Linn County, Missouri - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 16 of those read), 1912

Locust Creek Drainage System - Enterprise to Reclaim 25,000 Acres - Estimated Rise in Land Values^An Interesting Landmark - The Woodland Mills - Indian Mounds - Descendant of a Noted Warrior - Boy Lost in the Wilderness - Sheltered by a Deer - A Mother's Joy - The Trail of the 49ers - The Hannibal and St. Joseph Cross- State Highway' - Automobile Men and Farmers Working for an Important Improvement - List of Toivns on Route - Statement by State Highway Engineer - Importance of Good Roads.

The farmers and landowners along Locust Creek bottoms are planning an extensive drainage system which will save and render productive 25,000 fertile acres in the valley. As contemplated the drainage work will begin above Linneus and extend some twelve or thirteen miles down the valley to Grand River. Several meetings have been held and at the publication of this history the organization is well under way. Mr. Shaffer, a government engineer from Springfield, Missouri; J. H. Nolen of Jefferson City and John B. Logan of the Missouri State Waterways Company, have visited the valley and made an inspection of the situation. They have unhesitatingly expressed the opinion that the land could all be reclaimed by a system of ditches and dikes. Mr. Nolen said that in his opinion the best method would be to construct one straight ditch through the valley.

Owing to the fact that the land was subject to periodical overflows during crop growing seasons it has only commanded from $30 to $60 per acre. Mr. Shaffer, who has had a great deal of experience in drainage projects, and is a good judge of land values, said that if well drained and ditched the region bordering the creek would immediately rise in value from $150 to $200 per acre.

The experience of the adjoining county of Macon has proved that drainage ditches will effectively save large bodies of land which have hitherto been subjected to devastating overflows. Along the Chariton Valley they have constructed two ditches, each about thirty feet in width, and within recent years these waterways have been subjected to severe tests by heavy floods coming down from the north. The farmers who organized to construct the system are thoroughly satisfied with its eflSciency. With the exception of one or two low places the water has been promptly drained and carried on down to the Missouri river. Laterals are being made from the low places to the canals and soon the entire district under organization will be as safe from damage by overflow as any land in that county.

The enterprising farmers who are moving in the ditch matter in Linn county are confident that the same result will be reached here. As high as ninety bushels of corn to the acre and forty bushels of wheat have been produced in the Locust Creek Valley. With a good system of ditching and diking that record could be made almost every year, and some are so sanguine that they think it could be exceeded.

The first meeting to consider the project of draining the valley was held at Meadville in July, 1911. Another meeting was held at Linneus in February, 1912. An organization was formed at that time and F. L. Fitch was elected president; Aleck Brinkley, secretary and Mr. Fetty treasurer. A committee was appointed to work up interest in the project. A petition for the organizing of the drainage district association will be filed with the circuit court. The legal formality complied with, the contracts will be let and the work will be industriously pushed. No enterprise ever inaugurated in Linn county promises greater results for the money invested. It will be noted in the United States Census Bulletin that Linn county land is rated higher than in most other counties of northern Missouri. This in spite of the fact that no great work has been yet done in the Locust Creek Valley, the most fertile land in the county. The strengthening influence to values in the valley by the drainage system will extend to all the lands in the county, and add greatly to the total wealth of property.

One of the interesting landmarks of Locust Creek Valley is the old water-mill, about four miles west of Laclede, on the estate of J. L. Wood. The site is rugged and picturesque. In the early days of the state there was an Indian village there and a rock ford to afford easy crossing. Immense boulders crop out from the bluffs, and many have deeply imbedded in them salt-water shells. It is supposed that the country hereabouts was once a part of the sea, and that explains the shells. The mill is close to a public highway, which crosses the stream on a strong steel bridge. The dam and the mill were built by Daniel Grant in 1878. The plant was known as the Woodland mill. It was operated by water-power. The Woodland mills did grinding for a large territory, and at certain seasons of the year run night and day.

Mr. Wood purchased the property from Daniel Detrich in 1891. It had changed hands a number of times between Grant and Detrick Plummer Ong was employed as head miller. Mr. Wood put in steam to run the machinery when the water was low and also two powerful turbines of the James Leffel type, so that the mill could be operated by water power when the creek was on the rising stage. These turbines are of the same type as those used at Niagara Falls.

AVhen the mill was running, Mr. Wood drew customers from as far north as Milan and as far south as Brunswick. The plant produced regular roller mill flour and did general custom work. The price for grinding by water power was one-eighth and by steam power one-sixth. The capacity of the mill is from forty to fifty barrels of flour per day.

The mill house is a large three story structure, with a capacity for storing an immense amount of grain. Being situated conveniently on a main highway, it is in an advantageous position to command a large trade today if it were put in commission again.

On Mr. Wood's large estate, not far from his mill, are several Indian burying grounds. These are in the form of mounds. Parties have dug into them recently, and found many interesting pieces of pottery, arrows, tomahawks and the bones of tribesmen. A few years ago a young woman from Oklahoma visited the farm for the purpose, she stated, of finding where one of her ancestors was buried. Although she talked English fluently, and dressed in good style she said there was Indian blood in her veins and that she had a curiosity to see the burial spot of her remote kinsman. She went to one of the mounds on Mr. Wood's place and looked at it long and interestedly, and gave it as her opinion that that was the one in which the remains of the warrior chieftain was sleeping. She made no attempt to dig into the mound.

There is a pathetic little story or legend about a small boy who became lost and passed the night by himself in the wilderness, on a mound northwest of the Woodland mill, about a mile away. The incident occurred in the pioneer days, along in the early 50s. The lad was about four years old. He started out alone one morning to overtake his father, who had gone to Linneus. The little fellow walked and walked until he was completely tired out. Night came on and he lay down to rest on a mound and went to sleep. Of course the members of his family were very much distressed over his absence and spent the night hunting for him. Next morning he was found curled up by an old doe and her faun. The boy said that he had heard his mother calling during the night and that he had answered her, but that she didn't come to him; he didn't know why it was. It was supposed that he had gone to sleep and the animals had chosen the same spot for retirement. During the night he heard the doe bleating and imagined it was the voice of his mother. The mother was overcome with joy at finding her little son alive. In those days for a child to get out of sight of the old log cabin meant that it was likely to be in great danger from the animals that were always prowling the woods.

The road running by the Woodland mills used to be known as the Brunswick and Chillicothe trail. It was used largely by the '49ers in their daily trek to the far West. The roads are unexceptionally good, and can be kept in good order almost the year round with a little dragging. The soil is a black loam, and the roads do not wash badly as they do in a country of clay hills. By the time this history is in press Linn county will have a standard dirt highway from the eastern to the western border. This highway will he part of what is known as the Hannibal & St. Joseph Cross-State Highway. The movement was inaugurated at Brookfield at a big meeting in February, 1912.

There were representatives from all the counties through whicli the highway would pass. The following officers were elected: President, Frank Adams, Chillicothe; vice president, L. M. Stallard, St. Joseph ; secretary-treasurer, Sydney J. Roy, Hannibal.

It is not the purpose to stop with the standard dirt road, but to continue the agitation until a permanent rock road is constructed from the Mississippi to the Missouri river.

Several meetings have been held since the one at Brookfield and the greatest interest has been manifested in the enterprise. All the counties have subscribed liberally and the farmers along the line have shown an earnest desire to take a hand in the improvement.

The automobile, which was at first dreaded by the farmers, has proven to be a blessing. Owners of cars, and automobile associations everywhere, are taking a lead in the movement for good roads, and wherever you see a gathering of men to discuss that subject you will find the farmer and the motor car man working shoulder to shoulder in the good work.

The Cross-State Highway will, it is calculated, be the parent of numerous good road enterprises north and south, leading into the main line. This will mean as much for the development of the country today as the railroad did fifty or sixty years ago.

"The plan for a Cross-State Highway across North Missouri from Hannibal to St. Joseph, as outlined and agreed upon at the conference at Brookfield on February 28th, is a good one, in fact, it is an ideal route - and the plan of organization is practical.

"Two of the largest cities of the state just within the state, one upon the Missouri river, the western border, and the other upon the Mississippi river, which forms the eastern boundary, and with 200 miles of rich agricultural country between them, some of the richest lands in the state, connected by a good, serviceable road, will indeed become a great highway. Well may it, as Mr. Eoy suggests, be named the 'Prairie Eoute.'

"This great highway directly across the state, the most direct highway across Missouri that can be selected in any direction, through rich prairie lands, prosperous towns dotting the entire distance and a live city upon each terminus, will become one of the greatest in Missouri and bring untold benefits to that portion of the state and those counties through which it passes. Not only this, but it will exploit and help to further develop the state. It will bring to us the class of visitors and citizens we like to welcome - men of means and of affairs. Not only will this one road be of value because it will be a road built, but because it will mean more good roads. Better than one road or a few road districts will be the universal interest and enthusiasm aroused for good roads. It is the main road, the center of action, into which many other good roads will be made.

"The idea is a co-operative plan whereby each community is asked to co-operate with that community on either side in the improvement of its own local road in such a manner as to connect into one great and continuous road. It must, therefore, be located over a road of local use and be of local as well as through service. In asking the citizens of a community to improve its section of the road they are asked to do no more than what they should do anyway - improve one of the main traveled local roads. In doing so, the community is not only making a much needed local improvement, but is placing itself upon a main thoroughfare."