The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-20
|TASCA STATE PARK
NOT AN IDEAL SPOT
j. V. Brewer Describes the Real
Conditions to Be Found
There

conditions at Itasca State parlx ara
not so ldeaistic as the present crso
toolans of the property would have tba
pubic believe. according to the state
ments of ]. V. Brewer.
FORMER Atty. Gen. w. B. Douglas re-
lily remarked upon the romantic
SITUATION of the log cabin hotel at the
park and the generally excellent condi-
.ion OF both the park lands and the
rake. Mr.. Brewer, who has for wears
taken a deep personal pride in the af-
Iairs OF the state park declares the
reverse to be true the cabin to be situ-
dCeu IN preearious position and the
park constantly suffering from lumber
poacners; In an interview with T he
u b he said -.
In 1901 lumbermen were narpi++a5 -
oam ana Hood Itasca lake To mora
essily haul their cut of logs to the waters
or that historic fishing resort esneciaiiI,
reserved by law for the benefit of fie ths
pubic, Mary creek at and near the new
itasca Park lodge. was corduroyed
The state is now asked to appropriate
money TO clear up the damage precipitat
ed by Wolf so as to remove the stenco
or rotting logs and debris nearly the an
tire length of Mary creek
Also Won committed treSpass on the
Shofe OF ItaSca lake at lot l. section "a
town I4S, range SO: near the site of the
new lodge, by slashing down many val
liable park trees and establishing two
log landings for timber cut off from, an
adjoining forty. which Mr.. Douglas, the at
torney general, refused or neglected TO
condemn. Now that forty is hideous and
denuded tract at the new park lodge Gov
cred with treetops and trespass infringe
ments over the lines. with no arrests and
no criminal prosecutions. Tree planting is
TO be the remedy.
Lumberman Owns Front Yard
The front yard of the new park lodge
lying forty or fifty feet from the main
entrance, nicely tfmbered, is the property
OF lumberman. subject to be cut over
at any day the owner may choose to enter
upon his land and build a lumber camp
at the park lodge site within a few feet
rom rom me front door OF the lodge. 1t has
Deen stated that they intend to cut their
timber this year.
The late attorney general absolutely
n n TO institute condemnation pro-
mat land, and proceeded to construct the
lodge In dangerously exposed position
oeiore tltIe was secured to the front yard
or the new state building
Itasca lake has been repeatedly flooded
py iuInDerInen VINO were permitted in
1902 and 1908 to maintain a logging dam
ana chute at the outlet of ItaSca lake.
Inc last elevation of that dam was con-
structed after the land became the prom
erty or the state. The dam was closed In
the rail- OF 1903 and remained in that con-
.dition until the opening of spring i'm 1904
causing all the shore lines of Itasca lake
TO be Hooded and seriously damaged by a
three or four foot backwater overflow
so as to permit the booming of 10 600 600
feet of logs and sluicing through the dam.
That flooding sent the water back into
Mary creek to a point which is a close
view from the doors and windows of the
new park lodge.
Appeal to the Governor
All these distressing conditions became
SO. painful and threatening that last week
citizen appealed to Gov. Johnson and
ATTY. Gen. Young for some immediate ac-
lion to rescue ItaSca State ma rlx from, oD,y
further Generalization and damage from
the dam built and maintained on state
park lands and the floods therefrom
The menaceS against the interests of
the state became SO great that a concise
statement OF the same was printed In
volume IL of the Historical Collection Of
Minnesota in 1904
If these and other disastrous proceed
lngs shall ever be subjects of inVestiga-
ton some great surprises will be easily
within reach.