The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-10-25

| Be it further
| Resolved, that as means to at
tain this end petitions be pre-
pared in each town interested,
and that definite efforts be made
to secure as many signatures as
can legitimately be gotten, and
that the same be forwarded to
our representatives in congress,
urging them ito secure, if posi-
bic, federal aid in this work. Be
it further "'>& ...
Resolved, that Congressman
Davis, Volstead and Hammond
be requested to take such steps
as they may deem necessary to
these, our interests.
Senator Works moved that the reso-
buttons be adopted.
Navigation for Barges.
Senator Works addressed the meet
ing on behalf of river improvement.
and thought that navigation for flat
bottom barges could be secured, which
would regulate railway freight rates.
A barge that traversed the river in the
early days carried 5000 bushels of
wheat into st. Paul from Mankato,
he had been told by an old settler.
The most important result, of course,
would be the prevention of overlooking
of the land. He had made inquiries
and had been told that the loss this
year from Overlooking of the river was
$l,OOO,OO0 between New Ulm and st.
Paul. This sum would 60 long ways
toward river improvement.
Congressman Volstead was called
upon, and said that he came to listen
and get instructions. He had seen
many canals not as large as the
Minnesota river. It's improvement
would not only render navigation pos
sible, but would prevent floods. By
establishing reservoirs at the headwa-
tiers of the river, the water could be
stored. Big Stone lake has number
of boats now traversing it regularly,
between towns. Big Stone lake has
high banks, and could easily be made
into reservoir. The petition to
congress must be based on establish
ing navigation, and not on relief from
overflow of the river or congress will
do nothing. If it was based on drain
age overflow this fact would be used
as argument against help. If any
kind of channel that could be navi-
gated was secured, this fact alone
would regulate freight rates, no mat
ter whether boats ran or not.
Congressman Davis Position.
Congressman Davis was called upon,
and said he thought that he had al
ready talked too much on the sub
ject. He had been slightly misquoted,
and now desired to restate his posi-
ton, and expected to be accurately
quoted now. He thought that the
government would not under any con-
sideration stop drainage for the pur-
pose of preventing overlooking of the
river. Agitation along the river will
have tendency to create a sentiment
in the legislature. The county bitches
have tendency to some extent to
facilitate drainage into the river and
thus somewhat affect the level of the
river. If the legislature would make
an Appropriation to begin the work of
Strengthening the river channel, it
might incite congress to extend similar
aid. When he had tried to get
money to riprap the bank of North
Mankato, Congressman Burton had
said that this was impossible unless
engineers would report that ultimately
the Improvement would help naviga-
ton. The Panama canal is being con-
structed, the wisdom of which is
open to some question, is favored by
the American people as a whole, al.
though draining the treasury. The
making of this canal will render the
river the greatest canal
in the world. Assuming that the
Panama canal incites river navigation,
the speaker believed that the Mime
sofa river, with other tributary rivers,
would be improved by congress. This
would make the cities on the navigable
portion seaports with the way open to
the orient trade. Do what work you
do Systematically, well, and on a
large scale, but above all agitate
This will eventually bring results.
Some congresses may be little more
ready to appropriate for such streams
as the Minnesota. Arguments in con-
gress in favor of the Improvement
of the lower Mississippi are partly
based on protecting the low lands by
stronger dykes. Let there be numer-
Gus petitions sent to congress, and let
the legislature memorabilia for it.
Congress always responds to public
opinion when it is overwhelming
Hence an agitation in Minnesota over
the little Minnesota river may cause
similar agitation in Wisconsin and the
Dakotas for their rivers, and in the
end sufficient agitation may be caused
to cause congress to move He would
work to get an appropriation at least
for surveys.
Hammond Favors the Movement.
Congressman Hammond was called
upon, and favored the move. No APP
preparation to- indemnify those who
have suffered losses can be expected,