Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-09-08
THE HEAD OF NAVIGATION

we suspect that the business man who was quoted
IN the local Socialist daily as saying that the Red River
Of the North would be made navigable in a few days did
not say it exactly in that way. L. he made a time esu-
mate he would scarcely measure it in days. But there is
a point in the suggestion OF NJ. sorie as to the navisa-
binty OF the Red river which. while not at all. new, never
theless merits the attention Of the authorities whose
business it Is to locate terminal elevators and mills to be
operated for the benefit OF the people Of North Dakota
The market for the surplus grain Of North America
is in Europe. Thus far. with the exception Of west coast
Shipments our grain has gone to Europe by way Of the
great seaports on the Atlantic coast. The Canadian gov
eminent, acting in conjunction with private capital, has
opened a road to Europe by way Of Hudson's Bay, and
had it not been for the interruption of construction due
to the war. the create. part OF the surplus grain from
northwestern Canada would have been shipped over that
route during the past two years. In the Red river there
is a potential connection with that great waterway which
needs only to be intelligently utilized to be Of incalculable
benefit to millions Of people. For transportation purposes
the Red river Is merely a deep ditch with more or less wa
ter in 1t. according to the season It is unnavisable except
ior Launches and rowooa1s. and In dry seasons perhaps,
for automobiles But the channel is there, and there is
water enough available to float all the freight that will
ever be offered. The engineering problems necessary
to the permanent utilization Of this waterway are not
great. and the cost, while considerable, would be small
in proportion to the benefits. That this waterway will
~S AH 1S ~ AASeoAAI AaSAICs0 6I Do accepted
as certain. To suppose otherwise would be to pay a poor
compliment to the intelligence and enterprise OF our peo.
pie.
The feature which applies especially to the location
Of the states prospective enterprises is that whenever
the Red river is made %navigable. Grand Forks IS prac-
ideally certain to be the head Of navigation. The great
reservoir upon which reliance must be placed for a reg
ular supply Of water is the Red Lake, which discharges
its waters into the Red at Grand Forks. Above this city
there are no large bodies Of water. and there are shoals
and rapids to overcome which would involve prohtbiuve
expense. This city, therefore, In addition to it's command
ing position with reference to rail- transportation ana &c
cess to the best wheat supply in the world, is destined
to become the shipping point for Europe.
The Herald has gone over this ground 4 FOOD many
times and has pointed out, what It now repeats. that the
nod useful and practicable step which could be taken to-
ward making the Red river available as a real waterway
would be to have 1t Withdrawn from the Jurisdiction OF
The war department, which now controls It Control Of
ss0ch . stream by the war department vsa nsefu, o,ea
but that time has long ghnce passed The var department
stoday has no moro use for the Red river than it has for
akoah's ark, and it, control Of the stream is 4 constant
abstraction to is utilization for the real purposes o. the
Dsspls Of today. Let our senator's and representatives
~ congress work for the transfer Of this and similar
ssrsans from the control Of the var department 70 th.4
a the interior department. and there mieht be = p,oS
fDsct Of sstttns something Asa.
IN the meantime, let unr stats authorities recognize.
stAs fac c that, b addition to IT. other ana present advan-5
- GrAhd Forks = . potential interior ssapor.
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