Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1859 — THE RENSSELAER MILL-DAM. [ARTICLE]

THE RENSSELAER MILL-DAM.

[For the-Rensselaer Gazette.

Mr. Editor: Disclaiming any unkind feeling toward either Mr. Van Rensselaer, the owner of the Rensselaer “Mill Property,” or Mr. Hopkins, the present occupant, l wish to raise the question: “Ought the milldam remain?'’ In offering some thoughts upon the above question, I propose to leave out all that might bfi said in relation to its bearing on the health-of the in habitants, and treat it in its relations to the adjacent lands.. T suppose the water \lcOet of ail the lands affected by tin 1 dam is raised not far from three feet. And, on the principle of “capilarV attraction,” the soil is saturated with water, much higher than the water level, and in so rc kinds of soil, the power to absorb surface water is nearly neutralized. Any one cat, see at a glance that the lands would be henefltte'd equally, by lowering the darn or raising the lands injured hv it. It would he sale to estimate the increase of crops, on said lands, at one-thin?, and some years it would He much more than that. If any one doubts this, let them compare the lust year’s crops on the high and low lands. It remains to inquire hoic much land is injured by the uam. Upon this question it cannot be expected that many persons will come to the same conclusion. I will venture the offm-, ion that the amount of land injured is at least twenty times greater than is commonly supposed. Il a careless observer should undertake to settle this J question, he would, most likely, walk along up stream from tlie dam till iie reached a “ripple,” and the question would he settled. But a cares ul observer would set his “tripod” at that“ripple,” and runawater level many miles in every direction; and carefully inea uring ihat “ripple,” and the water above, lie might conclude that the back water from the dam extended five or ten miles farther up the stream. But, as I only wished to open the question for discussion. I close the presprit article by setting down the damage, equal to a sum sufficient to build and furnish a first class steam mill, aml\ keep it going from year to year, if it

ground only air.

P.