River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-03-22

/ tiyes are said TO favor the scheme as well,
/ WITH the exception of Congressman Baldwin.
who ua uraly thinks that IL would hurt
Duluth by practically making st. Paul and
Minneapolis the head Of navigation Of the
/ great lakes
At a recent meeting of the st. Paul cham
/ Der Mr.. Suydam presented partial report
Of the special committee, which covers the
ground up TO the present very thor
oughly. In substance the report states:
In the lasS congress the senate adopted
the following amendment to the river and
/ harbor bill, but the same failed TO be
passed by the house. namely: For eXamina-
/ ton and survey for the location OF canal
4 connecting Lake Superior and the Missis-
! sippi river, $4,000; and the engineers max
/ Ing said examination and survey shall re-
port the most feasible route for such canal,
| either by way of st. Crolx. Rum or upper
Mississippi rivers" bill introduced by
/ Representative kiefer asking for a similar
4 appropriation and survey is now before
/ congress, .and its success will depend very
much upon the interest manifested for IL
/ by the press and the people Of the North
west. 1t Is the experience Of the best and
greatest Of projects TO meet with opposi-
4 ton at first, even by those who are 10 be
benefited by them. difference in altitude
however, between the lake and the river
cuts no very important ngure. the prae-
ticability OF a canal depends on whether
enough water TO feed II can be obtained at
the point OF highest elevation between the
lake and the river Maj. w. A. Jones. OF
the corps of United States engineers, who
for many years has had charge Of the nav
igabe waterways and works in Central
and Northern Minnesota, has stated that
canal between Lake Superior and the Mis-
sissippi river is practicable. 1t requires a
careful survey. however, to determine the
most feasible route.
In 1878 the state of Minnesota expended
about SO. 900 In surveys OF different routes
for such a canal made by l.. h. Stannard
OF Tay.or's Falls and r. X. Davis OF still
water. Though encouraging. the surveys
were not elaborate enough to determine
which was the most feasible route How
ever, congress would not be lkely 10 aci
upon any survey unless made by United
States engineers. Uniting IL would two
such great bodies OF water, the work
would be pre-eminently national. canal IS
contemplated OF capacity for vessels that
can navigate the lake. IL such a canal
were 20 strike the Mississippi above or be
low the Twin Cities then unquestiOnably
the Mississippi would have 10 be cana.ized
from Its junction with the canal to the said
cities.
the people Of Minnesota would save S3,OOO,-
600 annually the single Item Of coal
Not only would IL afford immense saving TO
zion in all lines Of heavy traffic, but Its
Indirect benefits would be great II would
lead to an increased saving and storage OF
water by reservoirs, which would improve
river navigation and lessen damage from
foundation.
The Miami canal. from Toledo to Cincin-
natl, is with its feeders. 2S2 miles long;
and one OF its incidental benefits Is that the
water power furnished by its lorks mas
developed manufacturing Industry EN-
| ploying a capital OF over s-5O.ODVuo ONO
has cighty-three counties. yet the twenty
seven counties crossed by the canal com
prise more than half the wealth or the
state. The United States Is still a great
property holder I'm Minnesota. Ii still holds
IL 600 600 acres of lands in Northern Min
nesota, mostly pine forest, which, II prop,
erly administered should be a continual
source of income. canal would make the
DrOperty more valuable.
OF course IT Is not expected that any such
/ in any one year on the work contemplated
as to emoarrass the treasury; but IL could
be carried on gradually and economically
and in time II would be finished.
Under the act Of the legislature or 1870
the canal commission appointed reported on
three routes. all connecting Lake superior
and the St Croix river. The report OF tne
Commission as to the three routes was as
follows: -, .No c.
Cr1ix river, from the da!les at Taylor's
Falls to the mouth OF the Nalneca goh
river. thence up Inc 70 S ,hn wasers
OF the White river or some stream TO be
ascertaIned to be most feasible for water
route to the waters Of Lake Superior
amined by way Of the St Croix river TO
upper st. Croix lake, thence across the sum
NIT TO the head waters OF the Bols btuie
river TO Lake Superior.
Third-A third route should be tx. tx,
omined by way OF the ~ Or1ia Flse ~ ~ K ,se
tie river up Moose river to Moose lake.
thence to Hanging Horns lake, thence across
the divide to the waters Of Left Hand river.
OF these routes the chamber OF commence
committee. consisting OF James Suy uhhn, -,
@. Andrews and H. w Kundiett, NE n'u
debted to the committee for the accompany
ing cut.
The commission on examination OF me
first OF these routes. which Is gwen az -.
5 in the cut reported in substance tnat
canal could be made on the west slue o.
the ST. CroIx river from the foot OF Iay-o,
- FrnfV
through the town of Taylor's Falls. us
lance OF one and one-quarter miles; -
large dam would be needed at the heau %
ST Croix falls and one or two locks at
the foot OF TaylOT's falls. Another aam
with a lock therein would De relui ,,n a.
Big Rock rapids. From the head 81 pooul ~
RAPIDS to Yellow Pine rapids distance o.
twelve miles, the river Is from lJo 70 80
yards wide. and with very httie eApsns,
could be navlgated with steam or Va~i
vessels dam with a lock wouid ne heSes-
eary at Yellow Pine rapids. ana also ua,h
and a lock at Baltimore rapids The het,ie
river rapids on the st. Croix woulu require
al least three dams. with locks 10 make II
nayigable From the head of the rapids 10
the State Line rapids, twenty miles pHt
very little expense would De needeu 10 mAhs
afrord hack water 10 the mouth Of Nameca-
gon The swIftness OF the current IN the
| latter river would require nine OF zen uanls
with locks to be made practicable Tor nav
igatfon. The report shows that an abuh-
| dance OF water could be had on the sum
/ NIT on this route A canal would nave 70
he from Nameca gon lake TO Hemlock iake
one mile long a lake having its outlet into
White river, flowing into Lake superior.
and a dam would be required AZ tne 100 100
~ uamIock lake White river. from this
/ point Is navigable for fifteen miles. ana
| Then there Is twelve miles OF rapids Prom
| the foot OF twelve mile rapids TO the mead
/ ~ Corcogiu slough the river Is navigaDie
| for HINT draft vessels At this point
/ dam would be needed TO make this slough
uayfrabIe ten mile. to Ashland, making the
total distance from Taylor's Falls to Lake
/ Superior, $50 miles.
Thu second route. No. In the cut, was
slso examined by the commission. which re-
/ ported that the st. Crolx river from tne
,rnnnth ~ the Namecagon to Copper Mine
ranIds twelve miles. IS fair stream and
good banks Dams would be required 70
| eow out some Of the rapids. An artlncisi