The Saint Paul globe., 1897-04-29
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RESERVOIRS
COL. JONES SAYS, PREVENTED
DISASTROUS FLOODS
HAS BEEN UP THE RIVER
SURVEYING CREW REPORTS ON
FEASIBILF fly OF RESERVOIR
ON UPPER CROW WING.
an Addition to the North
ern Fleet

Col. w. A. Jones, of the United States
engineer corps, in charge Of the upper
Mississippi system of reservoirs, has
returned to ST. Paul after a weeks car
full investigation Of the reservoir sys-
tenn. Incidentally Col Jones super
vised the trial Of the new government
steamer built for use on the upper
Mississippi.
'The reservoir system of the upper
Mississippi has this year prevented
one of the most disastrous floods which
ever threatened this section Of the Mis-
sissippi valley remarked the colonel
to reporter for the G / b last night
at his residence.
Let me see," continued the colonel,
II believe the water at ST. Paul rose
to stage of about 1876 feet. 1 believe
that had it not been for the reservoirs
in the northern portion Of the state
that the water would have been from
two to three and a half feet higher
in st. Paul, and would have passed
any mark yet established. Had this
taken place, you can easily imagine
the damage which would have ensued.
AS it is, all this surplus of water which
would otherwise have wrought havoc
and ruin, is being held up there and
will be sent down this fall when the
river becomes too low for navigat ton
The reservoirs are full and there will
be no lack Of water The Sandy Lake
reservoir has overf1owed its banks, but
there Will be no great damage done
The dam at the Winnebagoshish holds
pack more water this year than in any
other wear of its career. This years
work of the reservoir system ought to
convince any one of the great value
of these improvements
Col. Jones has received repOrts from
all OF his assistants all along the line
OF reservoirs and everything is said
to be in excellent condition. Guards
are constantly watching the most ex-
posed places and any change in the
level Of water will be noted instantly
however it is not now believed that
there will be any sudden rise The
snow is all off the ground and all the
water from the snow has flowed down
into the reservoirs.
Col. Jones says that the flood This
year was caused exclusively from the
melting snow and it is the first tina
WITHIN his recollection that this has
peen the case. AS a usual thing the
moods are occasioned by the spring
rams Thls year spring has come
d and gone without the usual rains, and
Col. Jones says he does not heUava
there will be any continuous rains in
May. However, he says, it is not safe
10 make any definite predictions Ex
pefts say that had there been rain in
ADDITION to the melting snow the foods
would have been attended by frightful
results. sI//ts -
Col Tomas ,.o,,~,.4s15,.
commenced on the repairs to the crew
asse around the Pine river reservoir
near Aitkin. The crevasse was formed
curing the floods of last year The re-
pairs will probably cost in the neigh
borhood of $4,000. The surveying crew
dispatched by Col Jones in behalf Of
the government into the Upper Crow
Wing river country, to determine tha
Feasibility of establishing a new reser
Volr In that district, has returned. The
report or the surveyors is very favor
ap!e. 1t is now believed that a reser-
xoir established in the Upper Crow
wing district would hold tremendous
flood of water and store up lust that
much more which would otherwise g1
TO waste A full report will be made
TO the government with Col. Jones' rec
concentrations.
am very much impressed with the
rapldlty with which the upper Missis-
sIppl country is settling up" remarked
Col Jones. Along the MississiDni
| river especially there are scores of peo-
pie taking up claims and building
houses. A few years ago this country
was wilderness. There is consider
able boating on the river. Grand
RAPIDS has grown from a hamlet to a
prosperous little city. One is IMPRESSED
with the splendid character of the peo-
pie. 1t is Mecca for the sportsman"
Ihe new government steamboat
Wh1cn Col. Jones saw put into service
was launched at Pokegama Falls. The
trial trip proved that the new boat
nils the bill to dot, and is admirably
adapted for the work of carrying sun
plles and materials to the government
dams of the great Pokegama and Win
nehagoshish reservoirs The latter is
in the midst of the Chippewa Indian
reservations and is reached through
a portion of the Mississippi that floats
conSldefa DIE traff1c. There are five
steamers in the fleet, this new one he
ing " feet long over all, and seventeen
feet breadth of beam. It's fortv-horsa
power engine, boiler, cabin. kitchen
and crews quarters occupy part of the
lower deck, while the dining room
state rooms, etc, are on the upper
deck, aft Of the pilot house. II draws
ordinarily only fourteen inches of wa
ter, and its heaviest load would moi
require more than enighteen inches
Col. Jones has named the steamer the
General Poe in honor of a brave Of
fcer, who gave his life for the Union
This steamer was built under the su-
pervision of United States Assistant
Engineer r. Davenport 1t is onlv
one-haf the size of the United States
steamer Kate, which was built at Pox.
egama Falls in 1882, by Capt. William
Boswell, and made the trip from Poke.
CANA 5 Fails to the head of Cass lake.
$50 miles, in July, 1892 That first an,
pearance Of steamer in the Chippe-
was "Windego land" (or Land Of the
Evil SpiriD caused a great deal of sur
prise and amazement among the IN
dams
The Gen. Pope is stern-wheeler
built of strong, though not heavy. tim
bers, and of red cedar from the lower
deck to the roof Its finishings in the
natural color Of the wood make tbe
boat very attractive to the eve. and in
the combination Of beauty and snee5
the craft stands at the head of the
Northern fleets