The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-06

cycle path than between Minneapolis and
st. Paul and Chicago, and the route. IS
one over which people want to travel
In the summer season many thousands
seek the Northwest for sport or rest. II
is this class who will be gratified to Know
that a new route has been mapped out
obYiating the difficulties Which made the
former route impracticable. II the IA. "A.
w. does not move in this matter 1t Will
be pushed by coterie of Minneapolis
wheelmen, who will seek cooperation
from other clubs
= FORMER ROUTE TOO ROUGH.
The path. project. received a decided
backset VIXEN the L. A w. plan failed
last spring but this does not necessarily
mean that the path win not be built. Inc
L. A. w. canlearn from the mistake and
start out the coming season on.a. more
practical basis. The failure appeared to
be due largely to lack of familiarity
with the geography of the territory be-
tween Minneapolis and Chicago. A route
was selected--on paper-which any travel
ing man or engineer could have told at
glance would be impossible. In demon
stration of this a Minneapolis newspaper
sent a man over the route aWheel ana
his verdict was negative.
The impractical bility was due to two
unfavorabIe conditions. A cycle path
must pass through a reasonably level
country, and it must pass through re-
gion where it will receive local support.
Both of these conditions were wanting
through about 200 miles of the Il. A. w.
route
From the Falls of ST. Anthony at Min
neapolis almost to ST. Louis the Missis-
sippi river flows between high hills. At
places the bluffs froWn directly upon the
water; at other times they are separated
from the river by wide bottom lands.
For the most part these hills are cut by
broken
land for many miles back from the river.
This Is especially true of Southwestern
Wisconsin and Northwestern Illinois
the toughest section in two states Yet
the l.. A W path was laid out to cross
the river at. Prairie du Chen, and
plunge directly into this rough country
making for Madison and Milwaukee.
This part of the route was impossible.
PLAN TO USE CANAL BANK.
cycle path between Minneapolis and
Chicago must be so laid out as to enter
and leave the Mississippi valley at some
point where the hills are easily passable.
In addition there must be local support
for the protector the expense of &C path
in and out of the valley will be consider
able under the best conditions,
1t is believed that there is only one
place that fulf1lls these requirements.
Many years ago Uncle Sam decided to
build a waterway TO connect the Missis-
sippi and Illinois rivers. The route SCI
lected was between Rock Island, on the
Mississippi, and Hennepin, at the great
bend of the Illinois. There was the low
est divide" This canal is now partially
completed. Like ali canals it follows the
easiest grade possible. Its banks would
furnish the route for a cycle path out of
the Mississippi valley.
Adopting the Hennenin canal plan as the
key to the situation, the route or the
~ MI
shapes itself naturally. The accompany
ing outline map shows the logical route.
1t might be varied in detail, but it is GER
tain that, starting from the Twin Cities,
the path would follow southeastward
through the cities of Mortified, Fart
! bault, Owatonna and Austin, MINI. This
/ was a part of the l.. A. w. route and
was found extremely desirable Near
! Austin are the headWaters Of the Cedar
! river, which follows a southeastern
! course to within twenty-five miles of Dav-
EXPORT. There is the natural route along
| a water grade. The natural course would
! be through Usage, Charles City, Waverly
| Waterloo and Cedar Rapids to Davenport
and Rock Island. East of Rock Island and
! Moline, the ''towpath" of the Hennepin
! canal is already used for some distance
as a cycle path. There appears no rea-
/ son why the government would not give
| permission for its use for the entire dis
| ldnGS " IAiS-1lllt4OlS IlHSI-ItlS congress-
| men Of the three states could be depended
upon to see to that. And from Hennepin
to Chicago there is again a water grade
and no obstacles to easy path building.
GRADES APPEAR TO BE EASY.
The physical conditions along this route
are nearly perfect. Through Minnesota
the grades are easy, the soil excellently
adapted to pathbuilding, and the country
1 pleasant. Much the same conditions are
found along the Cedar valley in Iowa, ex-
eept that the soil gradually becomes
more greasy" as one journeys south
ward, Whereas, in some parts of Min
nesota, clay would have to be mixed
with sand to make the path good, in
Iowa sand would have to be hauled in
to reduce the loan to the right consist
.eney. -i.oia.4 -
The entrance to the Mississippi valley
at davenport would be almost ideal At
almost any other place there would be
miles Of rough country, but at Davenport
one can even now ride wheel up Bridge
street to Locust, and after short climb
~ j. 4 1aF