The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-24
DECLARE DIVERSION :.
~
OF CREEK FEASIBLE
MEN OF IMPROVEMENT AssoCIA-
TIoNs SEE FREAKY STREAM.
Inspection Tour from the Lakes for the
Purpose of Proving the Scheme Is a
Desirable One Picturesque Phases
Of the Course Proposed for the Greek.

Of the Course Proposed for the Greek.
:, Bassett creek should be diverted from
its present course and it's waters dis
charged into the Mississippi by means
of a system Of bitches connecting it
with Cedar lake and thru the lake sYs-
tenn with Mirnehaha creek. At least,
this is the firm conviction of represent
atives from the various. improvement
associations who spent yesterday after
noon exploring the head waters Of tho
creek and surveying the course Of the
proposed ditch. ~- T. -: =.
Starting at the neck of land between
Calhoun and Lake of the Isles, where
they located three courses for a. con:
nocting ditch, the party drove to the
lunger stretch between Lake Of the
Isles and Cedar lake. Here again they
satisfied themselves that with a slight
amount Of digging and for a moderate
nected by a channel which would be
navigable by rowboats and lanches. -
: Up the Freaky Creek. -
From Cedar the party drove to Bias
soft creek, following closely the pro
posed course Of the drainage ditch. f.
NJ Henry of the Oak Park association
! He pointed out that by following the
| swamp lands, which are now flooded, it
would be possible to construct such
| channel with almost no dredging aside
from cutting thru divide about, 200
! feet wide, the only obstacle which pre-
| vented the creek from following the
proposed course without artificial as
sistance,
According to Mr.. Henry there was. q
perfectly level stretch of overfowed
| land between this point and the creek.
| It was obvious that the meadows on
the Cedar lake side of the divide were
six or seven feet lower than those on
the Bassett creek side. This fall
would be sufficient to give the waters
from Bassett creek and Medicine lake
the impetus necessary to. carry them
within a mile Of Cedar lake, where the
survey, already made, shows a drop Of
seventeen feet. B.
See Solution Of Problem. -,
| Tho all Of the party were in favor Of
the proposed drainage scheme, many or
! them had never before gone over, the
entire ground and after seeing 1t were
I fully persuaded that drainage thru the
| lake offered cheap and efficient solue
ton of the Bassett creek problem. The
picturesque feature of the scheme did
not fail to appeal to the members of
the committee. It was pointed out that
! even the most level stretches OF the
proposed ditch possessed great. natural
! beauty and that in some places, where
the lowlands were closely pressed ,by
wooded heights, the scenery Wou!d
/ the vicinity of Minneapolis: It. was
! suggested that, in view Of, the. rapidly
4 growing interest in canoeing, the ditch
I would make q, splendid recreation place,
tho it might not be suited to rowboatts
4 or launches. -. - t.~. p.
i At Golden Valley the party stopped
to survey the ground on foot and to
talk with Jacob Kauth, q farmer whose
lands would be traversed by the ditch.
-. Farmers for the: 1 Ditch - -:
f. mAll the farmers of this. neighbor-1
thru said Mi. Kauth. * You can see
that the meadows are flooded and that
it is impossible to cut our hay. Such
! a ditch would be worth a great deal
ut will not hurt the people below
here. [ remember distinctly that sew
eral years ago Bassett creek was en-.
tirely dry back of my farm, and yet
there was water flowing further down
There are springs which would keep ur
a flow below here. ," |"',.
l. DRIVING DdCh, uuC poIty lOIlOTCN ou
perior avenue, and was much impressed
I by the fact that even the smallest cuts
along that highway would not have >te
i be duplicated in putting thru the; pro
posed ditch The trip. ended at the
lower course of the. creek, inside ,the
city limits, and it was noted that, while
the waters of Medicine lake and the
upper creek were as clear as those Of
Calhoun or Harriet, the lower waters
we're murky and contaminated. None
Of the water Of the polluted stretch o.
the stream would be turned into thu
lake system by the proposed improve
| ment.
When the iunketers returned to thu
downtown district, after four hour
spent in frst-hand study Of the water
shed, they were firmly convinced tina
three things were to be attained b,
the change The prevention Of food
e in North Minneapolis, steady ane
= uniform lake level and an increased
flow over Minnehaha falls. On tn
3 point of expense, they figured that, b,
substituting wooden bridges for tn
steel and concrete structures included
r in City Engineer Rinker' $ estimate o
$3.50, 900, it would be possible to max
}. the desired improvements at a cost o
not more than $4,000. "a
Mass Meeting Monday. TO-
All this will be brought out at tn