The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-19
LEAVE FOR THE NORTH
TODAY
VIA DULUTH TO PoKEGAMA,
THENCE BY STEAMER THROUGH
THE BIG RESERVOIRS OF
THE MISSISSIPPI
FLOOD DAMAGE AND FLowAGE
Will Be Very Thoroughly Inquired
Into by the subcommittee on
Commerce.

The United States senate subcom-
nittee appointed to examine the reser-
voirs on the upper Mississippi, leaves
this morning on it's mission.
Senator Nelson, of Minnesota, the
chairman of the committee, was an
early arrival at the rendezvous, the
Merchants hotel, yesterday afternoon,
and little later Senator Berry, of Ar
kansas, and Senator Mcbride of Ore
gon, put in an appearance; Senator'S
Gallinger, Of New Hampshire, and CAT
frey, of Louisiana, will be here by this
morning. Senator Nelson said to a
G o b e reporter that he had received
word from Senator Vest, Of Missouri,
that he could not be present, owing to
illness, and Senator Elkins. of West Vir-
giria writes that he will also be alb
sent owing to important personal bust
ness.
Capt. F. V. Abbot, the United States
engineer in charge of this district, will
be one of the party, and stenographer
will be taken along to report the pro-
ceedings of the trip.
The committee will leave on a st.
Paul and Duluth train at o'clock for
Duluth, thence by the Duluth & Win
nipeg to Grand Rapids, where they will
embark on the new government steam
boat for a tour of inspection Of the res
ervoirs in that vicinity. There are five
of these, and one more is now being
built They consist of dams on the
Mississippi, or the tributary streams,
constructed for the purpose of holding
back the high water during time of
food, allowing it to escape when the
water has partially receded. The COM
mittee will not only investigate as to
the condition of the reservoirs, but Will
make such suggestions as may be de-
cided upon to further reduce the dam
age by floods, and will also look into
the charges made that the dams are
working an injury to the natives Of
that country by reason of the flowage.
Senator Nelson stated that he expect
ed they would return from their trip
by the last of this week, and that they
would then leave for st. Louis, to make
a more extended trip up the Missouri
river. After that they will probably go
down the Mississippi to its mouth, in
case the yellow fever epidemic has sub
sided by that time.
In it's report to the senate, the COM
mittee is given considerable scope, and
will make such other recommendations,
regarding the irrigation of the terri
tory tributary to these rivers by means
of canals and bitches, the navigation OF
the rivers, etc, which will probably re-
suit in having a good-siZed appropria-
ton made for the purpose of making
improvements in the Northwest.
The committee held an informal
meeting last evening at the Merchants
to map out the itinerary of their trip.
Senators Nelson, Mcbride, Berry and
Gallinger being present. A telegram
was received from Senator Caffrey say
ing that he had escaped the yellow
fever quarantine of louisiana; he is
now in Washington and will meet the
PARTY in Duluth. The committee en-
gagged w M. Highs, of st. Paul, as
stenographer, to accompany them.
Congressman Page Morris. of Duluth,
came down to confer with the COM
mittee and will accompany it on the
trip Judge Morris is well acquainted
with the situation and expressed the
belief that one or two more dams are
a necessity. The people have made
some complaints by reason of the flow
age and he thinks additional dams
would relieve this