The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-30
CITY OFFICIALS
SOUND RED RIVER
MAYOR LOWELL AND CITY AUDI.
TOR ORCHARD TAKE NINE
MILE TRIP UP THE RIVER BY
LAUNCH FOR THE PURPOSE or
SOUNDING STREAM.

Il N~FNNH
A party of city officials comprising
Mayor Lowell, City Auditor Orchard
and Deputy Auditor Morgan took a
| trip UP the Red river for a distance of
nine miles yesterday afternoon to take
soundings OF the streams depth. The
trip was made by launch and row
boat was in tow. The investigation of
the mayor and auditor was exhaus-
tive and soundings were taken on an
| average of every twenty-five feet. At
no point, 1t is said, between the water
| works and the point where the party
| turned about for the return trip, was
the channel of the river found to be
less than three feet, and frequently
| between three and one-half and four
feet was shown to be the usual depth.
Beyond that point the water became
too shallow for the boat to proceed.
The trip was the result of an in
| vestigation made recently by city
| Engineer Anders and Mayor Lowell.
as the mayor stated this morning.
Agitation in regard to the possibility
of the city's water supply being off
during the coming winter season by
being frozen to the bed Of the stream,
led the mayor and city engineer to
look closely into the matter. Before
Mr.. Anders went west with the water
committee on it's present investigation
tour of municipal filtration plants Il
trip was made up the river by auto
mobile about eight miles south. How
ever at that time ONLY a few sound
ings were taken, and the trip yester-
day by launch was to procure more
accurate data
In speaking of the trip to The Forum
this morning, Mayor Lowell said:
Before the departure of the city
engineer investigation was made by
him and myself with regard to the pos
sible contingency of the city's water
supply being shut off during the APP
preaching winter by the freezing of
the river to the bottom. Soundings
were taken by the city engineer and
myself at points about seven or eight
miles above the city No place was
found in which the depth of water was
less than three feet and in such places
LAl6 CuIISAL WetS SuCA DIS 10 apparently
prevent freezing. The city engineer
was very much encouraged by the con-
ditions found by him to exist and
ventured the opinion that the river
would not freeze in any portions of
the channel where such examinations
were made by him. The trip was
made by the city engineer and myself
in an automobile, however, and COM
paratively few soundings were made.
For the purpose of verifying the
conclusions of the engineer and OBJ
tanning more accurate data and more
frequent soundings the city auditor
and / went up the river nine miles
by launch yesterday, making continu-
Gus soundings on the trip. At dis
lance of about nine miles up the river
the water became quite shallow and
the launch was unable to proceed fur
Their without danger Of grounding. At
that point most of the channel did
not exceed two feet in depth, though
1T Is probable that the deepest point
in the channel at that place and for
some distance further was a depth OF
about three feet. A great variety of
opinion exists as to the possibility of
the river freezing to the bottom at
points south of here. The icemen state
that the ice has been known to freeze
to depth of three feet Even should
this occur the large amount of water
already impounded would Of course,
supply the city with water for prob
ably several weeks. The plan of i'm
pounding a still further body of water
for the purpose Of tiding the city over
for a greater period in case the river
should freeze to the bottom at a point
above us has been considered by the
city engineer. 1t is desired, If posi-
BILE, to devise some plan by which the
city VIII be supplied with sufficient
water for ordinary purposes in the
event of complete closing of the
channel in winter"
All the members of the party report
a most enjoyable trip. Scenery along
the river in that direction, they say,
is unusually beautiful, especially at
this season of the year when the trees
are clad in the brilliant colors Of au-
tumn. From every standpoint the ex-
petition was a successful one.