The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-19


Route.
Yesterday was swamp day in the
Duluth & Iron Range railroad land
grant henring at the office of Kellogg
Davis & Severance. The evidence for
the state was concluded with a ses-
sion Of inquiry on the part Of the road
into the extent, nature and drainage
possibilities of the swamps along the
line surveyed by the state between the
Duluth & Iron range terminals and
upon which the claim by the state for
the forfeiture CT the roads land grant
is principally based. At the close Of
the afternoon session the hearing was
adjourned until 10 a. n. next Monday,
when the road will commence the intro
duction Of testimony tending to show
that 1t would not hive been feasible
I'd construct railroad along the route
indicated by the state survey.
&. II. Stone, who assisted In the
state survey. was ON the stand during
the morning session and the greater
part Of the Afternoon undergoing a
searching cross examination on the
part Of Attorney Frank Kellogg on the
all-important swamp question. The
contention Of the state is that the
survey were practically only moist
spots, which would present no mate
rial difficulties in the construction Of
railroad, and especially susceptible
TO drainage. From the point of view
taken by Attorney Kellogg. the swamps
and muskegs in question are almost
impossible morasses teeming with en-
gineering difficulties. Following the
line of his cross-examination, it was
dithcult TO understand how the survey
ors who had gone over The short line
route had escaped without malaria and
all the kinds Of swamp fever known TO
science. Mr.. Stone was an elderly man
and was almost exhausted in figuring
out the steady stream of technical
questions poured in by the attorney for
the road.
One swamp in particular in the vlcin-
ity Of the Little Cloquet river came in
for thorough overhauling. In his tes-
timony the witness referred to an ex-
pioration trip he had made to the Lit
tie Cloquet in the summer of 1897
Have you the notes covering that
trip" demanded Mr.. Kellogg.
Yes, sir"
Where are they?"
II have them here, but I cannot
make anything out of them with this
! excitement that you are trying to keep
\ me under"
I
| the witness, and the testimony drifted
/ back into the former channel. All OF
! the nineteen miles of different kinds
/ of swamp on the state line were gone
! over in detail and the drainage prob
! lem was discussed at length. The
/ character of the land, length of the
| bitches and the depth of the water in
/ each were points touched upon by Mr.
! Kellogg most forcibly.
How much swamp does your line
cross at Bassett's Iake?" he asked
About 1900 feet" responded the
witness.
you have stated you would put in
a sixtyfour foot bridge?"
That was only for the creek"
What would you do with the rest
| OF the swamp"
Fill it in just as the Duluth & Iron
Enge has"
IF that swamp is between twenty
| five and forty feet deep. and. If, on the
| shorter Iron Range crossing, there are
thirty foot sink holes. would you still
I regard your crossing as the best?"
! 4 could probably find better places 4"
i As a matter Of fact. does not your
railroad at this point run across "a lake
that could not be crossed at alp
Il don't know that 1t does"
Did not you say that the swamp
/ could he easily drained?"
II thought II was slough. That is
what we called 1t. 1t was frozen over
{ when I crossed It"
1t is lake. IS it not?'
The note book says it is a shallow
lake. 1t was provided for with a 300
foot bridge
DO you know the depth?"
Il sounded twelve feet myself with
! out finding bottom"
For miles on each side of the track
is there not a dead level swamp not
I easy to get around?''
I'VE would have 10 go a long dis
lance to gel around it"
How would you drain it?
Il would put bitches on both sides of
The embsniment."
DO you pretend TO say" demanded
Mr. Kellogg that the swamp can be
Z drained by any kind Of bitches? >"
1T can be drained enough" respond
ed the witness
In that black muck can you build
a ditch that will keep its shape?"
II is possible by making 1t wide
/ enough"
Alter you get below the crust
would not the soft mud flow in and
nh the ditch?''
1T would he necessary TO keep the
ditch cleaned out"
Here the attention Of the witness was
called 10 a swamp at map section $3.50
which he stated extended a long dis
lance on both sides OF the proposed
+ line. He did not know If there was
any dry ground in sight on either side
4 hut was certain that il would be pos
sihle to dispose OF the difficulty by
! crossing at another place than that in
dicated on the map. A half-mie either
10 the east or west would be better
places. Another swamp was at map
section s7Sg, extending about LOCO feet
and with sn 1.S0o-foot swamp in the
immediate vicinity.
How many miles OF swamp is there
on your line north OF Bassetts lake;
isn't it % per cent swamp inquired
Mr. Kellogg
Il did not figure out the percentage
but l think4}there is about twelve
miles" was the response.
What has been the usual effect OF
clearing off the timber on the right OF
way of a road in regard to its effect
| upon the moisture" asked Attorney
| General Childs on redirect examina-
| ton.
Have you been over the line of the
/ Bassett's lake?"
Yes, sir"
DO You know whether the road
| crosses swamps and muskegs of the
same general character as on the line
surveyed by you?'
Eyes, sir
Robert Angst. chief engineer of the
! Duluth & Iron Range road. was the
! last witness called by the state. His
the swamp conditions along the line OF
the Iron Range
How much swamp does your line
| cross between Two Harbors and Bas-
| sett's lake," inquired the attorney gen.
| eral