Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-02-10
THE RESERVOIR HUMBuGs
HOe the absurd Scheme WsU Iorle UFes,
Practically Applied,

How the absurd Scheme WsH Work. When
Practically Applied.
To the Editor Of the Globe
CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis, Feb. Sit
would be difficult if not impossible to gath
er together in one list all the different
schemes that are proposed to misapprs.
pirate the government funds. l will
merely allude to one in this article. Hav-
ing had residence here for many years,
and having explored pretty thoroughly
the northern portion of this State, my
opportunities for forming correct judg-
ment upon the matter under consideration
will be conceded.
In the Pioneer Press of Jan. 20 is a long
article on the proposed government reser-
voirs. Many of those who advocate the
reservoir system have but little practical
knowledge upon the subject. They have
not looked into or investigated it.
The adherents Of "Brudder Jasper
move," because they believe in the wis
dom of the man who proclaims that
theory.
In like manner this plan Of storing up
water receives its support, and it is diff
cult to decide whether the Jasper men.
On Thad Pounds reservoir abstractionists
have the "weight of argument" in their
favor.
In the first place the physical confor-
nation of Northern Wisconsin is not
favorable to the plan proposed. There
are no hills with deep gorges between
them-no great, natural basins. In most
of the places where it is proposed to con-
struct these reservoirs there are long
reaches of mostly level swampy land.
| with sluggish stream meandering
through it. A dam across any Of these
streams at the points indicated will set
| the water back for miles and miles.
The surplus volume of water which
| these reservoirs are supposed to hold,
will, when spread over such an exten.
sive area, be so thoroughly evaporated
by the time they are wanted to augment
the supply of water in the Mississippi
that there will scarcely be enough left for
the deer to drink.
All the water that can be garnered up
in these shallow basins, and in tho vari-
GUS frog ponds and bog meadows near
the sources of our rivers will be dissipat-
ed as the morning dew long before they
reach the Mississippi, even should they
not be actually and completely evaporat.
ed before the flood gates were raised. An
illustration of this in small way may be
easily given. Take pail full Of water
and pour it slowly on the dry and
parched earth and it will be absorbed In
the space of IA superficial inches.
Now here is the proposition. and 1t can
be decided by any school boy without call
ing in the aid of Bartlett Rooney. If one
square foot of earth will absorb three gal
Ions of water, how much will be absorbed
in space say twenty rods wide and three
hundred miles long-the margin of the
river below the dam.
| All the evidence in favor of the reser-
volrs that the public have received comes
from the government engineers, and they
have given us more figures than the
greenback orators during the recent cleo
| ton.
Now these engineers are good citizens,
so far as | know, and should be encour-
In time of peace especially their
talents and requirements might
prove of benefit to the community,
but when "grim visaged war rears its
direful 'front.' they are of but very little
account. When General Banks marched
his army like crab, tail end first, up
| Red river during the rebellion, he was
| literally surrounded with engineers, and
yet, when crisis arose they unanimously
| agreed that the only way to save our gun
| boats was to blow them up.
Col Bailey, however, Wisconsin lum-
| herman, having little practical iudg.
ment and good horse sense, went to work,
built wing dams, and by combining the
water in the center of the river sent all
the boats over and down the rapids in
safety
Before this measure passes Congress 1t
is to be hoped that it will be thoroughly
discussed and more light thrown upon it.
as many good citizens believe it is but a
covert scheme to draw money from the
public treasury for other than public uses.
r O.