Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-09-08
BIGGEST RESERVOIR
IN THE WHOLE WORLD.

UNCLE SAM HAS BUILT 1T ABOVE ST
PAUL AND 1T FEEDS THE GREAT MIS-
SISSIPPI, KEEPING NAVIGATION
OPEN IN SUMMER.
st. Paul, Minn-Some 9TH
er great public works have received
more advertising, but the fact stands
that Uncle Sam has established at the
head waters of the Mississippi tn.
largest reservoir in the world. 1t is q
connected system of five lakes
Its capacity is $4,000, ,0O0,0 900 cubic
feet of water A cubic foot of water
is eight gallons One filling of the res
ervoir would meet the demands of the
city of st. Paul, at the present rate of
consumption, for 250 years.
The government has invested ST.
200, 900 in the reservoir.
The object in building the reservoir
was to aid navigation below St. Paul,
mitigate floods and to benefit naviga
tiOn above St. Paul. This city is com
monty regarded as the head of posi- BILE
navigation of the Mississippi. A Uni
ted States engineer said that the
big river is navigable for 400 miles
above this city. To one having only
an outsiders g knowledge of the map of
Minnesota, the statement is surprising.
It's official, though, and must be COR
rect.
The reservoir insures excellent navi
cation to st. Louis at all seasons of
the year. Water is stored during the
months of heavy rainfall and released
duying the hot, dry months, when nav
igation under natural conditions
would be uncertain, If not impossible.
Traffic handled by regular line of
steamers is not large. There Is a rail
road on each bank of the river, and
some that are further away but still
within the river freight z)ne. There
lines, after the manner of this kind,
scoop in nearly all the freight in sight.
They have to carry it, however, at rea
sonable rates. To do otherwise would
be to cultivate river competition.
There are people in the country
north of st. Paul vino do not think
we'll of the dams. One class would like
to get possession of the land arOu nd
the lake reservoirs that is overfiOwed
in the flood season. some of these
men sold to the government overflow
privileges on their land. If the dams
should be removed these people would
have the use of their land without
damage by water. Spectators are
also said to have secured control Of
overflow lands that are worthless now
out would be valuable if the dams |
should be abandoned.
There have been heavy floods in all |
he country hereabouts this summer.
People living below the reservoir lax es |
claim that the floods that drowned |
hem out were aggravated by the dams
Near Altkin 500 persons were rendered |
homeless. Their crops were destroyed. |
Many lost their cattle. Others drove |
heir cattle into town and sold them |
or the beggarly prices sharpers, TAX
ng advantage of their misfortune,
we're willing to give. These victims
I'll declare that the fact that Uncle
sam impounded water through the
pring added to the extent of the flood.
The United States engineers affirm
hat the reservoir lakes greatly reduced
he size of the flood.
They say that the dam at Leach
Lake. the largest in The system, held
pack all the water that fell in a drain
lge area of 1,163 square miles. With
)ut the dam this water would have
]een added to the Altkin flood.
The next largest lake. Winnibigosnlsh
Win i-bi-goshish,) held at the wat
srs to June Goth, and thus kept them
from the flood.