The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-02
ON NORTHERN BOUNDARY
SEAT OF INDIAN TROUBLE DE-
sCRIBED BY j. A. WE.


J. A. wye, Of the state experimental
station, thus describes the scene of the
Indian troubles in a recent letter:
AT the head of navigation on the Rainy
river are Koochching on the American
side and Fort Francis on the Canadian
side. Here are the Koochiching falls. one
of the best natural waterfalls 1 ever
saw This fall is over a base of solid
rock and the channel is very narrow, at
one point being hemmed in on either
side by a ridge of rock, which makes a
perfect dam. All that is necessary to
conserve the power is to dam the mar
row channel and put in pipe or hume
to convey the water to a wheel.
About twenty-five years ago the Cana
dian government spent nearly $685. 900
cutting q channel through the solid rock,
expecting to put in a lock and make nav
igation possible from Rat Portage across
Rainy lake During the progress of the
work the government changed hands, the
channel almost completed was left I'M
finished, and stands today as 1t was left
twenty-five years ago. A little more
blasting would open up the channel suff1-
GENTLY to make it available for a aume
in which to set the water wheels. and
thus provide the most substantial ar
rangement possible The people are hop
ing that some day capital may be n
Guced to take advantage Of this natural
power and use it for pulp mill, -four
mill or saw mill. The new railroad from
Winnipeg to Port Arthur, now nearly
completed from Winnipeg to the Rainy
river, crossing about fifty miles down
from Fort Francis is sure to be a great
blessing to this country on the Canadian
sid2 but il will not tend to develop the
American side much. The tariff pre-
cludes. The Canadians seem very proud
Of their country along the Rainy river,
and some are not slow to make invidious
comparisons, for the American side is for
the most part in an undeveloped state.
Yet about all the agricultural land there
is on the Canadian side is narrow strip
along the river. The information was
vouched for by a surveyor who had
Travelled extensively over the entire dis
trict Most of the land, however, is wet
and unit for cultivation until drained.
What has been fitted for cultivation pro-
duces abundantiy; grasses, clover and
forage crops do well, and it seems
nicely adapted to stock industries. Veg
etables do well. In fact the gardens at
KOochiching, although very dry, would
be credit to many a farmer in this sec
ton of the state. Good prices can be
obtained for all agricultural products,
provided there is not an overproduction.
At present the demand is greater than
tn, supply. Following are some of the
prices at Koochiching June IA. 1900: Eggs,
% cents; potatoes, IS cents; wheat 60
cents; beans, SIS; hay, $40; salt pork, 10
cents; bacon, IA cents; ham. Is cents;
butter, % cents Supply always made
quate); patent flour, made at KeWatin,
$3.50 per sack.
There are two things that Northern
Minnesota needs before it's development
can amount to much, VIZ: Transporta-
ton facilities and drainage At present
this territory is completely shut off from
reasonable transportation facilities.
There are but two ways of getting in,
the first and best route via Winnipeg,
Rat Portage and the Rainy River Navi-
cation company across Lake of the
Woods and up the Rainy river. This IS
a long and expensive course. 1t is the
only freight route, and costs 212 cents
per pound from st. Paul The second
route is via Tower across Lake Vermil-
lion, across a twenty-siX-n portage,
again across several lakes to Kittle river
falls, around the falls, and another boat
to koochichIng. This latter route is the
American. mail route, but Is not feasible
for freight, and the passenger who at
temptS this way must not expect the
comforts of a Pullman car. An Ameri-
can railroad is very much wanted, but a
passable wagon road from Hibbing to
this section would be a great factor for
its development, and would seem to be a
commcndable subject for state aid.
Drainage is said to be very feasible.
The river banks are high and the problem
is to get a channel of sufficient capacity
to carry the surface water through to the
numerous streams. 1t may be said In
this connection that the great majority
of the streams flowing into the Rainy
river are from the south. This is SO
much so that one is often led to remark
that there are no streams flowing into the
Rainy from the north. Good land good
water, plenty of timber, plenty of game
and fish, and much of the land can be
had free.
At Koochiching we were most pleasantly
entertained by Mr.. Jamison, editor of the
Border Budget, and Mr. Heller, deputy
collector Of customs. Friday morning at
$50 we started across Rainy lake for Kit
tie River Falls on the American boat Sea
Gull, owned and operated by Messrs
Randolph & Son. We stopped at what
was once Rainy Lake City, which at one
time was good-sized. Furnishing place
the seat Of the Little American gold mine.
Here hundreds of people came, pitched
their tents and hoped to get rich. The
lily 10 OAl d iOShy GILL anu the GOLD mine
is across the bay on an island. All the
machinery for crushing the rock and TAX
Ing out the gold is apparently Just as 1t
was left several years ago. The city Is
mere designation on the map. The
postmaster is about the only inhabitant,
and the Office is to be discontinued. Al
p m. we reached the falls, and. walk
ing around them, took another and small
er boat, the Winnifred Hayes. at $40 n
m. for Harding, postof1ce and stoppine
place thirty miles up the river and lake
The scenery along this route is mos
beautiful. You pass through a succession,
OF small lakes and little inlets heavily
wooded on either side with nine anS
spruce, and in many places there are
nigh stone walls on either side. At one
point the distance between the sides oi
the channel is SO small that YOU can toucF
the rocks while standing on the boat
winding your course through these MANY
passages one suddenly comes into NamaIi.
Ken narrows, which is one and a ouarte,
miles long, and picturesque its entirf
length 1t is the Dalles of ST. Croix
heightened out, only more beautiful. W.
wanted to get out and camp then anf
there, but We couldn't.