The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-01-20
THAT Is THE VIEW OF MAJOR
MERSHON, THE EXPERT.
He Discusses the Major Skunk Re-
port Relative to the Improve
nent of the Minnesota River;
This Commonwealth Should Act
Promptly; Commission to Be
Named; Mankato Is interested.


Chicago, ILL.,. January 8, 1911.-To
The Free Press: l am greatly
obliged to you for the paper contain
ing Major Shunk's report.
The report is surely good one
from the federal standpoint, even
more than I would have expected.
Major Skunk sent me blueprint
of the Minnesota river slopes and
profiles of the government reservoir
some time ago, that is the proposed
reservoir, without any comments
only on the high dam at st. Paul.
Your paper no doubt made a mis-.
take in the amount of horsepower
to be developed at the proposed res
ervoir. 1t should have been 5000
horsepower instead Of 500 as stated.
OF course this improvement would
be better than no improvement, and
liberal on the part of the govern
ment; but the state of Minnesota
cannot afford to have her most val
liable resource only partly developed,
even as a free gift.
Great Natural Resource.
The greatest natural resource of
Minnesota, next to the land, is her
water wealth. The genius of water
ways and water power the world
over, is the greatest possible reser-
vOirs.
OF &c oh lob
hold in earnest before further COM
plications arise. 1t will more than
save the interest on any sum re-
quired. The mere development of
navigation in the Minnesota river
as far up as Morton and the develop.
ment of 5000 electric horsepower
at Montevideo is mere bagetelle
to what can be got by proper inn
prOvement by the state. 1t means
nothing for MankatO, New Ulm, Or
tonville, Montevideo or the state at
large. It's effect would be the cur
tailment of at least 100000 horse
power in the Minnesota valley and
better navigation for the state.
1t is not the function of the fed
eral government to interfere with
any state project that promotes or
does not interfere with navigation,
and as to the water power, it is
only incidental to any improvement
the government may choose to make.
In short, the government can be de-
pended upon to assist any state in
promoting navigation
Should Encourage State to Act.
The Skunk report should encour-
age the state to act and to act
promptly, for the best possible re-
suit, let it cost twenty-five or fifty
millions of dollars; it is a good in
vestment at either price. In fact,
it is the only monument to the great
ness of the state.
Five thousand horsepower and
barge navigation is not attractive to
capital. The industries are cosmo-
politan and seek the best opportuni-
ties. The steamboat has developed
into the great commerce carrier the
world over. The people of Mankato
should not be put off with a little
dam and reservoir away up the val
ley, with 1000 miles of watershed
and sacrificing the 1880 square
miles OF watershed between Man.
kato and the proposed reservoir.
Is Good investment.
The cost of tiowage is only the ex.
change OF poor land for that which is
better and if it cost the state S3,O0O,-
900 as estimated, it is then a good
investment, and not an expense.
The eastern states have seen the
folly of corporation privileges, and
are fast blotting them out.
st. Paul, with a great industrial
power at her door, has lived to see
1t hampered, botched and half de-
veloped, while her captains of indus.
try have busted themselves soliciting
conventions and pinning their faith
to advertising.
The passing of the frontier and
the land boom is sending an indus.
trial wave in another direction. No
state in the Union has the oppor.
tunlty in water wealth of Minnesota.
to concentrate and build up no less
than seven commercial DEVELOPMENTS
under one plan and one system.
Greatest Reservoirs on Earth.
AS stated before, the genius of
waterpower is the greatest possible
summit reservoirs and the highest
possible head. The Minnesota river
has ideal slopes and can furnish the
greatest reservoir on earth, with
minimum amount of flowage.
1t is impossible to enter into a
discussion of details at this time.
but in proper time they will all be
made plain.
| have just been notified that bills
VIII be introduced this present week,
asking for an Investigation of the
proposed scheme, and also bills for
the creation of a waterways commits
sion for your state. Perhaps Won
better see that the governor does
not forget his home town in any an
pointments of this kind. Very re-
spectfully, r. J. Mershon.
j. &. Rachel, f. C. Olerman and