The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-11-27
PROPOSES ONE
COMMISSION TO
SOLVE TROUBLE
Flood Control Of Mississippi
Depends on Upper Reaches
of Big Muddy
SCORES ARMY ENGINEERS
Kennedy Shows Dam in North
Dakota Would Reduce Flow
of River at Will
SCORES ARMY ENGINEERS

of River at Will
st. Louis, Mo-, Nov. 27.-(R)-
CharacteriZing army engineers
plans for flood control in the Mis-
souri, Valley as defensive measures
that do not reduce the volume of
floods particle, Stewart Gilman,
former mayor Of Sioux City, Iowa,
today advocated the construction Of
storage reservoirs on the upper
stretches of the Missouri and other
rivers before the tenth anniversary
meeting of the Mississippi Valley
association.
This great project of the Missouri
river development which is so vitality
important to the people Of this coun-
try, producer and consumer alike,
said Gilman, has often stiflcd and
strangled in great mass of red
tape, delays and Army regulations,
and everyone who has gone up
against this slow-moving, unWinding
machine becomes discouraged and
wonders if he will ever see anything
of a practical character accom-
plished.
The suggestion that the whole pro-
gram of the development of these
rivers should be changed was adj
vanccd by Gilman. He proposed
that the project be treated as q
whole, including irrigation, naviga-
ton and all the other uses to which
Il body Of water can be put, and that
the whole matter be placed in the
hands Of a commission.
Complete Project
"This commission" he said, "can
be composed Of competent men who
are sincerely devoted to the COM
pletion Of this project. Army
engineers, if you will, civil engineers
tainly, and public spirited citizens,
especially those who are familiar
with the great problems Of traffic,
and this commission should be given
funds enough to 90 ahead and COM
plete this great project without de-
lay"
Gilman said that in his opinion
such board of commission would
soon find that by construction of
storage reservoirs on the upper
stretches of the Missouri, Yellow.
stone, White and other rivers, they
could greatly reduce the flood
waters; that large portion of the
rolling gravel and sand which is now
passing along the bottoms of these
rivers could be removed.
1t is true, he said. that bank revet
ment work, levees and defensive
work will always be necessary, bu
there should be some attention givel
to the preventive side of the question
and the work should not be al
merely defensive in character. Thu
river should be improved and mad,
navigable clear into the state o
South Dakota and North Dakota, n
asserted.
"The Missouri River Valley" Gil
man declared, Comprises about A
per cent of the area of the Missis
sippi valley. 1t is the largest drain
age area in the United States an
contains 528,e5O square miles. Prac
tically all of the surplus food pro
duced in the United States is pro
duced within this valley. If the Mis-
souri, valley did not exist, ther
would be no surplus in food product
and the United States would hav
to import large portion Of its foot
Seek Cheaper Outlet
This area known as the Missou
river valley is the furthest ava
from transportation by water {
any other agricultural section in tn
world. Our transportation costs al
enormously higher than those whic
any agricultural region in the worl
is obliged to pay. If we are goin
to be worthy Of the name Of an uT
to-date people who make the mos
of our opportunities, it is our bus
ness to see that we get cheape
outlet to the world market.
Gilman stated that the agricu
tural communities of Nebraska
Iowa, Kansas and Missouri are
deplorable condition. This riv,
when improved, he said, will vi
questionably raise the price of eve,
bushel of our grain eight to 10 cent
1t will increase the value of ever
acre of corn land by $50 an &C
at the least and the benefit to
derived would not be temporary,
added.
The speaker pointed out that Il
silt carried in suspension per annu
in the Missouri river is Alb millit
cubic yards as against 518 millit
in the entire Mississippi system. A
average annual loss of 10000 acr
of rich farm soil occurs between Il
big bend in North Dakota and Sio,
City, Iowa, this acreage at OF
hundred dollars an acre, meaning
loss Of three million dollars annual
The figures, he said, are for Il
silt carried in suspension there beir
an additional silt in the form
coarse sand or detritus, which rol
along the bottom of the river.
characterized this coarse silt
dangerous to navigation throuf
erosion at all points, to the form
ton Of sand-bars and the diversi'
OF the current.
Dakotas Need Water
The upper stretches of the upp
Missouri river in the comparative
arid country of Montana, North d
kota and the western part Of Sou
Dakota. are in great need Of waite
Gilman stated. All the water in 4
Missouri, White, Arkansas. Nor
Platte and South Platte should
used for reforestation, the prese
Walton OF wild life, irrigation, ma,
cation and flood control. he said.
The plan Of storing this water q
holding it back near the headwate
- the semi-arid land. where m
esaas Of acres can be obtained 4
very little money, is construct
measure Of prevention. he said, u
has been successful on the Plat
river il Nebraska. The flow Of I
Platte river has been increased
low water during the months
August to December ~ per cent, y
4