The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-16
GET READY FOR
r 2 AL FLOOD
FARMERS TOLD
B0rnes Warns Illinois
Valley to Build
Higher Dikes.

AAs's NOV. kO.-(By
tne Associated PressD-The role Of
prophet was assumed by Mortimer
q. Barnes, chief Of engineers OF
the state waterway division here
last night. when he cried out 4
warning to farmers of the Illinois
valley to build their dfkes higher
and prepare for real flood" He
was the chief speaker at a public
meeting called by Senator Frank
". Hanson, chairman of the state
legislative waterway commission.
Mr.. Barnes description of condi-
IONS IN the valley, especially at
Beardstown which recently passed
through its. worst flood, drew fire
from some Of the farmers who suf-
fered loss. 1t was intimated by
one farmer that Mr.. Barnes had
come to Beardstown as a represen-
tative of. the Chicago sanitary dis
trict, which he denied with heat.
"Nothing New," He Says.
Il am telling you nothing new"
he countered, when l say it would
have been better for your women
and children had you taken the ad-
vice given you seven years ago.
State engineers told you then how
high your water would come, and
their predictions were verified
within a foot, but no attention was
paid them. ~
Ill repeat to you now. You
must expect IS percent more flood
water in a short time than you had
this spring. History of floods the
world oyer will show you what
your chances are. You must build
your levees three or four feet
higher. What if another flood
comes in the Illinois and meets al
flood in the Mississippi? Where
would you be in Beardstown?
Where In Peoria?"
Chicago Rouses Ire. !
Questions were fired at Mr..
Barnes until well after midnight. |
He told the drainage district farm !
ers that water diverted from Lake
Michigan by the Chicago sanitary
commission raised flood water last |
spring three feet higher at Peoria i
than it otherwise would have been. I
and raised It two and one-half feet
at Beardstown. This provoked a
storm.
Nov what would you do with
Chicago?" Mr.. Barnes asked.
Would you prevent her from di-
verting more than four thousand
feet second from Lake Michigan
into the Illinois? Would you cut
her down to 1,00O?"
Half dozen voices responded at
once, "Cut her out altogether"
Let Chicago do like other big cit
ies," one added. Let her do like
the big cities in Europe; like Ber-
lin, for instance.
In a few words Mr.. Barnes ex-
planned that Chicago couldn't do
as Berlin does with her sewage.
One farmer, whose 1,4OO acres
were inundated by the flood, asked
permission to interrupt.
Farmer Fl2ys City.
we UO uOt DeIleVc, ne SAID,
Of land that most of us here have
that Chicago or any other city has
q right to drown out 400, 900 acres
given our life's blood to redeem.
For two weeks fought in mud
night and day to save property l
gave my life to build up. Many of
US lost our last cent in that flood.
It's not right that Chicago should
turn that water in on us and then
not help us when we're drowned
out .
That's what the Germans did to
our soldiers in the Atlantic. The
chances are il the state and Chi.
cago sanitary district pursue their
present tactics I'm ruined. Finan-
cially ruined. And SO is every 9TH
er man on the Illinois river"
~No Az to Grind"
Superintendent w. L. Sackett, of
he state division Of waterways in
Lerfered here to remind the as
sembly that Mr.. Barnes had mo
ax to grind"