Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-15
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
interesting Account of the Discovery of
the Source of the Mississippi River.

49, HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
interesting Account of the Discovery of
the Source of the Mississippi River.
The Minnesota Historical society held its
regular meeting last evening at the rooms of
the railroad commissioner, as it's own rooms
are almost untenantable now. owing to the
repairs going on. The attendance was full,
much more SO than usual, and the proceed
ings very interesting.
THE scHooLCRAFT EXPEDITION.
letter was read from Rev. w. T. Bout
well, of Saltwater, who was a member of
Scoolcraft's exploring expedition, in reply to
request for him to write a paper on that
subject:
srnLwArER, Sept. 20, 1873.
10 the Secretary Minnesota Historical Society:
DEAR SR-Your favor of the 18th came duly
to hand. regret to say that the state of nv
health Is such at present as to forbid compli-
ance with your request. -
Allow me to call your attention to an eyre
glous error IN Colton's geography in relation to
mislead the children and youth in eur schools.
The error (page 44 is this: Minnesota contains
great number of beautiful lakes. Among
them Is ltasca lake, usually considered the
source OF the Mississippi. although the real is
found few miles from the lake in small pond,
from which the river issues in small riyulet
only two feet wide and scarcely one foot in
depth. AS it flows from Lake Itasca it is from
nfteen to twenty feet wide.n How such an
error round place In one of our common school
books, am at a loss to conceive.
Cer1aln 1t is, 1T. was never from any record of
the expedition made by MIR. Schoolcraft. am
concerned only so far historic truth and the
honor OF my early friend is concerned. For the
| information of any who may desire, what is
matter of fact. / will add, that on our arrival
at Red Cedar or Capena lake, the Indians in
formed MIR. :. that he could not reach Itasca
with his large canoes. he ordered the party
(thlrty-hve all told) to go into camp. He
then procured five small Indian canoes, ten
or twelve feet long that would carry three per-
sons EACH reserving one for himself. Mr.. s.
assigned tho others to his Interpreter, Lieut.
Allen, Or. Haughton and myself, each manned
we reached what the guides told us were the
highest forks. Mr.. s. decided to ascend the
southern and return by the northern We
made our way up this tributary till our craft.
small as it was, would float us no further, and
which the Indians told us would land MS in a
marsh or swamp. Our men now took both Ca
noes and their effects their backs, and
| tramp of two or three miles brought us to the
eastern shore of a small lake utasca) covering
| surface of five to eight acres, oblong rather
| than round. We embarked and made for
small island covered with timber. Mr.. s. or
dered one of his men to cut flagstaff and lash
the stars and stripes on the top of the highest
! tree In the meantime he coasted the lake in
| seach of an inlet, should there chance to be
one. He reported 'none ,ptdteuey." One object
OF the expedition. the highest source of the HIS
slssippi, was attained. Entering the outlet on
| the north I requested my men to pause mo-
| ment, and out of curiosity I stepped
or jumped from bank to bank about
three feet above the water, and no
| marks or indications of ever being overlooked
That Mr.. S. or any of his .arty are responsible
for the grave error in one of our school books
| cannot believe. In descending we encoun-
tered occasional rapids and large boulders, in
one OF which Lieut.. A. was capsised and lost
his gun and compass, the latter beyond recov-
cry. will briefly add that in 1884 became
resident at Leech Lake. In '35 or SO Mr.. Ncollet
called on me and spent some time in my fam
lily DESTROYS of visiting Lake Itasca. Not able
to accompany him myself, procured for him
couple of guides. On his return he told me
ne had made the discovery Of a higher source
than that of Nh. s. I did not then nor do
now believe in higher or any other source than
that discovered by Mr.. s., any more than that
did OF could have stepped or jumped fifteen
or twenty feet across the outlet of Itasca.
am DESTROYS to learn from what source such an
error found its place in one of our common
school text books. That Mr.. 8. published an
| account of the expedition is probable, though
am not aware of it. Neither do know that
MIR. Nicollet ever published an account of his
discoveries. If 30, would like very much to
meet with it, My only object in the above is
the correction of a gross mistake.
Yours respectfully, W. T. boutwell,
Other interesting correspondence was
read, among them, letters from Rev. s. W..
Pond, Gen. j. 81. Baker. DR.. d. w. Hand,
and others, consenting to prepare and read
papers and addresses before the society.
Rev. r. D. Neill withdrew his motion
made last meeting, to have committee ap-
pointed to revise the society charter.
THE QUO wARRANTo.
Hon. A. Goodrich read resolution which
had been adopted by the board of corpora
tors, the defendants in the pending action
asking the supreme court to do thus and SO,
| and offered lengthy preamble and resolu-
| ton, in effect a request from the executive
council for the same thing. Objection was
| made to it by several members, on the
ground that it was wrong and indiscreet to
| interfere in any way with the court at this
stage. The resolution was rejected, ayes l.;
| noes Is.
AN EMPTY TREASURY.
| The secretary said the treasury had long
| been empty, and he had no funds to carry on
the operations with. AS we would soon
have to remove into the new rooms now
being prepared for US, he needed some $500
or $500 for furniture.
| Gen. Sanborn proposed subscription.
Mr.. Drake said, that as the intention of our
opponents was to Greece us out by stop
ping our revenue, we had better accept il
in that spirit, and not fit up the rooms. We
are not to blame for it. Finally, the secre-
tary was ordered not to exceed $3.50 for the
! plainest and most necessary furniture.
The conven ton then adjourned.