Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-20
Dissatisfied Delegates.

Quite number Of the delegates are not we'll
satisfied with the conduct of the convention.
and seem to think that it was called and man
lpulated IN the interests of some few favored
localities. not in the interests of cheap trans
portation. Among the gentlemen who feel
thus are Messrs. Frank Ives, of Crookston, and
George Z. Stuntz, of Cook county. These gen.
tlemen were encountered by representative of
the GLOBE who requested them to state their
grievance, which they did with brevity.
Mr. Stuntz had to complain of being snubbed
badly. He had come to the convention sup
posing it to be called for the purpose of con-
sldering whatever means could be suggested for
cheapening transportation. He had, accord
lngly, endeavored to submit the results Of his
survey of the st. Croix and Brule rivers. with
the suggestion that q scheme might be in
augurated to form reservoir by which
good stage Of water might be main
tanned the year round on the St. Crcix and
Mississippi rivers. There is a wide plateau
near the headwaters of the st. Croix, on the
divide which separates the currents of rivers
south and north. which might, at small ex-
pense, be turned into a lake thirty miles long
and several wide, sufficient to supply the St.
Crolx with good stase of water during the
four dry months of the year. He had also
found that the st. Croix and Brule rivers could
be CT injected by canal at comparatively small
expense, and thus give continuous water con
nection between the Mississippi river and Lake
superior. These matters he had embodied in a
report which he wished to submit to the com
mittee on resolutions, but it refused to receive
the matter. He then endeavored TO get it be-
fore the convention, but was again refused a
hearing. He thought this unkind espe ciaIiy
as he had no idea OF committing the convention
to the scheme but merely wanted to get it before
he country 1sHis pan had been pronounced
feasible by good engineers, and he himself
thought it practicable. He wished to suggest
the plan, however, for the purpose of setting
people to thinking of it, confident that in the
course of a few years it would be undertaken,
Mr.. Ives lives a great way from water COM
munlcation with the East but has long been
| impressed with the idea that Crookston can be
brought on the direct water line to the sea-
| board. canal could be constructed from
| Red Lake to the head waters of the Missis.
siDpi from the Mississippi to the st. Louis.
and thence to Duluth, affording clear and un-
obstructed water transportation to the Atlantic.
This matter was OF great Importance to the
producing class of the Red River and he wished
it brought before the convention, without anv
desire to press the matter any further than to
get it before the public with the hope that the
| people will look into the feasibility OF the
scheme. He had failed in much the same
manner as MIR. Stuntz, and felt that he had
not been fairly treated. Il would have been
simply courtesy for the com nnittee on resolu-
lions and the convention to have listened &c
his proposition, even though no action was
taken. He hoped the next convention would
be managed on a different plan