The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-10-02

M. & I Railway, the G. N. Railway
and the NJ. r. L. & NJ. Railway are
to be forced to build draw bridges
costing many thousands, across the
narrows, between Lakes Irving and
Bemidji, on the Mississippi river, so
called, and also at the outlet of Lake
Bemidji, three miles east of the city,
is the complaints made to the war
department, that navigation is being
interfered with, will probably be de-
termed by the result of the meeting
held in this city, which was presided
over by Major Francis r. Skunk,
in charge of the U. S. government
engineers for the district of St. Paul.
The fact that the meeting was to
be held here today was given much
publicity and representatives of the
city of Bemidji, the railway COM
panies mentioned and also repre-
sentatives of several lumber COM
panies we're on hand, prepared to
furnish arguments to convince Major
Skunk, and through him, the officials
at Washington, that while theoretic-
ally the Mississippi may be navigable
for considerable distance at the
disputed points, for all practical
purposes, it is decidedly not
navigable and that the railway COM
panie5 and the city should not be
forced to go to the enormous expense
of putting in draw bridges to satisfy
the single individual, or at best two
or three, who have seen fit to enter
protest to the government.
The meeting was held at the city
hall and was called to order at 10
o'clock this forenoon. Major Skunk
presided and was assisted by J. E.
Mead, his secretary. All of the
interests effected by the complaint
made to the government were rep
resented, and Mr.. McLachlan was
present in person, to give his side of
the case.
w. B. McLachlan was first inter-
rogated and gave an emphatic state
ment, as to the bridges, interfering
with his operating his boat, The
North STAR" on the Mississippi, be-
tween Lakes Irving and Bemidj il,
also the logs making it impossible
for him to make trips up the Missis-
sippi beyond Lake Irving.
E. E. Mcdonald questioned Mr..
McLachlan and asked the date when
logs in the river prevented him
(McLachlan) from going up the
river, the latter answered that it was
in the early part of June, this year.
Mr.. McLachlan stated that the logs
were between Lake Irving and the
sand bar, that they took up most of
the stream. He was shown a map
and indicated the point. He stated
that there was no drive coming down
the river at that time and could not
say for sure where the logs came
from. He could not see as to the
exact size of the logs, as he was one
hundred yards down the river.
Mr.. McLachlan stated that he
attempted to 20 from Lake Bemidji
to Lake Irving, about a week ago
and found a boom strung in such a
manner as to obstruct the passage
way. He gave an evasive answer to
direct question:, if it was not Gus
tomary to string a boom in order to
get the logs through the narrows.
Mr.. McLachlan stated that he had
taken the Moose" one of his boats,
as far as the dam, on Lake Planta-
genet.
w. G.. Marson, general manager
of the M. R. L. & M. elected from
Mr.. McLachlan that the Moose
was built in 1900; the Moose had a
mast, and was used as a sail boat;
and that he had used it on the
river.
w. H. Strachan, superintendent
of the M. & I. Railway, stated that
the M. & I. was already the defend
ant in a suit, where Mr.. McLachlan
was plaintiff, as to whether the
Mississippi, at the point where the
NJ. & l. spans the river, was a navi-