Smyrna times., 1933-02-22
IMPROVEMENT
IN DRAINAGE
Report of Russell E. Wilson of
1882, Concerning Situa-
tion Given
POORE BILL BOOSTED

To all Secretaries Of Ditch Com
panies in the State Of Delaware:
I am writing to you because we
all have common interest in
drainage improvement in our state.
For more than one hundred years
our farmers have been giving gen
erously Of their labors and monies
to obtain better drainage. How
ever, we have accomplished little
and are now convinced that this
problem viii require cooperation Of
all interests with engineering SUI
pervision centralized in an engin-
eering agency Of the State. For a
number Of years our extension
workers have advocated soil inn
provement by drainage. Mr.. Rus
sell f. Wilson in his Annual Report
of 1882 said:
'lThe drainage situation which is
of special Importance to a large
area extending along the western
side Of Kent County where the land
is practically level with very mad
equate natural outlets for the sur
face water has always presented
one of the greatest problems with
respect to soil improvement. The
question as to how the agricultural
extension department can be of the
most practical assistance in the So
luton of this drainage problem,
however, has been an undetermined
factor for many years, since a pro-
ject of this nature must be sup
ported by both state and federal
funds to aid in dredging the open
bitches which are the means of
draining this particular section.
I'm the 1881 annual report
statement was made that the Del
aware state legislature in the last
general assembly appropriated
$4,000 for this drainage project in
Kent county, with the result that
this work is now being accomplish
ed with state aid, and hundreds OF
acres Of farm lands have been
drained within the past year. The
previous plan which has been in
operation for a number Of years
whereby a tax was levied on the
land owners, whose farms have
been drained by these open bitches,
for the purpose of obtaining funds
with which to clean these bitches
each year has been only a tempor-
airy method Of solving this prob
lem"
Not only does this poor drainage
condition exist in western Kent
County but it extends thruout a
large portion of the state. New
Castle and Sussex counties as well
as Kent have areas badly in need
of improvement. There are now
several bills before the Legislature
providing funds for continuing this
work by the State. The bill that
is most satisfactory is known as
the Poore Bill which provides S75,-
900 for the present year and S5O,-
600 for the following year. If this
bill is passed it will enable the
State Highway Department to
clear and to construct to proper
size practically every main farm
drainage channel in the state. This
bill provides about $4,000 for OPP
Grating expenses for each year;
$4,000 for the first year would
give $4,000 extra to purchase
equipment and supplies. Seeing
these bitches after they have been
worked for more than one hundred
years by hand labor is evidence
that the problem can not be solved
in this manner. Modern equipment
and modern methods are the only
solution. 1 want to ask each one
of you to get in touch with your
Senator and Representative and
urge them to support this bill. And
further, will you not please write
me letter giving your views on
this problem and tell me the senti-
mentment Of the farmers in your
district
Let me urge you once more 70
give this your active support and
to write me concerning the senti-
ment in your district regarding
drainage legislation.
Very truly yours,
j. SEWARD DALEY,
Secretary Tappahanna Marsh
Ditch Co., Hartly, Delaware.
Hartly, Delaware,
February 22. 1888.