The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-04-12
BANDIT STREAMS
MUST Be GOOD
Uncle Sam to Use Moral SuaSiOn
on Land Stealing Rivers.
NEBRASKA GENIUS SHOWS WAY

His Retard System of Deeply-Sunk
Piles and Tree Buffers Has Con-
vinced the Experts-Loot Along One
Branch of the Missouri River
Amounted to 1O,940 Acres in Three
Years-Mr Woods Explains System
to Committee of Congress.
Uncle Sam has decided to use moral
suasion on his land-stealing rivers. He
believes that, given an opportunity,
they can be made to conduct them
selves in an orderly manner. HIS
plan for tanning them was brought to
Washington by Mark w. Woods OF
Lincoln, Neb., the man who decided
that the way to reform the Missouri,
most lawless of rivers, was to CO.
operate with it instead of fighting it.
Army engineers were impressed by
Mr.. Woods method and persuaded MIN
to present the matter to the mousse
rivers and harbors committee and the
senate commerce committee-the TWO
committees having direct supervision
of river improvements. Mr.. WOODS
admits that he isn't much of a speak
er. so he expected to "say 1t with
pictures"
A movie firm made snapshot PIC
lures of the work being done along
the Missouri and Mr.. Woods brought
them to Washington to show the COM
mittees what the farmers of Nebraska,
Iowa. Missouri and South Dakota are
doing to control the Missouri. Ihey
have not asked for a cent of federal
money but are doing the work them
selves and intend to continue doing II.
Experts Convinced.
Mr.. Woods told the committees that
1t could be done elsewhere. In fact,
railroads are using it to protect their
bridges in the Miami valley of ONO;
it is also to be used in the harbor i'm
prOvements at Jamaica bay.
Senator Wesley l.. Jones (Rep.'
Wash.), chairman of the senate COM
merce~committee says the Woods plan
will solve IA problem that has been
costing the nation millions OF dollarS
annually. Senator Randall Dem.,
Louisiana) also was enthusiastic over
It, Gen. John J. Pershing recently
spent an entire day watching the in
stallation of the new type OF protec-
ton works on the Missouri and he
said he knew of no greater piece of
reconstruction along the Missouri.
The plan is now being used on the
Sacramento river in California ana
soon will be extended to the Brazos
and Rio Grande rivers in Texas and
to the Black river and to the Red
river of the North
The Missouri river long has been
a vexing problem The government
sent an engineer out to look it over.
For three years he camped along the
stream and watched its actions. In
those three years. he reported, II are
away between Sioux City and 81
Louis 1O.940 acres of the richest land
in. that fertile valley and has taken
additional property tolls of millions
from towns, cities and railroads along
its banks.
! The government has spent some
money in the old style rock revet-
ments, which have proved unsatisfac-
tory, for that system WAS very costly
and was by no means permanent.
The Hydraulic Pile.
Two or three years ago Mr.. Woods
bought farm of 5000 acres In Ne
braska. When he went out to look II
over he found the Missouri river
it off at about the rate OF
eight rods day. He thought he need |
ed the land worse than the Missouri
river needed it. he told the senate |
commerce committee. and so he be-
gan to figure out way to keep It.
He heard of man who had invented |
a hydraulic pile which, it was
claimed could be driven to bedrock.
The rock revetments had been quick
" washed out and obviously the
thing to do was to find something that
could be sunk below any possible dan
ger of a scour. Mr. Woods hunted up
the man. investigated his invention
md made arrangements to give it a
rial.
Woods then purchased the neces-
,ary equipment and automatically sunk
he piles to bedrock. To each pile
vas attached six cables, each an inch
n diameter. and to these cables were
attached forest trees. In the ordinary
etard, 100 feet long, four piles are
lsed, and from 800 to 700 trees of the
understandable type found along
many streams in the country. These
rees we're made to form a brushpile
wing at right angles to the bank
rom the bottom of the river to the
op, and securely held in place by the
lies.
Doesn't Defect the Current.
This method does not defect the
urrent but simply retards it, caus-
ng 1t to unload the sand and silt
hat the water is carrying. In short
Ime the retard forms a sand-bar along
he cutting bank AS the trees do not
OF under water the river can never
ut at this particular place again. On
re Missouri it has been shown that
series of these retards will protect
nv bend in the river from further
rosion.
Twenty-f,. sqrs after Mr.. Woods
ad put in ms stard the cutting
long his land WIGS, 7iing back. Day
' day the Missouri poured its silt
i the retard. building the land up
.tp ana n Is now beiup farme1 | )