New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1911-11-08
CONTINUED from first page. J
siyer from Big Stone Lake to St.

\SV0VIuO0A AHOA AI0V Ro8Vsy
River from Big Stone Lake to St.
Paul.
Il vas found that the total receipts
were 666, 600 tons and the shipments
we're 800, 600 tons, making total OF
nearly 100000 tons. The difference
in the cost of transportation, as be-
tween rail and water, was found to be
500 in favor Of the water route.
The report containing this informa.
ton was taken to Washington by Mr..
A. L. Poehler of Henderson, who
personally delivered 1t to the Board OF
Engineers. AS . result, the showing
made by the League caused the Board
OF Engineers 60 reconsider their former
decision and directed the District
Engineer, 1t. Col. Skunk, to commence
the survey of the Minnesota River at
once. His labor was completed in .
little over year and at q cost OF
go, 900 to the National Government.
Col. Shunk's survey proved that the
project was entirely feasible and re-
commended the same to the chief OF
engineers at Washington. In his
report the statements are embodied
that with the construction of As foot
dam at Lac Qui Parle, 81 billion cubic
feet of water could he impounded,
which would provide navigable
channel of 4 feet from Morton to
Chsska, and would also be of great
benefit to navigation on the Missis-
sippi River at St. Paul and below;
that the same would prevent the depre-
dations of the Minnesota River in the
valley and that, it would permit the
development of considerable water
power.
In view of the estimated cost OF this
Improvement, sl,375, 900, the National
Board refused to make recommends.
ton to congress to grant this appro-
priation. When the officers of the
Minnesota River Improvement League
were appraised of this second adverse
decision of the National Board, they
at once sent another delegation to
Washington, consisting of Hon. c. A.
johnson of St. Peter and Mr.. A. B.
Kaercher of Ortonville. This dele
CATION once more urged the absolute
necessity of this improvement and the
adoption of Col. Shunk's recommen'
dation. Our delegation was informed
that additional evidence was necessary
before this improvement could be
recommended to congress.
With the assistance of orr U. s.
Senator's and Congressman, and
especially through the efforts OF
Congressman Fred. G. Stevens, the
board was prevailed upon to grant
public hearing at st. Paul on October
10th to obtain the lacking information.
At this hearing every town in the
valley was represented and the question
of resulting benefits was again gone
over, and it was shown that the re-
clamma alton of 100000 acres of land in
the bottoms by the control of the flood
waters was an item unknown to the
board.
It seemed to the board that the land
owner so benefited should be made to
pay his portion of the cost of the
construction OF the proposed improve
ment, along the lines Of ditch assess
ments, and that the Water Power
Companies should be made to pay for
the use of the water.
AS the federal government has no
Jurisdiction to levy any assessments
against the abutting property owners
of the river, the National Board OF
Engineers suggested that they wanted
the cooperation of legally organized
Water Company, which would use its
water, and that the land owners in the
valley can only cooperate with the
government through such water
power company.
After being informed by the Honor
able Board of Engineers as to the
manner of proceeding in this matter,
water power company was organized
under the laws of this state bearing
the name of "The Minnesota River
Improvement and Power Company"
It was organized with seventeen
members and officers of the old I'm
provement League, with one represen-