St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-28
THE MISSISSIPPpS SOURCE
Willard Glazier Anain Rushes Into the
Breach.
HIS CLAIM TO DISCOVERY.
A Counter Claim That william Morri-
son Is Entitled to the
Honor.
To the Editor of the Globe.

n Itlt1iu Ill DI. dul JuoG lofOlSo
me with copysof the GLOBE of Dec. 3,
in which | find an article by Prof.
Kirk, of your city, on the well-worn
subject of the source of the Mississippi.
This is matter IN which [ continue to
take some interest, and as the article in
question refers to me by name in no
complimentary way, cannot let it pass
without few words of comment, If
you will so far indulge me. 1t is some
what singular that some persons are
willing to sink their character as gentle
men, when writing upon this subject,
by the use Of diSparaging remarks and
personalities directed against me. Thus
Prof. Kirk, IN the article above re-
ferred 10, could not conclude his con-
tribution to the enlightment of
your readers without injecting para
graph which is both ungentlemanly and
untrue. Prof. Kirk, would fam think
is both a gentleman and scholar, but by
descending to scurrility seems to be will
ing that your readers should think
otherwise. For example: He says, II
found, as all other explorers who have
been before and since. that the eXplora-
tons of Glazier are looked upon with
great deal of contempt by people who
have lived in the neighbOring country
ever since it was settled" This para
graph is unworthy of the professor.
The contempt he speaks Of-as he prob
ably well knOwS-iS affected and con-
fined to very few interested individu-
ais, among whom | am sorry, now to
class the professor, while my honest
endeavors to discover the truth and set
tie an important geographical question
have met with approval and acceptance
by many of the most prominent men IN
Minnesota who have been residents OF
the state from twenty to thirty years.
These include among hundreds of other
leading citizens, the governor, eX-gOv-
ernOr, eX-lieutenant governor, adJutant
general and attorney general OF the
state ~ho, after careful investigation
have thoroughly satisfied themselves
that my statements are based upon
facts that cannot be refuted, and their
written testimony to that effect is now
in my possession. ] have reason to be-
lieve that these gentlemen entertain no
feeling of contempt for me. More
over, many who are far more familiar
with the neighborhoOd at the head
waters of the Mississippi have repeat
edly assured Inc of the absolute correct
ness of my assertions, viz: That Lake
ltaSca is not the source, and that the
fine lake to the south of it is the verl-
table head of the Mississippi. THESE
comprise many OF the pioneers Of North
ern Minnesota and intelligent half
breeds-among the latter the Beaulien
family, including Paul, United States
Interpreter at the White Earth agency,
and George H., deputy United States
marshal, both of whom are well known
10 have lived many years near the
source of the river and have stoutlY
supported my position. | may mention
the names of few others who claim to
have carefully inquired into the matter
and have become convinced of the
positive truth of my evidence as
TO the true source of the great river,
to-wit: g. NJ. Wing, Minneapolis, secre-
tary Northwestern Indian commission
Will E. Haskell. Minneapolis Tribune,
w. A. Spencer, United States district
court, st. Paul; J. J. Ankeny, p0stmas-
ter, Minneapolis; p. y. Swenson, sheriff
Hennepin county; Judge j. p. Rea,
Minneapolis, late commander-in-chief
G. A. r.; Albert Shaw, Minneapolis
Tribune; J. S. McLain. Minneapolis
Evening Journal; John II. Elliott, Min
neapolis, secretary Y. M. &. A.: John
Z. Bradley, superintendent of schools,
Minneapolis; Rev. j. l.. Pitner, Nj. f.
church, Minneapolis: eX-Mayor Pills
bury, Minneapolis; Rev. W. T. Chase,
First Baptist church, Minneapolis; }. K.
Moore, private secretary to Gov. McGill,
st. Paul; II. w. Childs, assistant attor
ney-general, st. Paul; Hon. j. G. Law
renee, ex-senator, WabaSha; Judge l.. A.
Evans, eX-mayOr St. Cloud; j. o..
Simmons, Little Falls; Rev. A. ID.
Stowe, Anoka; d. Sinclair, Winona;
+. E. Kreck, postmaster, Aitkin; Ex-
Mayor l.. p. White, Brainerd; w. w.
| Hartley, eX-postmaster, Brainerd; j. III.
Koop, postmaster. Brainerd; n. H. In
gersol, editor Dispatch, Brainerd; Rev.
! +. J. Hawley. Brainerd; j. p. Peterson,
register of deeds. ETC., Minneapolis;
Hon. n. Richardson. Little Falls; Lieut..
o. l.. Clyde, Little Falls; Moses La
Fond, Little Falls; r. Cronk, of the
government survey, Sank Rapids; Hon.
! T. q. Mealey, eX-state senator, Mon
ticello; w. j. Brown, principal of High
school, Monticello; EX-Mayor }. r. Lam
bert, Hastings; ). WesterSon, chairman
county commission, Hastings: b. b. Her
bert, editor Republican, Red Wing: and a
host of others with whose names | can
not occupy your space. These men do
not speak contemptuonS y of me, but
on the contrary, are among my strong
est indorserS. After all that has been
said and written on the subject. the
question recurS: Is the lake beyond
ltasca the true source of the MiSsiS
sippi. or is Lake Itasca the source? |
assert. emphatically. that the latter has
no claim whatever 10 be so considered,
and that the former is the only body of
water that can, with any show of truth
or sound reason. be designated as its
head. All who have visited the region
since the visit of my party in 1881 have,
in their reports and maps, confirmed
nv view of it. From 1882 to 1881 Itasca
was received as the source. In the lat
ter wear | discovered that this was a
long-standing error. and published the
result of my research. My party con-
sisted of six persons aid were surely as
competent to Judge of the truth of the
matter as any one or two who have Wis
tied the spot since. And here let me
say that no one of my critics entertainS
better respect for the memory or School
craft and Nicollet than have shown in
all have said and written about these
eminent men; but they were certainly
| not infallible, as | have proven to the
satisfaction of thousands. They de-
serve great credit for their labOrs. and
have shown more respect for them than
any of my pretentious opponents and
detractorS have done.
Not to extend this letter to greater
length, contine myself to repetition
of my right TO be considered the first to
locate the true source of the Mississippi,
in the only water to the south of Itasca
which is worthy of being so accepted.
| was three days mot 4 few hours with
in the Itasca basin and its immediate Vi
entity, engaged in thorough eXplora-
ton of this region. Our Investigations
resulted in fixing upon the beautiful
lake above and beyond Itasca, known to
the ChippewaS as Pokegama, as the true
fountain head of the great river. Its
geographical Importance has been fully