The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-05-09


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~. . .
the scene oa tne ulsastel anu IL prepared
tn ~ mar ho,a snhiect 10 nna that ca ~ 'Su
the exercise OF wise legislative discretion
Inc conua,rTIu VI ..as s.racksh city APP
pe,a,s strons iSa ~ yte Sym d;st auu un
Sen sat ~ ifs and the st. through
tord 70 pc generous enc bqt o you should ind not
iolket ina. .ue m.1ey you are askeu u
nroson, ana tho nay r., VI ,ne people
y ou anu ma 10 propel ex
p en1ttttls - one OF ane most sacreo trusts
colmi''ed 10 your care.
PORTAGE IEyEr
What I have just said about the power
Of the state to build retaining wall at
Black River Falls applies also to the con-
struction and repair of leyees at Portage
IN esch case the authority Is the same
priations have already been made; one In
the year 1903 for $4,000 and the other
III !he year 1908 for $4,000.
Is now asserted that the levees built
or improved by means Of these appropria-
IONS as well as the one constructed at an
carrier time by the federal government need
70 De strengthened and repaired.
special committee Of the Senate and
OF 1907, Inspected these levees and made
a written. report that contains much val
liable information. 1t summarized the
tacaS as follows:
Inc WISCONSIN river flowing southwark,
ana the Fox river flowing northward. are
put one and one. half miles apart at Port
age, the intervening ground being low ana
marshy. AT an average stage OF water In
Doth rivers, the Fox Is about nine feet
iowef tnan the Wisconsin, and In time or
nigh water In the Wisconsin and low wa
Ter In the Fox, the difference Is nearly
ttwenty Ieet. This condition often exists
Tue south ana without forest cover, Is
swollen by the early melting OF the snow,
anu mas receded to low water stage pc
fore the effect of the melting snow In the
Oh WAFER In the wisconsin. Later, now
ever, the Wisconsin rises while the Fox
Is Sui low;
Ihe 1all In the Wisconsin Is one Gnd
one. half feet per mile In the vicinity of
portage; the fall IN the FOX Is trine
over iour incnes per mile IN that iocality.
J.. Inc . terrlaot t projected ~ these ievees s
three miles wide and fifteen miles long:
with perhaps an extension up the valley Of
tne , BaraDoo river
rms IS mostly IN farms with the usual
farm houses, except part (perhaps one
fourth) which Is too wet for cultivation.
On the north SIDE, the extent or pro-
tectea country Is about the same, In the
ticinlty OF FORAGE, ana Is also under SINH
lar Gu!tivation: Besides this the lower part
os fortase Guy Is exposed. An estimate
OF OF the people that are dependent upon
tnese IeVees Tor protection from damage,
10 more or less extent, Is 1000 ana the
amount amount or property at over so,oo0,000.
besiues tnls the entire Fox river valley,
at = least as Iar as Lake Wlnnebago, must
oe cpnsiaereo. distance by river OF about
several cities; and vast manufacturing and
aen ITh interests.
Inc absolute necessity or maintaining
a anese ieNeeS LOT al! Tune, ana the import
Wisconsin river are two facts that cannot
oe 100 strongly emphaslzed.
since thls report was written the only
ilnportaht nood that mas occurred was that
VI last rail-. Because the water OF the
Wisconsin river Is now confined to the
econparatlveiy narrow channel between
these leVees II then rose 10 the nlghesi
ievei yer known ana actualiy oVertopped
ana lsoo: only prompt action and unre-
mlttlng vigilance prevented-and appar-
ehtIy very narroWiy pIeVenteu-a catas-
tropne IN comparison with whlch the Gam
very Irinlns lnoeeo. When the water
reached the top OF the levees the people
OF Portage ana the surrounding country
prevented general overflow by laying
Days OF sane SO us temporarily TO increase
tne nelght OF the emDankment ana with an
armed patrol on DUTY night ana day pre-
ventea II from pelng CUT through Dy those
VINO feared Damage TO tnelr own property.
=
DankmeRts, composed as tney are merely
or sand, much or IL nne ana 1nsubstantfal,
mas Weakeneu tne ieVees ana caused them
appreclaniy 10 settle. IL appears TO pc the
unanimous opinion OF competent observ.
ers that snouid there De recurrence OF
the nigh water OF 1911 IN the wisconsin
river tne forage Ietees, mus weakened
cent 20 m tha M Prove pve sth
n its banks ana tnat mere Is very great
danSer that the accumulated wafer gath
ereo from the Io,ooo square miles en-
braced In the Wisconsin basin. will then
pour into the narrow valley of the Fox
bringing destruction TO dams, bridges,
latm houses, villages ana cities ana IN,
eVitaole injury 70 otner properly situated
all the way from portage TO Green Bay.
spohen ol IL uue Ia measure 70 tue very
existence OF tnese ievees themselves. Be
r1re tney were co hh .ne ,, Wisconsin
river In times OF nigh water quietly over
flowed Its banks and flooded the entire
marshy area between 10 ana the FOX river.
10 narm was dohe lhen because the wa.
yer spread evenly over large sectlon OF
country ana the current was nowhere sum
Gently strong 10 cut chennel between
the Two rivers. Upon tne complexion OF
sne Forage cana! however ~ the united
states government thls condi,lon OF equl,
librium was Fundamentally disturbed and
new ana highiy dangerous FACTOR was
introduced rms canai Is a dltch mile
ana nan long, MY teet VIDE True ana deep
enoush w eNoinouote 'o,uhie u Natet
when pouring down an incline OF Twelve
rect to the mile would soon dlg channel
large enough TO divert the entIre current
OF the Wisconsin river INTO the FOX. why
snouia IL NOT 40 SO! here Is vas, Tor
rent OF water SUSPENDED as the CHAIRMAN
OF the legisiatlve commlttee mas saln from
nine 70 elghIeen Ieet over the Vailey OF
the Fox river waiting only to find Its
way down an inclined plane or sort. ailu-
vial SOIL. Inc government canal now fur-
nlshes the channel VINO can say how
soon IL VIII De utlized IN way not orig
lnaliy INTENDED OF even dreamed OF! rms
danger is ehnaheea-Dy tne, fact That sol1d
rock IS nowhere iound the SOIL instead IS
nne sand' easily swept away by water
moving at velocity sucn as would natur.
any pc attained mere. 70 protect against
this danger the government levee was QUILT