The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-02


fork, and he can't do IL any better than
'hsy can.
that once was covered with wild cram
berries. These berries were burned
out in dry year and efforts to re-
vive the marsh have been conducted
on SO small a scale that they have
water can be taken from the upper
dam and the entire 10000 acres be
restored to cranberry raising. The
necessary engineering has not yet been
done to prove this, but 1t is considered
as possibility that would dwarf the
other scheme into insignifcance.
These large sWamps along the St.
Croix river are kept wet by reason OF
the springs which flow out from the
banks. It has been demonstrated that
| a ditch which can be made to catch
this flow Of spring water will conduct
it to the river and prevent any more
water getting into the main swamp
except that which will come from
rainfall. This will dry up the swamp
and make accessible a great deal Of
valuable timber.
The swamp being so large, 1t Is
practically level, altho the fall from
| the foot Of the bank to the river is
about fifteen feet where the swamp is
the widest. This would make a fall
of about one foot in every forty rods.
The laying out Of this swamp in ten
acre tracts surrounded with the
requisite bitches makes it possible to
have each cranberry field as level as
a barn floor, and being SO high above
| the rivers, makes a backup overflow
an impossibility, insuring complete
protection from frost during the blos-
| soming period.
| Actual Work Commenced.
| Work on the Arst main ditch across
| the swamp is In progress. It shows
that the foundation on which the
swamp rests is black clay, above
which is thin layer Of yellow clay
and sand, the whole covered with
deposit Of decayed leaves ana wood
mixed with spring water, forming
| thin muck from five to ten feet deep.
| Over this Is a growth OF moss some
/ times a foot or more in thickness.
Standing in this moss and muck Is
i wilderness Of trees Of many kinds.
i White cedar balsan, spruce, tam
arack and ash predominant.
Where the ground has hardened
; some the white pine is found, also
elm, oak, Eastwood, poplar and even
!. hard maple. Innumerable little spring
brooks. run thru the swamp. most OF
} them losing themselves in the moss
and muck before they reach the St..
} Croix. Under all this the sounding
rod reveals a hard solid bottom at no
: place more than twelve feet below the
top moss.
Since the ditching has begun this
wealth of lost timber has begun to
take on a new value and old lumber
men who have passed the swamp by
as worthless, are beginning to realize
that there is good bunch Of money
in it.
Country Editors idea.
1xr,.~.. 49, 1,,,,1,or ~, ,ro1,o 80 tJ,;o
swamp as worthless everyone
else did, and it remained for a ten
derfoot to revive the subject. Five
years ago a country editor nosing
around for an article for his paper
3 took up the study of cranberry Gull
ture and conceived the idea that this
swamp might be used for that pur-
pose.
Becoming convinced that 1t was
all right he interested few others
with him and quietly pursued his In
vestigations. Gradually title to the
land was acquired and some improve
ments made. Experts were brought
from different parts of the United
States and all unhesitatingly pro-
nounced the scheme feasible
Started originally for no other pur-
pose except cranberry raising, the
scheme has grown beyond its first
conception until 1t embraces multi
tude Of things.
Now it Is known that the accessi-
BILE clay beds will make the finest
brick known to the trade and actual
tests show a brick. the resisting quail
ity Of which is greater than granite.
o lit will make q perfect paving brick.
i This clay makes the finest ornamental
Isl terracotta work and flower pots.
Q For tile and sewer pipe it is unsur-
a passed and 1t is certain that further
4 tests will show that 1t is suitable for
many other kinds Of pottery and clay
made goods. The location Of this clay
"a SO close to such quantities Of fuel
v makes it especially valuable.
9 Even the Moss Is Valuable.
n The moss in the swamp has mer-
e chantable value. 1t can. be used In
e furniture manufacture and nursery
IS men use 1t in large quantities for
k packing young fruit trees and plants
If The springs and spring brooks con-
tribute every essential qualification
,e for the establishment Of fish hatch
d cries and the canals among the cram
l. berry beds will form q magnificent
If trout preserve. Watercress grows
st abundaftly all along the spring
= brooks.
ID The estimated power which can be
produced from the required dams Is
"a over 3,000-horse power, which Is suf.
u ficient to operate short electric lines
81 that Will place the locality In Qlfecl
communication with the Omaha, 500
H Northern Pacific and Great Northern
railroads.
1t is directly on the Air Line sur.
Ivey which the Milwaukee made to the
head Of the lakes four years ago, and
4 no less than three other railroad sur.
veys cross the tract.
Owned by Minneapolis Men.
The land necessary to the development
of this enterprise is owned almost ex
clusively by Minneapolis men or for
mer residents Of this city. DR.. G. II
Koh1er, S. r. Child, O. e.. Wall ani
w. w. Wall reside in Minneapolis; E(
r. Poet, a former Minneapolis news
paper man, now editor of the Grants
\ burg Journal, is the discoverer ani
promoter Of the scheme; A. l.. Evans
a former Minneapolis printer, nov
business manager of the New Rich
mond News, has a commuted home
stead which will no doubt, be the sit
of the future town. DR.. A. p. Wilder
editor of the Madison (Wis.) Stat
Journal, and G. G. Webber Of Mime
apolis, own land which will be directl.
affected by the developments that ar
being pushed.
There are fourteen different bodie
of Lutherans in New York. with / 3
ministers. There is now movement