New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-06
ruE 1ArGBIyG WATER RESTORED,

Id
We cannot account for it, In fact, we have
gven up trying to account for It. Neither the dry
air nor the rivalry with ST. Paul is sufficient, and
we know of no other explanation even worthy
Of consideration. We refer, of coulse, to the cX.
traordinary display OF genius by the people OF
Minneapolis which is constantly being made.
Only four short days ago we printed an account
Of how Mr. Thomas g. We1therow, the venerable
capitalist and philanthropist erected bank build
ing on the plan of a wire rattrap, baited it with
$4,000 in cash, and caught every burglar in
town: and now comes another story, which, though
il may not exhibit the real depth of genius dis
plaved by Mr.. Weatherlow, duplicates more per-
sons and shows that the same subtilty of mind
extends everywhere in the city.
As the reader may very likely know, the Falls
of Minnehaha have for some years been included
in the geographical limits Of Minneapolis. St.
Paul tried to get them, but Minneapolis was too
ouiclk for her OF course we need not refer TO
the fact that Mr.. Longfellow, i'll his staccato poem
of Hif yatha," refers frequently to Minnehaha.
The noble red man had much TO do with the
Falls In an early day, though he never used them
in the way which they would have doubtless been
the most beneficial to him, namely, as a shower
bath Formerly the romantic Falls of Minnchaha
consisted of a twelve-inch stream Of water. Later
il shrank to six inches, and finally TO less than
two inches, the stream being little bigger than
that discharged by garden hose This robbed
Minnehaha of much of its beauty. People took
visitors there to see the Falls and frequently found
no water at all IT was humiliating to be Obliged
to explain that a cow was probably drinking some
where upstream. Then perhaps party OF small
| boys would scare the cow away and plunge in for
a swim in some deep pool and raise the torrent
n. Il
| 4 wide-awake hotel proprietor in the ncighbor-
| hood hired a man to pump water from a
well into the stream a few rods above the Falls
whenever he saw visitors coming, but neighbor-
ing beer saloon had potent charms for the man
| and his pumping was irregular and uncertain
Besides, the pump squeakcd and only discharged
| wate.> while the handle was being forced down.
which made the Fails appear to sop over and then
| cease and then slop over again. and so on. A
| Boston young lady who tried TO read L" IIiawatha
at the foot of the Falls found il most unsatiSfac-
tory. The action OF Minnehaha," she wrote "a
her friends is peculiar Two quarts of water
come over every ten seconds think that Long.
| fellow must have got the hint for his metre from
| the Falls themselves"
Finally last week the Minneapolis City Council
took up the matter. 1t was brought forward by
Alderman O'Flynn, of the Second Ward, VIII,
| spoke feelingly of the decadence of the "nobl,
| Falls Of Mnnehaha, discovered by the early ex
| plorer LongfellOw,' and moved that some actor
be taken 10 restore them 70 their former beaut,
and grandeur. Remarks were made by Alder
men Rafferty,, Oeson, Murphy, Bjorllson, O'Grad,
and LindqustSon, and various plans were pre
sented IL was finally decided 10 turn siX-incl
stream from the city water mains into Minnehab;
Creek one-half mile above the Falls. the same I.
run between the hours Of 3 a. m. and D. m. an,
the city engineer was empowered TO carry out tb
plans The work was soon completed, and tier
was q grand opening of Minnehaha Falls on Tn
afternoon of the Fourth. There were two bras
bands present and Alderman Morarty read tn
Declaration OF Independence, after wh1h Alder
man Bogstieson recited portions Of IIiawatha
In clear. saEarlke voice The stream was stron