The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-05
CANNON FALLS.
Its Immense Water Power.

Continued from, last aoeek.
We close herewith the account of
the immense water powers at Can
non Falls from the Pioneer.
OF course, as this account was
written in 1871, there has been
many changes and improvements
since that time, but we do not be-
lieve that a better account could |
possibly be given Of the water pow
ers as God has made them, and we
have therefore continued the publ
cation Of the article, feeling that
our readers should be informed of
what nature has done for this por
ton of our State. We propose to
follow up this account with a brief
showing of what has been done
toward improving the vast water
powers, and with a few suggestions
as to how they may be- further i'm
proved, and made useful to the
whole of this portion of the State.
Our readers will remember that
the extract last week closed with
the mention of what is known as
the Parks Spring, the writer con-
tinues:
At this point the eighth water power,
with bottom, banks and ledge, are just
as good for building on as any other,
excepting the west bank, which is
high, affording mill sites only on the
south bank. The water can be raised
by dam twelve feet, and no better site
for a paper mill can be found as clear
water is always wanted for nice white
paper which could be used in the second
story from the spring at all seasons of
the year, pure, clear, and cold. The
water from the spring to run the card
ing mill, was carried in box or open
flume sixteen inches deep, and while as
many rods until reaching a deep ravine
over which a building stood, under which
an overshot seventeen and halt feet d.
ameter wheel was placed. This should
be used for butter-working and pack
ing establishment which could be done
with promise of profit to any person
competent to manage such business.
Fifty rods further up and we come to
the most magnificent waterfall on the
Cannon river. Here the fall is six
feet perpendicular and comes hurrying
down from eighty rods above. The
river running in three-fourths Of a cir
Gle consequently to nearly all points of
west OF ri ght bank is about twenty-five
or thirty feet high above the foot Of the
falls, the river smooth and banks per-
pendicular on both sides. The east or
left bank rises seventy feet abruptly
from the river. Fifty feet up there is
a narrow shelf from three to six feet
wide, parallel with the river for ten or
twelve rods where you look down upon
the falls in the chasm below. Walking
along this shelf you have magnificent
view Of the falls and the deep chasm
below, while on your left, as you p1o-
coed up the river, stands perfect sand
rock fortress, towering twenty feet
above, on which very many DESTROYS Of
imortaizing their names or transmit
ting the fact of having seen this truly
romantic place, have carved their names
and date on the wall of stone to tell to
those who come after the fact that
others have been before and witnessed
this romantic scene.
At the head Of the rapids, about
eighty rods above, is fall Of two feet
perpendicular, on the head of which
a dam can be built twelve feet high.
The river bed is smooth and level, Q:
uniform depth ofwater the whole width
of the river. The banks are perpendicu-
lar, rising on the right bank to thirty
feet or more from the river bed. A
dam built at this point, and 4 canal cut
through this ridge of rock would take
the water to the river across the tongue
or neck Of land formed by the circuitous
course of the river to a point below the
great fall, giving about thirty feet fall
The water can I'LL be used once over
before reaching the river bank by I
string Of factories near the center o
the neck of land which rises gradual!
from the west bank Of the river at TIT
falls until it reaches the point wher'
the canal should be cut to take the wa
ter from above the dam.
At this ninth and last great waite
power is to be great and aourishinl
manufacturing city, which will resoun'
with the hum of spindles the clank Q