The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-12-24
water TRANSPORTATION.
The Best Routes for Minnesota.
An Address Delivered by Hon. Igna.
thus DOnnelly Before the st. Panl
Chamber of CONNIE rec, December
12. 1874.

Concluded from last week.
''From this point to Kettle river, the coun
try presents succession OF small lakes,
swarnps, meadows and ridges, covered with
Grch and small pine"
b. f. Uhristlieb, Esq. of Long Lake.
Hennepin county, an experienced civil
engineer, who has personally examined
the region IN question, writes me as
follows:
81 would suggest further that streams are
often found III the extensive swamIs occu-
plying portions OF that region; that is,
streams tributary to Lake superior and to
the Mississippi and st. Croix rivers, have
their source III the same swamp, through
which channel to connect the channels OF
the streams can he easily made, thereby
solving the problem of connecting streams
tributary to the st Lawrence river and to
the Gull OF Mexico. As an Instance, would
call your attention to q large tamarack and
spruce swamp, extending through the
southern portions Oh sections II and ~,
FOWL 40, range 5, being about tour miles
east OF the Moose Lake station, on the Lake
Superior and Mississippi railroad, IN winch
two streams have their source. one unlteS
with the NeInadll river and flows to Lake
Superior. The other cInptieS into Moose
and Kettle rivers into the st. CrOiX and
Mississippi. The channels OF those streams
are visible within 4 fourth mile OF each
other, III the swamp where they both IND
their source, being within section Il, &c.
These streams How for a few miles through
sWampS, or Il continuation OF the same
swamp III which the volume is increased by
springs ana by other streams, some OF which
unite IN the next adjoining sections. The
swamp at the source contains !. vast amount
o. w;,ter--uiiicient in the opinion OF the
writer, u support I. canal, till it receives
support from The other tributaries
THE GRADE.
One other question remains, viz: the
amount Of ascent and descent to be
overcome.
Dr.. owen says, page 2l5:
.''Ghe ascent TOT the water shedl is, at
every point where observations were made.
very gradual, and occasionally, for long dis
tances, scarcely noticeable, except by actual
measurement ON the north side the de-
scent is much more rapid, the middle OF the
highlands approaching, generally, within
twenty-tiv OF thirty miles OF Lake superior,
and III some places much nearer
And on page 2l6 he says:
''Thc general elevation along this line IS
also much less than along any other line Of
country traoerScd betlreen the mississippi
and Lake Superior
On page l9l Owen says
"The dividing ridge is inconsiderabe
The rise on the portage between the Brlle
and St. Croix is but 20 feet
Eastward the rid as it approaches
Michigan rises to the height of $50
feet.
Over the very region in question. the
Mississippi i Lake Superior K. Il. now
passes, and surely where a railroad can
be built "a canal can be constructed.
THE ROUTE.
The route to be pursued would have
to be determined, after thorough ex-
animation, bv United States engineers.
1t might reach the Mississippi far up
above Little Fails; it might, as Mr..
Christicb suggests. start from Anoka
ana follow the Inc Of the Rum river,
and connect with the Snake river or
Kettle river, and thence to the St.
Croix, or il might start Mt Taviors
Falls and follow the Upper st. Croix.
1t might enter Lake Superior via the
ST. Louis river, or the NemadU rlvcr.2
So
"Ne- mui-i-ti-que- or Lett Hand river,
ms far ~ exploration was made, ten miles
above the mouth ol Black river, (thirty-tiv
miles in alb is from twenty to thirty yards
wide, and from three to ten feet deep. 1t Is
entirely tree from driit-wood, and, except
few inconsdtrabtc ones (Which are easily as
eeuded by canoe, unrestricted by rapids
Here then we have Il natural channel,
requiring little Improvement. for canal
boats for thirty tive miles of the river,
equal to about twenty miles of the
eaghty four to be overcome.
The waters of the Nemadji and Ket-
tie river. not only interlock, but COM
inunicate through Hernhanging lake.
See y. 2lS.
When the exploring party first
reached Kettle river, on their way
southwark. it was a considerable stream.
sixty yards wide. and deep enough to
aoat steamboat. full of boulderS, how
ever. and hardly tit for canoes. See
p. 273.
The Upper st. Croix is described as
"a succession of rapids, separated by
broad. shallow basins of comparatively
still water.
There could be little difficulty in i'm
proving the Upper st. Croix by locks
and dams, and thus creating slack wa
Ter navigation. If this was done, it
would leave but about twenty miles Of
canal to construct. through the drift of
the summit, fed by lakes. streams and
swamps.
Such canal would pass within forty
miles of the great beds Of magnetic
iron ore associated with metamorphic
states, situated in the Penokie Range.
These beds ARE of extraordinary thick
ness-from % to 90 feet One speci-
men analyzed by DR.. Owen yielded Sc
per cent. of iron. 1t is Of the same
character as the celebrated Swedish
IRON. 1t cannot be worked
TO advantage in situ, on account of the
absence of limestone. owen says,
These mines may be worked hereafter
At a profit. and rival the works Of Nor
snern Europe.
With such a canal this iron ore could
be brought to the great water~powers
AZ Minnesota, and thus build up IN our
own midst an industry Of incaiculable
value TO our people.
THE LAKE TERMINUS.
Mr.. Christheb says:
Il Minnesota terminus OF such cansl =