Grand Forks herald., 1922-06-20

have come to the conclusion that
big drainage ditch is not to the bene
fit Of any land owner In the Canal
zone except to drain his pocket for
years to come
Every taxpayer of Lakeville Except
Rromoters) and thirty-three of Levant
are against the making of that ditch.
No Inconvenience has been caused to
any man in forty three years Of that
strong enough to hold back the snow
water from thirty-six square miles
besides the overflow of the Turtle
river, you will compel several families
to build boats or seek temporary
blessings (if we had any from ditch
blessing III we had anXl from ditch
Nos l, q 3, made in 1903. That use
less work cost the three towns about
100000, sunk in the mud. gone
forever My'share of the expense was
$475.43 in eight years not counting
interest. Some taxpayers paid more
according to the amount of land and
location. If we bad put that money
on grading our section lines running
north and every one drain his own
pot holes over to the road ditch. we
would be in better shape today. That
water Is blessing in disguise. |
would never try to lead 1t around our
land for IL I did l would be killing
the goose that lays the golden egg.
We have one quarter that has been
lake every spring for forty two
years That land was badly broken
with alkali patches Ca salty substance
i'm the soil against vcgetation) In the
early eighties but the yearly overflow
of that water has improved our land
33 per cent.
My homestead is the same quality
land, had none of that overflow water
and is no better today. I would glad
ly pay yearly tax of $4,000 for ten
years If somebody would turn that
overflow water on to my homestead
farms. All our land can be seeded in
the wettest of seasons for it is thor
oughly drained so every pothole runs
dry. We can also give you the tes-
timony of other old pioneers who have
lived on their farms forty-three years
and are we'll qualified and know just
what is good for the country.
To take care of body Of water
three-fourths Of a mile wide and'four
feet in the deepest. we would have
to make a river. and that the three
towns (united) would not be able to
do for we have all more or less bills
to carry after two poor crops. told
the promoters no ditch would carry
such body Of water and the en-
bankment was swept away like SO
much straw the first spring.
Drain No. /. 2, 3 made in 1908 was
the most foolish work done by NOR
tai man. 1t taught us lesson that
will be green in our memory for many
wears to come Man can do most any
thing but he can't buck the elements.
You signers of the petition in favor
of the drainage, ditch will have to do
as you please. If my name was on
it | would most certainly advocate to
pay the surveyor for what he has done
and drop the matter. Let the con-
tractors go farming and they will
learn lesson in economy and you
will be money ahead. One big ditch
is a failure for it won't drain pot
hole fifty. feet away. / can prove to
you that even if you make a drain
twenty feet wide and ten deep AROUND
every section along the whole drain
age route land you depend on that
only) you will be in the mud all your
life. To prove it will mention my
neishbor on the south. He is a good
farmer and has about seven hundred
feet of bitches but his land has been
in a bad shape for forty years and will
he for ever until he drains all his
not holes. He has the best outlet OF
any man know of for have told
him for years to send his water on to
me in the spring as soon as he can
for ! have 1900 rods of bitches ct his
disposal.
Whether have my own snow water
or from fifty square miles all around
1t makes no difference when ground