The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-04-05
Friday, April 5, 1912


up the flood waters and release it
in low water times and as it is
released use it over and over again
for power purposes and thus pre-
vent the overflow of lands on the
upper Mississippi and tributaries, as
we'll as the lower end of the river.
Tendency in Right Direction.
1T may be said that the effect
of construction of such reservoirs
on the upper end of the river would
make no perceptible difference at
the lower end, be that as it may, the
tendency viii be in the right direc-
tion. The surveys show that the
Minnesota river contributes 40 per
cent of the water of the Mississippi
at st. Paul and that the improve
ment of the Minnesota would raise
the stage of water at st. Paul, in
low water times, one foot. The
reservoir system can no doubt be
extended to other tributaries with
like beneficial results as here. IT
is estimated that this Improvement
will reclaim and benefit about So
0c0 acres of land. The government
is engaged in reclaiming deserts
at an enormous expense. Why then
not reclaim the most fertile lands
in the Union at a small expense,
when in doing so you aid navigation
and make water powers also.
How to Conserve Water Power.
The way to conserve the water
powers of the country is to utilize
them in Il practical way Tor the
benefit of the public; to encourage
their use and development rather
than to obstruct their development
and permit them to go to waste,
instead Of indulging in a lot of hot
air about conservation and then do
ing nothing.
The act under which the last sur
vey was made provided for cooper
alton by the government with water
power companies and others. Fol
lowing out this suggestion the Min
neSota River improvement league
brought about the organization OF
Il corporation known us the Mime
sofa River Improvement and Power
company, composed of citizens dis
tributed along the river from TraV-
erse Lake to st. Paul, capitalized at
$1,0O0,0OO. The general nature of
it's business being the Improvement
for navigation, under the superviS-
ion and control of the United States
government and the state of Mime
sofa, of the Minnesota river and its
tributaries and Lake Big Stone and
Traverse, developing water power,
etc, to enable the people of the val
ley to cooperate with the govern
ment The state legislature passed
acts approprating 100000 for the
improvement OF the Minnesota river
and $4,000 for a dyke at Big Stone
Lake These appropriations were
unconstitutional by the attorney
general.
Constitution Needs Amending.
This is one of the cases where
corporation is a good thing,-a
public service cOrporation-as the
only means Of cooperation. The
state can do nothing along this line
until the constitution is amended,
unless it be to pass an act estab-
fishing drainage districts along the
river providing for assessment of
benefited lands, but this, as rule,
is not satisfactory. We propose, in
addition to the Lac qui Parle reser-
vor to construct two others, one at
Big Stone Lake and another at or
near Redwood Falls.
Let the federal government APP
propriate now without further delay
such sums as may be just and
reasonable in so far as the improve
ment will aid navigation and if this
is Il reasonable sum the balance can
easily be raised along the Minnesota
river The project is no intimately
connected that it is inseparable. No
one can afford to construct the res
ervoirs and furnish uniform flow
Of w2:c" for powers below, free of
charge, E0t even the government it
self.
"In undertaking this enterprise by
the means of public service cOrpor-
alton, we can act without further
utidy piOtoiSoo 90 Ao'' w. o'"'
means will permit. The stock is
divided into shares of $1CO each,
nonassessable and all common stock,
no promotion stock, and sold only
for 100 cents on the dollar
Allow Farmer to Take Stock.
Instead of assessing the farmer
allow him to take as much stock as
he desires, he will then not only
participate in the profits derived
from the water powers, the same as
any other stakeholder, but will re-
ceive the additional benefit of hav-
ing his land redeemed. 1t may be
said that the value of the water
powers is over estimated this does
not seem probable because the es-
innate is based upon actual surveys
and government guages of the flow
of water for several years and these
taken during dry seasons at that,
but if it is true the other benefits
will fully warrant the investment.
There must be some merit in our
cause, as the government has already
expended probably 100000 in sur
10 lNIyn