The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1915-04-16

tude, Minnesota lies between tn
parallels 43 degrees 80 minute
and 40 degrees % minutes 5O.2s
seconds, north latitude. and tn,
meridians 80 degrees "a minute.
and 81 degrees IL minutes ives
longitude. 1t should be noted
however, that the extreme eastern
boundary of the state, where il
borders Michigan in Lake Superio,
is 80 degrees minutes west longi.
tude. The extreme northern pro-
lection into the Lake of the Woods
was occasioned by lack of geo
graphical knowledge on the part of
the American and British commits
sioners negotiating the treaties of
1888 and 1918. This irregularity
in the northern boundary, extend
ing about twenty-seven and a half
miles beyond the forty ninth
parallel, gives Minnesota the dis
tinction of being the most northern
state in the union.
For purposes of comparison of
position and climate, it is interest
ing to note that Salem, Oregon, }
Montreal, Venice, and Hardin,
(Manchuria, are approximately in
the same latitude of St. Paul and
Minneapolis, As degrees north;
that Duluth and Vienna, (Austria)
are on the same parallel; that
International Falls and Paris are in
the same latitude; and that the
mouth of the Minnesota river and
the mouth of the Danube River are
equally distant from the equator.
The total area of Minnesota is
S7,196 square miles. This in
cludes So square miles of land,
1924 square miles of lakes and
streams and 2,514 square miles of
Lake Superior lying within the
boundary of the state.
Minnesota ranks tenth in area
thirteenth in land area) among
the states. Idaho and Utah are
nearly as large. The combined
area of the six New England states
together with New Jersey and
Maryland is somewhat less, and
the combined area of England,
Scotland and Wales is somewhat
more than that of Minnesota.
The greatest length of the state
measured from its most northern
point in the Lake of the Woods,
southwark to the Iowa boundary, is
4OS miles. It's greatest width,
measured from St. Vincent to
Pigeon Point is 357 miles, while
across its narrowest portions, as
from Hastings or Saltwater west
ward to the Dakota boundary, the
distance is 17S miles.
Although Minnesota occupies a
crest of the Recommendations
part OF the continent and forms the
divide for three great river sys-
tens, the average elevation of the
state is only 1850 feet. The aver
age for the United States is 25OOI
feet. In comparison with the
other states, therefore, Minnesota
altitude is favorably low. The
highest point in the state is one of |
the Misquah hills, near the center
OF Cook county, 223O feet above
the sea; the lowest land in the
state is the shore of Lake Superior,
6O2 feet above the level of the sea.
Thus, the highest and lowest
points are in the same part of the
state and only about fifty miles
apart.
For the purpose of storing sur
plus waters in time of flood, six
reservoirs have been constructed
on the headwaters of the Missis-
sippi. The total storage capacity
Of these reservoirs is over 100000
300 cubic feet; but, at present, the
average annual storage is about
halt OF this amount. The surplus
water is gradually set free as it is
needed to deepen the river for
navigation or to supply a morel
even flow for power. The total
storage is sufficient to raise the
evel of the river at St. Paul from
'ne to two feet above former low
water stage for a period of ninety
lays each summer.
The most northern of these
reservoirs is Lake Winnibigoshish
whose level can be raised six feet
~ the dam across its outlet.
Next is Leech Lake whose waters
an be deepened four feet by
imilar dam. Then comes Poke
,ema Lake which can be deepened
our feet by the dam at Pokegema
falls, four miles above Grand
Rapids. The dam between Sandy
AXE and the Mississippi is capablel
# raising the level of the fourth
eservoir fifteen feet, but only
bout one-third of this capacity is
sed. The Pine River dam at the
DOT of Cross Lake completes the
fth reservoir and Gull Lake, about