The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-01-20
THUS DECLARES L. c. SPOONER
IN HIS WATER BILL.
Representative From Morris Intro
duces Remarkable Measure in
the House; Provides for Com
mission to Take Charge of Riv.
ers Within Borders of State;
Plan Is Set Forth in Detail.

ran 10 OCT TOTt1 III CCtdHs
st. Paul, January lit is here
by declared that the beneficial use
and the natural energy of the waters
of all streams, navigable or non.
navigable, in lakes. reservoirs,
swamps or percolating (ground)
water in the state, or owned by the
state and subject to state control,
for all purposes save such as are
reserved by the Constitution of the
United States to the federal govern
ment, and should be regulated by
state law"
Such is the sweeping declaration
which serves as the foundation for
remarkable measure just introduce
ed by Hon. Lewis G.. Spooner of
Morris, chairman OF the house COM
mittee on appropriations. The bill
voices the rapidly growing sentiment
that the waters of the state are not
only valuable, but a limited asset;
an asset the proper administration
of which is of invaluable importance
to the people, and whose waste or
monopolization by special interests
means the dwarfing of the states
possibilities of future growth and
prosperity.
Control of the Waters.
The bill vests the control of all
the waters of the state for all pur-
poses, in the hands of salaried
commission of three members, to be
appointed by the governor and to
hold their offices at his pleasure
They are to give bond, and the
chairman, who is to be the execu-
tive officer of the board, may en-
gage in no other business during his
term Of office. The commission is
to employ, as chief engineer, n.y.
draulic engineer, "of high standing
and reputation" and, when neces-
sary, a competent consulting engi-
neer also a secretary and such as
sistants as may be required, from
time to time, in field or office; and
ployees.
If there should be raised, against
this proposed commission, the cur
rent objection that "the state has al
ready too many boards and commits
sions," and that its duties, like
theirs would "just as well be per-
formed by existing state officers" an
examination of the amount of work
laid out for it, as partially stated be-
low, may perhaps, dispose of the OBJ
lection.
1t is made the duty of the com
mission to study, and report upon
the best methods adopted, here or
in Europe, for the improvement OF
navigation. the deepening of chan
nels, the promotion of river COM
merce and the prevention of damage
from floods. 1t is to cooperate with
the United States engineers, when
possible, in securing a deep channel
in the Mississippi between Minneap.
oils and st. Louis
City Water Supplies.
The supreme Importance of sup
ply of pure water for drinking and
domestic purposes, and the necessity
OF preserving from contamination
the rivers, lakes and reservoirs from
which this water is taken, is recog-
nized in the bill. The commission
is required to ascertain the sources
OF the water supply of the villages,
towns and cities, the amount used
by each; the names of corporate and
other agencies supplying them with
water; the prices charged and how
collected; so that it may have a
complete record of all waters used in
the State of Minnesota and of the
uses to which they are applied
The disposal of the sewage of
towns, villages, cities and manufac-
turing plants is another matter COM
mitted to the study OF the commits
sion; and where sewage is emptied
into the waters of the state, that
body is to confer with the State
Board of Health with view to Sc
curing better conditions, and of pre-
venting the pollution of the waters
OF the state hereafter.
Such measures are to be adopted
for utilizing, conserving, purifying
and disturbing water as will give
all communities in the state the
best and purest obtainable But the
commission shall not have jurisdic-
ton to interfere with the method of