The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-04-11
Proposed Red Lake Water
Level Was Intended to Pro-
tect Lands of Settlers
SETTLERS BASE REQUEST
ON McNAIR BENCH MARK
Other Bench Marks Consider
ed Too High a Working
Basis to Prevent Flooding

Everything possible is being done
by Bemidji citizens toward establish
ing the water levels Of Red Lake low
enough so as to protect the lands of
the settlers in the. vicinity Of the
Lake. = - i; y =;
The engineers of the Indian Bu-
reau and the Red Lake Conservancy
board have decided to fix the levels
Of Red Lake at between 1173 and
!. 1174, which levels would be salts
factory, provided they used as gauge
or basis the McNair bench mark made
in 1907. If they used as basis other
bench marks made at some later date,
the level would be entirely too high
and thus flood the lands owned by
the settlers.
Judge C. W. Stanton, sent the fol-
Monday afternoon:
imperative that we insist upon
maximum Of 1174, based upon 1907
and 1908 datum, which is Tamarac
River bench mark, 1182.68, or Redby
bench mark. 1228.9O. Using 1915
datum and 1174 as maxhnums, would
make 1175.1 maximum on 1907 da-
= tum."
4. The Judge has secured information
from engineer w. M. Everts, who is
thoroughly familiar with the condi-
tions in this section and who has
provided the following reports in con-
nection with the establishing the
levels of the lake. p =.
"The following are the elevations
of Red Lake from June II, 1910 to
September 26, 1920, taken at differ
emit times, the datum used is derived
from bench mark at Tamarac River
near outlet and the elevation used
is i, 1928, obtained from the rec
>ords Of E. L. McNair, being the I'M
checked primary levels; single spur
line run in 1907 and 1908" -.
Then follows the various - dates
showing the lake levels from time to
time according to the McNair bench
mark. In connection with the report,
Mr.. Everts gives out the following
information.
"Bulletin No. 453 issued by the
government inz1911 gives the eleva-
ton of the bench mark at the mouth
of the Tamarac as 1183.035. Bulletin
No. $50 in 1915 gives it as 1888:
The McNair bench mark in 1907 and
1908 gives an elevation as noted above
as 1885,"
Supplementing his report with lat
er information and datum Mr.. Everts
gives out the facts that the only two
known bench marks are at Redby and
Tamarac river near Waskish. He has
no information regarding the one at
the Red Lake. Agency to which Mr..
Selvig referred in a letter to Congress
man Knutson.
81 see no reason, continued Mr..
Everts report, "why there should be
any misunderstanding in regard to
this elevation, if they will send the
elebation used on either bench mark
at Waskish or Redby station. .
''It appears that the Red Lake
Conservancy district using the 1915
correct levels, which are IL feet low
err than the levels established by the
McNair line levels. Therefore the
establishment of the maximum levels
by the 1915 standard would give the
elevation of the lake 1174, but by
the McNair levels would give the
maximum level at 1175.1.
One foot of the lake level will make
a big difference to the land owners.
It would perhaps make difference
the other way to the water power
interests. The primary object of es-
tablishing new lake level was for
the benefit Of the settlers, whose in
ton if the desired results are to be
terests must receive first considera-
accomplished. .-