The Minneapolis journal., 1904-03-19
MINI. NAVIGATION
REPORT PRINTED.
GEN. MACKENZIE CONDEMNS
RED LAKE Project.
River and Harbor Act Only Provides
for Improving Navigation - Pro-
posed Works Would Hardly Protect
Red River Valley from Floods -
Commerce Would Not Justify Ex-
pense.
Colorado Building,

From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,
Washington.
washington, March 19.-General
Mackenzie's report on surveys of vari-
Gus rivers and lakes in Minnesota,
with view to improving navigation
N the Minnesota river and Red River
OF the North, which was referred to
briefly in these dispatches several
weeks ago, has been printed for the
information and use Of congress.
General Mackenzie quotes from the
river and harbOr act of June Is, 1902,
which authorized the following work:
Otter Tail lake and Otter Tail river,
Minnesota: Continuing survey with a
view to the construction Of a dam at the
outlet of said lake; for the purpose Of i'm
proving the navigation on the Red River Of
the North, Minnesota.
Red Lake and RedaLake river, Minneso-
ta: Continuing survey with a view to
the construction. of a dam with locks at
the outlet of said lake, for the purpose of
improving the navigation of the Red River
of the North and the said Red Lake river,
Minnesota. 7 = :. .'.'t
Big Stone lake and Lake Traverse, Min
nesota and, South Dakota: Continuing sur
vey with a view to- constructing reservoirs
therein for the Improvement of the nav
igation of the Minnesota river.
Major Hoxie, then in. charge of en-
gineering work in Minnesota, made
the surveys and submitted report
without any recommendation as to
the advisability Of the contemplated
| improvements.
Cost of Work.
He did, however, submit estimates
of the cost, as follows:
Eor or Red lake and Red Lake river, $27o,
For Otter Tail lake and Otter Tail river
$58, ,0s5.
For Big Stone lake and Lake Traverse,
three alternative estimates of $357,957,
$4S5,266 and s1.176,972. -.
Major Hoxie's report was received
by board of engineers, who advised
against all the projects contemplated
except as to Red Lake river, where
the construction Of dam was rec
commended in the interest of econom-
ical administration.
General Mackenzie's conclusions
are as follows: -
I concur In the opinion expressed by the
division engineer and by the board of en-
gineers for rivers and harbors that the
construction Of a dam at the outlet of
Otter Tail lake, for the purpose of i'm
proving the navigation Of the Red River of
the North, and the construction of reser-
voirs on Big Stone lake and Lake Traverse
for the Improvement of the navigation OF
the Minnesota river are works which it
is not desirable for the United States to
undertake. >'..~rs
I am constrained to dissent from the
conclusion in regard to the proposed works
at the outlet Of Red lake.
The necessity of dredging to maintain
the present navigable depth in the Red
River of the North arises, at least in part
from causes which would continue tc
operate even with. the low water surface
| raised, as proposed, by the discharge OF
flood water impounded in Red lake. dc
not think it probable that the construction
of the work Proposed, which in itself is
costly, would do away entirely with the
annual dredging charge; and further. the
type of lock and dam which can be built
for the sum named by the district office,
cannot be OF permanent character, nor is
it probable that any of the works forming
part of the plan can be so executed thai
they will not require an annual charge fo1
4 operation, and recurring expenditure 70,
care, repair and renewal. -
Red River Commerce.
The commerce on Red river was 20, ,os,
exclusive Of logs, which can be run with.
out increased depth, was 500 tons. .-
At present the improvements carried OF
in Red river and Red Lake river cost saw
$4,000 per annum. If this annual charge
could be saved, it might be proper to ex
pend the total sum Of $270,456.60, as es
timated by the local officer, in the effor
to assist the small navigation now exist
ing; but do not believe that 1t would b,
saved, and fear that, on the contrary, 1
would be increased. Disregarding th
saving Of this annual charge, the com
merce itself does not appear to me t.
warrant the expenditure of so large ,
sum as that named
For the reasons stated, do not believ
that the United States should construc
a dam and locks at the outlet Of Red lake
for the purpose of improving the naviga
tion of the Red River of the North and O
Red Lake river, As-
The matter Of protecting the Red rive
valley from floods is not touched upon b,
the law calling for these examination
and surveys, the object Of the investiga
tion ordered being simply the improvement
OF navigation. The district officers repor
shows, however, that even were the work
at Red lake carried out as proposed, the
would cut off so small a portion Of tn
Red river drainage basin as to have prac
tically no effect upon the flood height
II