Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1884-02-06

yention meeting this morning to state how
much ne thought ought to be appropriated Re-
plies placed the aggregate at figures ranging
| from $1,000 000 to SIS, 10000, and the average
| W Is almost 100000 So it may te taken
that the commission think the country will not
| stand river and harbor bill that appropristes
| more than sl2,n 0,000, and they will begin the
distribution upon a basis of an aggregate of
from 81, CO., coo to 81, ,0Jo 900 for the Mississip
pi.
A JUNKE1ING TRIP SPOILED.
The house put its 70 t down pretty heav ily
see, and others for junketing commission of
FIVE to go to the Hot Springs and investigate the
alleged crookedness in the execution of a con-
tract IN sewers upon government property there.
The trip would have cost several thousand dol
lars
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
In series of reports ON rivers and harbors.
ordered under the act Of congress Aug. 2, 1882,
Maj Macsenzie reports on the Petatonica river
from Argyle to Wayne, Wis, as follows: That
portion of the stream under consideration ex-
tends from Argyle to the lower part of Argyle
township, and by very circuitous route down
through Wiota township and into the upper part
of Wayne township to the Junction, distance
of twenty FIVE miles (by wagon road seven and
one-half miles). From the junction it extends
up the west branch to Wayne, about four miles,
total distance of twenty-nine miles by river
1t is in no place less than sixty feet
not more than seyenty-fve feet wide The
banks are from four to ten feet IN height and
generally sloping, and being OF hard clay are
but little subject to abrasion. East branch has
fall of six inches to the mile with no rapids
and few snags 1t is extremely crooked, SO that
it would be matter of difficulty for the smallest
boats to work around the bends. There is a
gravel bar about half mile in length ashort
distance from Argyle, with fifteen inches to
three feet of water on it at an average stage.
There are two bridges over the river Ia Wiota
township.
The Pecatonica, below the junction of the
east and west branches, as well as Rock river,
from Rockton to the mouth, are unnavigable for
any distance on account of the mill dams which
obstruct the stream at frequent intervals. There
is also mill dam at Argyle. In the original
government survey Pecatonica, below the juno
ton, and the west branch were put down nav
igabe, but the east branch, including great
portion of the stream within the scope of this
examination, was not. There is a little steam
boat called the Success which has been making
semi-weekly trips since April, 1882, between
Argyle and Wayns. She is fifty feet long, four
teen feet wide, and draws one foot of water light.
1t is the only steamboat ever on the river. 1T was
necessary for the owners of the boat to obtain
permission from abutting farmers to it.
Some of the farmers have extended their fences
the boat to open and close gates in passing
through. Wayne is new village, started year
ago. on the completion of the Chicago, Milwau-
kee & st. Paul railway to that point. 1t con-
tains about dozen houses and two stores. Ar
gyle had population in 1880 of 322, and the
township of the same name of 1,225. Wiota
tow ship has at present a popu alton of 1857.
There are no towns on the river between Argyle
and Wayne. The soil in the vicinity is
of a clayey nature, adapted principally
to grazing. Sutter and cheese are the princi-
pal products. From the above facts it will be
sren that the portion of the Pecatonica under
consideration could not be much improved wilh-
out very great expense, which the circumstau-
ce of course would not warrant, running as it
does through thiuly settled country situated
entirely in three townships and unnavigable
both above ond below Argyle and below Wayne
by reason of mill dams. I would therefore
give it rs my opinion that the river is not
worthy of improvement, and that the work
would Lot be public necessity"
BIG STONE LAKE.
st Big Stone Lake, Mimi, Capt. Allen says:
''If the reservoir system should ever be carried
to the iull extent of which it is capable, Big
Stone Lake, and other holding grounds would
probably be included. at present, however, the
commerce of Minnesota river would not appear
to warrant the expense of turnirg Big Stone
Lake into reservoir" :"
On the Wisconsin river, from Portage to
Merrill, Lieutenant Col. Houston reports: ''It
appears that the only demand for the improve
ment or this portion of that river is for the
purpose of facilitating the running of
logs and lumber, and that there is a
company chartered by the state of Wisconsin,
to make such improvement There is no de-
mand for its improvement for purposes of navi-
CATION nor is there any commerce, present or
prospective, which would justify the large out
lay needed for the purpose. l have, therefore,
in view of the foregoing, to report that, IN my
judgment, the Wisconsin river, from Portage to
Merrill, is not WORTHY Of improvement for the
purpose of navigation, and that the work is not
public necessity
PLEASURE WITH BUSINESS.
The Illinois press association seems to be
mixing business with pleasure. 1t appears from
circular laid on he desk of each senator and
representative this morning, that the association
desires congress to pay c. B. Signor, editor of
the Earlville Gazette $4,000 for the loss of an
arm in 1864, the same having been shot off by a
union soldier
Western Associated Press.1
WASHINGTON, Feb 5.-At the meeting Of the
senate committee on privileges and elections,
the following subcommittee were. elected under
the Sherman resolution: For the Mississippi
branch of the investigation, Hoar, Cameron.
Wisconsin, Frye, Salisbury, Jonas. Virginia
branch, Sherman, Lapham q Vance.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
The members of the house committee on COM
merce began the consideration to day of the
proposed legislation of the regular interstate
commerce. Long, Stewart, Peters, Davis, of
Illinois, Wadsworth, O'Neil and Barksdale ex-
pressed their views in ffteen-minute speeches,
They favored the establishment of commits
sion to consist of not less han three members.
There are fifteen members in the committee, and
the remaining eight viii express their opinions
at the next meeting.
PRES DENTS RECEPTION.
| The president gave a reception to the public
this evening The mild weather, and the fact