Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-05-16
RIVER IMPROVEMENT
MEETS MORE OPPOSITION.
WOULD PREVENT FLOODS
Senator Brazeau Says Proposed Work
is Necessary to Avoid Disaster and
Keep Grand Rapids and Other
Mills in Continuous Operation
Senators Praise Trout Fishing.
Madison. MAY Is.

, time was occupied until the senate
had to go to the assembly chamber to
vote for United States senator. The
discussion will be resumed today or
tomorrow. The BILL, No. 24Os, would
authorize the Wisconsin Valley I'm
provement company. to maintain
water reservoirs on the Wisconsin
river and its tributaries There has
been much difference Of opinion re
garding the measure and two sub
stitute amendments have been Of
fered. Senator Husting opened the
discussion with a statement of his
objections. He opposed the passage
of the bill in it's present form and
while admitting that good results We're
sought to be accomplished by the com
pany declared that the bill proposed
to give away valuable rights and
privileges without compensation to
the state.
NSSOSQ SFanQ HdpluS.
Senator Brazeau of Grand Rapids
made an earnest plea for the bill as
a measure greatly needed by the sec
ton of the state which he represented.
He said the construction of the pro
posed reservoirs would prevent dis
astrous floods which were all the
more certain to come each spring, now
that the forests have been largely cut
away and the snow accumulated in
winter is released all at once with
the first warm weather of spring He
also said that now each year when
the water is high and mills have 10
close down, throwing many people
out of employment and thereby caus
ing waste and distress.
The proposed improvement would
maintain an even flow OF water and
utilize all the water for power pro
duction, and also maintain the mills
and industries in continuous operation.
The city of Grand Radips, Senator
Brazeau explained, has been repeated
ly threatened with disastrous floods
and valuable help has been rendered
by reason of the dams and reservoirs
already constructed on the Wisconsin
river He declared that at present
great quantities of water are being
wasted that great damage is being
done and these conditions would be
corrected by the proposed bill. The
state would lose nothing and would
be fully protected in every respect,
he said The waste would be stopped,
the danger Of disaster would be taken
away, and to defeat the bill now
would be like dog in manger. He
pointed to the fact that the state has
the right, according to the bill, tu
appraise and buy the property at any
time it desired. that the railroad rate
commission is gwen large authority
over the company, that no stock can
be issued without the approval Of the
rate commission, that the stock to be
issued must be based upon the actual
value of the property as determined
by the cost Of the improvement, and
that the rights and interests Of every
person and corporation in any way
affected are full and completely pro
tected The state forestry board
also, said Senator Brazeau has author
ity over the improvement company
and the company cannot condemn any
property unless the proposal is ap-
proved by the forestry board.
HudnalI in Opposition
Senator Hudnall was opposec to the
bill for the reason that it makes a
valuable grant to a corporation with
out any compensation to the state
and reserves the right to repeal the
grant only after the state has paid
fully for what is now proposed to be
given free and without pay
Senator SanbOrn saw a po.nt in the
bill which apparently had not occur
red to other senators. He said that
as the measure stood at present it,
provided for the transfer of temporary
fiowage rights of present interests to
the new corporation and that when
these temporary fowage rights were
they would, according to
the bill. become permanent rights in
the Improvement corporation He
offered an amendment to eliminate
this feature from the bill, and the
time having arrived for the daily sen
atorial convention, the bill and pend
ing amendments were laid over.
Trout Plenty Everywhere
The best trout streams are all over
the state of Wisconsin. Local pride
in quality Of fishing resulted in a sort
Of composite declaration like this in
the senate. The bill to allow the
state commissioners Of fisheries to
build trout hatchery any place in
the state and not limit them to the
western part was the subject of dis
cussfon. Senator Barker wanted the
restriction to remain and he was
seconded by Senator Noble, both |
that the western part of !
the state is the heaven Of trout. Sen !
ltor Owen was of like opinion as TO !,
the excellence of the trout fishing |
n his part of the state Senator Bird |
put in determined statement that /
hey did not know much about good
rout fishing or they would not place
my part of the state ahead of the
northwestern portion in this respect.
The westerners repeated their argu-
nent declaring that it is not good to