St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-14
GALES GALL.
An ImpostOr Who SANDERS Min
neapolis to a Guliible Reporter.


An Impostor Who SANDERS Min
neapolis to Guliible Reporter.
A few days ago the st. Louis Post
Dispatch published an interview with
an alleged Minneapolis miller. in which
the silly and aged story of the Falls of
st. Anthony running out'' was re-
hashed. The thing was shown up as
absurd, with the additional information
that no such man as Gale lives in Min
neapolis,, but there is a demand to see
the article itself, which is appended:
ALLAN L. Gale, weli-knOwn miller
of Minneapolis, who arrived at the
Southern this morning, remarked to a
Post-Dispatch reporter: we Minneapo-
lis millerS have for years been very anX-
louS concerning the water supply. Year
by year the amount Of water coming
over the Falls of st. Anthony has been
diminishing, and this winter the trouble
has been more serious than ever before
at this season. The ice has always in
terfered with the operations of the mills,
but this year the trouble has been the
lack of water, and all mills without sub
sidiary steam power have either sus-
pended operations or run at half
power. Of the eighteen great
mills, nine have substituted steam
for water, while it is evidently a
question of very few years when all
must do SO. The decrease in the vol
ume of water. caused by the diminution
of the rainfall, generally ascribed to the
cutting away of the timber, is not the
only, or indeed the most threatening
danger that impends over the water
power of Minneapolis. and bids fair to
depOse our city from its present position
as the great flour-producing point Of the
world. The rock over which the river
runs about the falls is of a very soft and
porous nature, and in spite of all that
can be done is fast wearing away. The
falls have been cased in boards, regular
inspectors are continually on watch,
and every precaution has been taken to
check at once any tendency of the rock
to break down. But in spite of all this,
the danger of the river tunneling
through the soft rock is always
present, and it would surprise
no one to find some morning
entirely disappeared. Some eight
years ago the water began to penetrate
the rock on the east side, and it was by
mere chance that the falls were saved.
The likelihood of their disappearance
increases every year. as the stratum of
hard rock which encaseS the very soft
underlying limestone is in places almost
washed through, and the limestone it
self will melt before the rush of the
rapids almost as easily as clay. Mime
apolis was made by the fails, and
should they fail her prominence will
disappear.
PREPARING FOR TIE DANGER.
"The millers, recognizing the inn
pending DANGER" Mr.. Gale went on to
say, "are looking about for new loca-
tiOns. Two places present themselves
to the consideration of the flour men,
the Red River of the North country and
St. Louis. Before the rise of Minneapo-
lis, st. Louis was the greatest flour
point in the United States, and to-day
this city ranks second. 1t is the nat
ural center for an immense and fertile
VIII eat country, and with the advan-
tages of Minneapolis seriously di-
minished, would draw its supply
of wheat from sections now
exclusively tributary to the lat
ter city. From all indications l have
little doubt that within few years st.
Louis will once more be in the lead and
hold the place of the greatest milling
city of the world. Many of our most
far-sighted -four men have been quietly
surveying the ground here, and before
long the city will be surprised by the
number of new mills that will be
erected. The region along the Red
River of the North is excellent for
wheat in spite of the low temperature
of winter, and the river itself furnishes
ample water power for all the mills in
the world, being one series of swift
rapids. Many of our most enterprising
men have thoroughly prospected this
field, and last winter many contracts for
land suitable for mill sites were closed.
There is no doubt that year or two will
see wonderful growth in this country.
Of course the millers and the citizens
of Minneapolis in general are inclined
to laugh at the danger which threatens
that city, but they are fully alive to its
seriousness and imminence, and many
of those now most vociferous in their
declarations of the future greatness of
the city have quietly made preparations
to move elsewhere. st. Louis will be
the greatest gamer when this transfer
takes place, and will feel its effects
within the present year."