges J. T. Maddox of Lamar and Alex Smith of Feyette counties. It was largely attended. The programme, as announced, follows:
 Agricultural Value of Farm Drainage and Progress Being Made Under the Act of 1915, w. w. Thompson of Macon county and J. M. Moore of the state de- partment of agriculture.
 Commercial Side of Mosquito Contact Work in the Southern States Dr. Tricks of the United States mosquito control section and pr. s. w. Welch, state health officer.
 What Would It Mean to the State and the South for the Fayette Drainage Prof ect to Succeed?' Senator John A. Reg CTS of Sumter county, and w. w. Bran don, pi obate judge of Tuscaloosa county.
 What the Fayette and Lamar County Project Is," Guy A. Hart, representing the drainage division of the bureau of public roads, and William Suddath, pres ident of the board of drainage commits sioners.
 The construction of the proposed canal begins at Winfield and extends through Fayette county in a southeasterly direc- tion, thence through Lamar county to the state line of Mississippi, emptyng it's waters into the Tombigbee river near Steins, Miss. Its completion will bring
  of west Alabama and will furnish an outlet for many lateral creeks, along which thousands of acres will be re- claimed
 The project has been judged by United States drainage officers to be thoroughly feasible, economical and when the drain age is an actuality will be an example to which many sections of the state will look as guide. Five live and enterprs ing towns will be benefited by the com petion of the project-Conin, Belk, Ken nedy. MillporI and FernbanR.
 Speakers on todays programme pointed to the successful completion of kindred objects in other southern states, notably Mississippi and Florida, under the pro gressive laws of which drainage, districts were created, bonds issued by the state and the cost assessed against the prop erty benefited, these bonds being met uy installments which were easily paid by the property owners. They also painted a picture of the wonderfully improved conditions of living that existed in areas from which the misunderstanding mos quito had been driven.