Subject to Overflow: the History of Drainage Districts in Jasper County, Iowa
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SUBJECT TO OVERFLOW: THE HISTORY OF DRAINAGE DISTRICTS IN JASPER COUNTY, lOWA A Thesis by JOSEPH W. OTTO Submitted to the Graduate School · Appalachian State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS August 2012 Department of History SUBJECT TO OVERFLOW: THE HISTORY OF DRAINAGE DISTRICTS IN JASPER COUNTY, IOWA A Thesis by JOSEPH W. OTTO August 2012 APPROVED BY: Dr. Neva J. Specht Chairperson, Thesis Committee Dr. Lynne M. Getz Member, Thesis Committee Dr. Jeffrey D. Colby Member, Thesis Committee Dr. Lucinda M. McCray Chairperson, Department of History Dr. Edelma D. Huntley ... Dean, Research and Graduate Studies Copyright by Joseph W. Otto 2012 All Rights Reserved .... ABSTRACT SUBJECT TO OVERFLOW: THE HISTORY OF DRAINAGE DISTRICTS IN JASPER COUNTY, lOWA Joseph W. Otto, B.S., Iowa State University M.A., East Carolina University M.A., Appalachian State University Chairperson: Dr. Neva J. Specht This project looks at the environmental changes wrought upon the South Skunk River in Jasper County, Iowa through stream channelization, or artificial straightening of a natural watercourse. Between 1912 and 1915 the Skunk River in Jasper County was straightened so that excess water in the lowlands could drain away more efficiently, making the river's perpetually wet and flood-prone riverbottom lands much more inclined to produce large yields of grain. Draining lowlands was accomplished through the local organization of a drainage district, which gave landowners a legal way to pursue large scale drainage projects. Technologically, a steam powered dredge boat physically altered the river's riparian environment. Large-scale drainage projects like the straightening ofthe ... Skunk River were done only after the drier uplands were under cultivation. The lasting impact of drainage was an obstruction of the environmental diversity between upland and lowland wet prairies that existed prior to cultivation. Today, the incredibly uniform landscape of Jasper County's neatly arranged fields supports the IV commonly accepted perception of the American Midwest as an environmentally monolithic region. Some features of the pre-cultivated wet prairies persist into the present day, of which seasonal flooding is the most notable. Despite concerted human efforts to drain excess water from the lowlands around the Skunk River, the riparian environment there is still subject to overflow. Compared to pre-cultivated wet prairies, the Jasper County landscape is under a much higher degree of human manipulation because of drainage and stream channelization, and riparian features that resisted those efforts link the region's environmental past to the present day . ... v DEDICATION To my parents, Mark and Gaylene Otto, for their constant encouragement. ... Vl ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My thesis committee members at Appalachian State University, Dr. Neva Specht, Dr. Lynne Getz, and Dr. Jeff Colby, provided me with guidance throughout the research and writing processes. Dr. Specht's unwavering support of this project was the base on which it developed. Jill Goodyk Ingraham of the Jasper County Auditor's office in Newton helped me access county drainage records quickly and efficiently. Her interest in my project and willingness to help me was of critical importance. Endless hours of reviewing newspaper microfilm would not have been possible without the help of Judy Ricks of the Newton Public Library, Jill Miller of the Colfax Public Library, and Dianna Johnson of Appalachian State's interlibrary loan program. Colfax resident Bill Ingram gave me his time and firsthand knowledge of the Skunk River bottom land. Ride-alongs with Deputy Sheriff Josh Britton of the Jasper County Sheriffs Department allowed me ample exposure to the rural corners of Jasper County that I otherwise would not have seen. A special thanks to John Dedman of Winslow, Indiana for his permission to use a personally owned image of a steam powered dredge boat used to straighten a river near his home. The Wisconsin Historical Society assisted me with the location of Jacques Marquette's 1673 ... map of the Mississippi River. Countless others helped me by believing that this project was a worthwhile venture, most notably my family and friends, who all supported my work simply by indulging me in conversation about it. Thank you, I am very grateful. Vll TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ............................................................................................................................... iv Dedication ........................................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ vii Catalog of Images ............................................................................................................... ix Catalog ofTables ................................................................................................................ xi Chapter 1: Subject to Overflow: An Introduction .............................................................. 1 Chapter 2: The Will of the Majority ................................................................................... 20 Chapter 3: Ode to the Dredge Boat .................................................................................... 60 Overview of Dredge Technology ........................................................................ 61 Dredging the Skunk ............................................................................................. 73 Chapter 4: The Mark of Progress ....................................................................................... 85 Explorer Accounts ............................................................................................... 86 Boosterism, Travelers, and Pioneers ................................................................... 96 Settlement and Transition to Agriculture ............................................................ 110 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 123 ... Bibliography ....................................................................................................................... 126 Appendix A: Chronological List of Newspaper Articles ................................................... 134 Appendix B: Chronological List ofDrainage Records ...................................................... 141 Vita ..................................................................................................................................... 143 viii CATALOG OF IMAGES Image 1: Jasper County Drainage Districts, 2011 Image 2: Plat Map of Jasper County, Iowa, 1875 Image 3: Plat Map of Jasper County, Iowa, 1875 Image 4: Plat Map of Jasper County, Iowa, 1914 Image 5: Picture of George Parsons, circa 1908 Image 6: Advertisement for Parson Brothers shop, 1881 Image 7: Advertisement for Fred Maytag's implement dealership, 1886 Image 8: G.W. Parsons Trench Excavator, 1908 Image 9: Tax assessment template used by the Classification Commission, 1912 Image 10: Excerpt from Classification Commission report, 1912 Image 11: Dredge Boat Cleaning Patoka River at Winslow, Indiana, circa 1920 Image 12: Fig 1.-Dipper dredge, side view, showing arrangement of machinery. Image 13: Side arid End Views and Deck Plan of a Small Dipper Dredge with Bank Spuds Image 14: Advertisement for Williamsport Wire Rope Co. ... Image 15: Side view of dredge boat with important parts identified Image 16: Advertisement for Flory Hoisting Engines Image 17: First map of the Upper-Mississippi River, recounting Marquette's 1673 voyage lX Image 18: "Planche I," French image of Louisiana depicting natives dwelling in a grassy meadow, with wetlands in the background, 1720 Image 19: Section of George F eatherstonhaugh' s map of Iowa, showing southeast portion ofthe state, 1836 Image 20: Section of Guy Carleton's map oflowa, showing Jasper County, 1850 Image 21: Image of wagon train fording the overflowed Skunk River in Jasper County, 1861 Image 22: Image of muskellunge from United States Fish Commission, 1892 Image 23: Image of smallmouth bass from United States Fish Commission, 1892 Image 24: Image of catfish from United States Fish Commission, 1892 Image 25: Scene On Chaquaqua Or Skunk River, circa 1910 ... X , CATALOG OF TABLES Table 1: Petitioners Owning the Most Land in the Proposed District Table 2: Damage Claims Table 3: Private Land Assessed by the Classification Commission Table 4: Top 10 Landowners, Highest Total Tax Assessments Table 5: Top 10 Landowners, Highest Tax Rates Per Acre Table 6: Top 10 Landowners, Most Land Owned Table 7: Timeline of Events for Straightening of Skunk River Table 8: Census Data for Jasper County, Iowa: Population, Total Farms, and Improved Acres Table 9: Instances ofFish Reported in Jasper County Newspapers .... Xl CHAPTER 1: SUBJECT TO OVERFLOW: AN INTRODUCTION Whole or part of the following described sections ... and other lands not enumerated are subject to overflow and are too wet for cultivation, and the public health, benefit utility, convenience, and welfare will be promoted by establishing a drainage district and by draining, ditching, tiling, leveling, deepening, widening and improving or strengthening the same or by changing the watercourse thereof. -Legal rhetoric used to establish a drainage district in the state of Iowa, from petition filed in 1909