The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-02-17

! Mr.. Hartley ana MS associates nave
labored diligently to assist the state
IN its claim for the swamp lands
within the reserve, and they have
also worked diligently with Mr.
Pinchot to get that gentleman tc
cut off slices of the reserve and open
the land to settlement.
They hope that if the state normal
school is located at Cass Lake that
when their mill is shut down they
can get theassistance of the state in
knocking out the reserve in order
that the people may settle about their
town and help support the school.
AS to Cass Lake being SO healthy.
If the proposed state normal school
is located anywhere near the lake
at that town, there is bound to be
illness and discomfort at times DUR
ing the summer, because of the
action of the government reservoir
at Winnibigoshish dam backing the
water up on the low lands between
the lake and the hi gh bank which
intervenes between the village of
Cass Lake and the lake.
The public records at the office
of Major Skunk in St. Paul show
that the Winnibigohsish dam has a
fourteen-foot head, which is filled
with flood water in the spring and
early summer and gradually drawn
off the entire fourteen feet, if it is
needed for navigation purposes dur
ing July, August and September.
This dam, when full. overhows a
large area around Cass Lake, in
Guiding the yards of the J. Neils
| Lumber company, some portions
of Star Island, and also backs up
water along Turtle river and Wolf
lake.
When this head of water goes down
in the heat of summer, and leaves
| bottoms and marshes of slush and
slime exposed to the sun, to say
nothing of dead fish, the unsanitary
conditions can be easily understood.
That the government reservoirs
are great benefits for navig ation and
are splendid for storage of flood
waters has been proven to the entire
satisfaction of the Cass Lake people,
who entered an emphatic protest less
than two years ago, claiming the
water flooded the yards of the lum-
Der company to such an extent that
the mill was compelled to shut down
for some time.
It is about time that the real pur-
poses of our neighbors at Cass Lake
are exposed. That they do not
expect that the visit of legislative
committee or anyone else is going to
effect the carefully laid political
scheme of Gum, McGarry and
others to give the school to Cass
Lake they do not attempt to conceal.
To people who visit their village
they say: Too bad that you fellows
over at Bemidji haven't got the pull
that G. G.. Hartley and we have.
Don't make any difference what you
do, we've got the school cinched.'
They take it for granted that the
members of the legislature will favo,
bunch of people (not over 1900
and will not at all listen to the
thousands throughout the north hall
of the state who are protesting
against the school being located
there. Well, maybe the lawmaker.
down at St. Paul will do as the Cas-!
Lakers desire. However, there will
be a reckoning hereafter for ou
neighbors- when they will be agar
crying Justify for help to rid them
selves of the forest reserve ane
other things which are hinderins
the growth of the town-and thei
present insincere attitude will b.
. remembered.