76 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



the above loss, Professor Stevenson has counted only half 

 that, or $5.00 an acre on the non-productive acres. 



Now the value of land has so greatly increased in 

 Iowa and the loss from the lack of drainage is so great, 

 Professor Stevenson is satisfied that the time has come to 

 devote serious attention to this matter of drainage, and 

 by concerted and intelligent movement accomplish large 

 things in drainage throughout the State, and thereby 

 increase Iowa's productiveness and profits. 



PRESENT CONDITION OF FARM LANDS. 



County or 

 District. 



STATEMENT OF PROFIT AND LOSS. 



Z 



3*0 

 3" = 



An 



Counties. 



Profitable l 

 of expe 

 tu 



ncr 



weal 



Humboldt. 82,383 $ 411,915 * 8.283.300 $ 2,059,575 



Boone. . 70,00' 850.000 7,000,000 1,750,COO 



lefferson .. 73,752 368,780 7,375.200 1,841.800 



Monona... 140401 702,005 14,040,100 8,510,025 



State 4,321,792 21,608,960 432,479,200 103,044,800 



Annual loss to the State 



Value of wheat in State 



Value of oat crop in State 



$ 6,178.725 



52*0,000 



5,581.400 



10,580,075 



324,134,4flO 



..$21,608960 



.. 12,880.000 



.. 26,114.000 



Prof. A. Marston, of the Department of Civil En- 

 gineering, Iowa State College, gave a very practical 

 address on the "Essentials in Drainage Engineering." 

 He said in part : 



"We can not be too well informed regarding the 

 scientific principles and practical methods of drainage 

 engineering. In Iowa we have too often entirely for- 

 gotten the existence of the drainage engineer, or have 

 decided to "save" his fee by dispensing with his services. 



"One farmer who has spent a large sum for drain- 

 age estimates that he himself lost $500.00 by not em- 

 ploying a competent engineer. The wet seasons of 

 1902 and 1903 have shown in a very forcible way the 

 disastrous consequences to Iowa farmers of ill-advised 

 plans, and improper construction in drainage work. 

 Drainage engineering, like law and the practice of medi- 

 cine, requires so high a degree of technical skill that it 

 is as unreasonable for the untrained individual to think 

 he can do his own drainage engineering as it would 

 be for him to insist on doing his own doctoring. The 

 mistakes of both are covered up in the ground. 



"The most important part of the drainage engi- 

 neer's work consists, first, in planning a system of drain- 

 age to secure the best results with the least expenditure ; 

 second, directing the successful execution of the con- 

 struction plans. These require the best training, in- 

 telligence, common sense, and the strongest will power 

 and integrity; no man can properly be entitled an en- 

 gineer in any special line until, in addition to his 

 general knowledge, however extensive, he has had im- 

 pressed upon his mind by actual experience the thou- 



sand applications and modifications which are absolutely 

 essential in each line of engineering work." 



The essential need of drainage maps, what they 

 should show, the character and depth of successful tile 

 drainage, the work and worth of a competent drainage 

 engineer and essential points to be taken up in Iowa 

 drainage construction work, were interestingly brought 

 out before the convention by Professor Marston. 



The drainage laws of other States were interest- 

 ingly reviewed, and most helpful suggestions for legis- 

 lative action for Iowa drainage were given by that most 

 competent drainage expert, Mr. C. G. Elliott, of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture. 



The drainage laws of other States were interest- 

 the legal standpoint by Messrs. John Hammil, of Britt, 

 and J. F. Ford, of Ft. Dodge, Iowa, who pointed out 

 many defects, suggested adequate remedies, recommend- 

 ing legislative action by the State Assembly now in 

 session. 



DRAINAGE PROBLEM IN INDIANA. 



CROWN POINT, IND.,. Jan. 13. To the Editor of 

 IRRIGATION AGE : Having just encountered something 

 out of the ordinary in drainage proceedings, it may be 

 of interest to your readers, so will briefly report it to 

 you. 



In Lake County, Ind., there is located a small lake 

 containing about 1,000 acres, bordering which the ri- 

 parian ownership is so valuable as to have been success- 

 ful in obtaining a perpetual injunction against lowering 

 the water of the lake below its present elevation. At 

 one end of this lake lays a marsh of 500 to 600 acres 

 on about the same elevation as the water of the lake. 

 The owners of this marsh began proceedings in the 

 court for drainage of these lands. 



Such lands are surrounded by hills rising twenty 

 to thirty feet above the marsh. At one point these 

 hills narrow down to about three-eighths of a mile 

 across, along the opposite side of, which a valley extends 

 that is about eight feet lower than the marsh. The 

 water from the marsh naturally flowed to the lake, 

 thence by a tortuous route from the opposite into this 

 valley, hence any means of draining the marsh into 

 this valley would not be diverting the water from its 

 natural course. 



We therefore planned a system of lateral open and 

 tile ditches through the marsh and concentrated them 

 at an available point of said ridge of hills, through 

 which we propose to tunnel a distance of 1,900 feet 

 and lay a three-foot sewer pipe at a depth of about 

 thirty-five feet below the crest of the ridge, and empty 

 the same into the before-mentioned valley. 



The marsh will also be protected from inflowing 

 water from the lake by a clay dike. The cost of the 

 undertaking is estimated at only eleven thousand dollars 

 and will convert the now valueless muck and peat lands 

 into the richest garden. F. L. KNIGHT. 



The stockholders of the Otto Gas Engine Works 

 have decided to increase the capital of the corporation 

 from $000,000 to $2,500,000 and build a large new 

 plant just at soon as the management can find a suit- 

 able site for the purpose. 



Large gas engines, producer gas plants, launches 

 and marine engines, gasoline hoists, compressors and 

 other adaptations of the gas engine will be built prompt- 

 ly at the new plant. 



