The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-13
UP TRE BIG FORK RIVER
CHIEF FIRE WARDEN ANDREWS
TELLS OF A LITTLE KNOWN
MINNESOTA STREAM
BANKS COVERED WITH TIMBER
Much Good Agricultural Lands, but
the River OverfIows Some of
It-An International
Waterway.

The forest preservation law of Mime
sofa makes it the duty Of the chief fire
warden to investigate the extent of the
forests in the state" and in pursuance of
this, Gen. c. c. Andrews has just com
pleted a trip down the whole course of
the Big Fork river, in regard to which
he has furnished the following to the
GIobe:
ood Ihat there should be in our state a river
| o9o miles long, with denseIy wooded
ShoreS scarcely known to the public. ia
a StTlkIng indication of Minnesota's unde-
ueIoPed resources. This is the Big Fork,
stfeam everywhere crooked, which
taxes its rise in the little Bow String
IaKe makes two great bends, one west
arlo anu one one east, and with generally north
q II u!fecIlon traVerSeS thirty different
Rainy river Will
My trip down the whole course of the
Pig fork occupied from May 25 to June
the the extreme low stage of the water-the
lowest any one emembers-inyolved
dnuch a1lds, labor for the whole party. The
average depth now is about a foot
Inc river has an average width of 150
7 Ieet, ana assumes and maintains large
RPIopoF!ons Immediately on leaving Big
PtoWstrlng Pow ccI1g lake. There are two impor.
tant falls, one over traprock in town
snip o. range Is, the other called St11r-
geon Tails, over granite in the southea CT
corner OF township 155, range 25. and verv
inahy LA rapids; There are also two pine
iiog Jams which, like the falls, had to
The surface of the country, while gen
9ara;3+,I 9Fallg ,Ieyel, is slightly undulated Ap-
IS fifteen feet. They are very seldom
! less than ten feet, and there are places
re3chlng an elevation of fifty feet 4
me dtiiIe or Two back from the river on each
GIlTf1nn ic IicOl
IS noteworthy that for the entire Length
OF the river the soil is a loan with a
4T[rong Td mixture of clay and very sticky.
saving that the soil is fertile. Tndead
the eXuberance of vegetation affords
overwhelming proof of the soils fertility.
ana ana nor od IN IN spots, but everywhere Along
upper part, are fine strips of meadow
with rank growth of red-top and blue.
J9rRt ont grass excellent for forage.
hei,, ne WOODS are simply astonishing for
pelhg so continuous and dense, and COW
erlng every acre that Is not meadow. The
poplar predominates both white and balm
oI GLead. Spruce, balsam, birch, cedar
two feet in diameter and cedar three faef
IN diameter. Every few miles are e-rowf he
Oh Whlte and Norway pine occupyine al
thg Mh@gs Ihe hlghest elevations. In fact
tneFe is wall of forest on each side of
tehe river which, in its present fresh
Ionage with every shade of green inter
n1aSeo NIX ana crowned with scattered pima
is prOfusion of underground fnclu1ino, q,
the hazel and alder. The white blossom
OF the hlghbush cranberry and the annie
tioFIl peep through here and there and
Jhe White Towering kinnekinick makes a
beautiful border A09 d
Sklmming this splendid river with a
VISTA mere and there for quite a distance,
ana with such noble virgin forest on
each side and flood of sunlight above one
nWardly feels more than he can exnrees
of natures majesty
The country being fertile and open to
settlement L wondered why more settlers
l1j3 mad not come in to occupy the land
There are very few actual settlers I met
with not over dozen on the public land,
among whom were Frank BrusewitZ Of
town $50, range 25. postofflce, Deed River,
Mr.. VALLEY, William DerIng and Dan
Campbell at Sturgeon Fails, postoffiee, post ss,
Big FORK. Ontario, and George Schram
ana ana brother, of township 157, range 25,
postoffice, Big Fork, Ont All testified
to the bountiful yield of crops.
Same is fairly plenty. AS many as
seen on the river banks. Ducks and par
tr1dges are numerous, as also such birds
as the robin and meadow lark
Inc Big Fork is a noble river and will
play an important part in Minnesota's s
future; but on visiting his home country
and making close inquiries about his
character it Is found, alas! that he has
one bad habit-that of overf1oWine his
banks, or some of his banks, once about
every nine years His waters are some
times fifteen feet higher than at present
which would be a drawback to the oc-
ccupancy for farming purposes of a por-
ton OF the adjacent lands.
This river connects with an important
international navigable route-the Rainy
river and Lake of the Woods-and it
would be well to have it surveyed by the
United States engineers to ascertain what
Improvement of its navigation would be
advisable, whether the construction of
dams at some of its lake outlets would
be eXpedient for holding back its surplus
water and thereby lessening it's liability to
overflow, or what other Improvement. if
any would promote the agricultural de-
Velopment OF the country.
Ihe state owns large amount of school
and swamp lands in this region the value
OF which would be increased if they could
become available for agriculture. If there
are lands which, from the rivers overflow
Will not be suitable for agriculture they
certainly can be utilized for forest re-
serves.
The Minnesota bank of the Rainy River
from the Big Fork to Lake of the Woods
has gradual slope, is from fifteen to
twenty feet high and covered with a
thick. young growth of deciduous forest,
principally poplar. The soil is well adapt
ed for agriculture, but scarcely any of it
is yet under cultivation. On the Canada
side opposite, however, are frequently
homestead settlements and an occasional
village.