Iowa
Old Press
THE SIDNEY ARGUS - HERALD
Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa
April 1, 1937
Camp Invites Public On 4th Anniversary
On April 4 the CCC camps over the nation will observe the fourth
anniversary of the civilian conservation corps. The following
invitation is extended to the community by the personnel and
members of the local camp: "We feel the community is vitally
interested in the CCC camp at Sidney.Therefore, an invitation is
extended to all persons of the community to attend open house
Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4, from 2:00 to 5:00 in the
afternoon. This is your opportunity to see the working of one of
the greatest federal projects."
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ORGANIZED THE CCC.
The Civilian Conservation Corps was organized by an exective
order of President Roosevelt, issued under authority granted by
an act of congress. To hasten organization, instruction was
immediately radioed to the nine corps area commanders of the army
and soon afterward the now familiar CCC camps dotted the nation.
SIDNEY CAMP WORKED UNDER THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE.
Due to severe drouth, the local company was established July 4,
1934, and the enrollees were retained as cadre of the Shenandoah
company, nine in number. These men were to serve as a nucleus for
the new company. On October 3, 1934 the camp was transferred to
Sidney and worked under the United States forest service for six
months. During that time the following work was completed:
Farms worked: 48
Temporary dams constructed: 640
Drop inlet dams: 4
Trees planted: 381,500
In addition to the above work, all the areas planted to trees
were fenced to exclude grazing stock, and gully-banks were sloped
preliminary to planting trees.
CAMP TRANSFERRED TO SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE.
On April 1, 1935, the camp was transferred to the soil
conservation service and new type of work was instituted. Under
this new branch of the department of agriculture complete erosion
control is worked for each farm. This plan includes, in addition
to gully control, changes in farm methods and the establishment
of an approved cropping rotation for the farm. The object of this
plan is to make each farm on which work is done an erosion
control demonstration project. Before work is started, a soil map
is made by camp technicians in order to obtain an accurate
inventory of the soil resources of the farm. With this
information at hand, the camp agronomist, D. D. Chicken, and the
camp engineer, G. H.McMillan, along with the farmer, work out a
plan for the farm. This plan may include a change in crop
rotation and of cropping practices, terracing, contour farming,
strip cropping, the retirement of land unsuitable for cultivation
to pasture and woodland,and what structures are necessary to
control gully erosion. An agreement is then written to cover a
five-year period, during which time the plan is thoroughly
tested.
WORK ACCOMPLISHED.
During the two years since this plan was started, 67 farms
comprising 7,765 acres in this county have been put under
agreement, and the following work accomplished by the camp:
Acres agreed to be contour tilled: 1,072
Acres agreed to strip cropped: 370
Acres protected by terraces: 413
Terraces finished: 28.6 square miles
Terraces outlets seeded or sodded: 2,148 square yards
Temporary dams built: 941
Permanent dams constructed: 60
Earth fills in dams: 61,609
Grassed waterways seeded or sodded: 180,391 square yards
Trees planted: 261,130
Farmers co-operating in wild life feeding and propagation: 28
Wild life feeding stations and shelters: 135
CAMP PERSONNEL:
The present enrollment of the local camp is 146 men with a new
enrolment period opening April 1. The personnel is as follows:
M. W. DUFFY, commanding officer
L. D. HASSENSTAB, first lieutenant
DR. RALPH LOVELADY, surgeon
C. W. MOLZEN, educational adviser
G. H. McMILLIAN, acting camp superintendent
F. M. HENRY, field engineer
D. D. CHICKEN, agronomist
E.M. COLLINS, VERNON HEIDT, KENT McADON, HERBERT SITTON, junior
engineers
T.O. SPEAR, camp mechanic
Twenty - five boys were discharged from the camp the fore part of
the week at the close of their enlistment period.
[transcribed by W.F., April 2008]