The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-09-18

"
tressed everyone in this large water
shed, extending from the outlet of
the Lake of the Woods to the head
waters on the International bound
airy. At other times we have had
extremely low water for two or
three years in succession, and either
of these extremes brings about a
very distressing situation. How
ever, in my opinion there IS abso-
lutely no question about the desir-
ability of this plan. 1t is for the
benefit of all interests navigation,
power, game and fisheries, summer
campers, and pleasure seeking tour
lists. No material damage will be
done and it will greatly enhance the
value of the property all along this
stretch of territory. Nearly all the
states in the Union are endeavoring
to control the flood waters within
their boundaries and many of the
states are now working tihgently to
secure this same sort of control of
their waters.
''The Fort Frances Pulp and
Paper Company, Limited, The Ont
ario and Minnesota Power Com
pany, Limited, and the Minnesota
and Ontario Paper Company are all
affiliated. Through the Fort Fran
ces Pulp and Paper Company, Linn
tied, l made an application to the
Ontario Government in 1926 to be
allowed to construct certain reser-
voir dams and in some instances to
develop power, which application in
Guided the lakes mentioned above.
/ did this primarily because l ex-
pected the international joint Com
mission to deal with it sooner than
it has and / wanted to be able to
cooperate with the Minnesota own
ers of some of these reservoir sites.
"There is no question about the
ACCESSIBILITY of accomplishing this
control over these waters but the
important question is, "Who is to
pay for so doing?" The above COM
panies do not expect to develop
these power plants, but they will
recommend and encourage their de-
velopment and are willing to make
contracts for the purchase of a part
of the power so developed.
"At the conclusion OF conferences
on this subject called by tremier
King at Ottawa in 1922, it was re-
commended that the various inter
ests which were benefited should
contribute to the cost, namely the
Governments for navigation and
the power interests for power.
These power interests include our
companies located at International
Falls and Fort Frances, and at Ken
ora; all the power interests on the
lower Winnipeg River above the
mouth of said River where it
empties into Lake VIM
companies are willing to pay their
share of the cost and it is hardly
conceivable to think the other inter-
proper proportion.
eff these upper waters are put
under control Rainy Lake and the
Namakan chain of lakes will always
be in complete contol and neither
of these bodies of water will be sub
jected to radical variations in levels.
AS to the wisdom of the develop
ment of the powers wherever that is
feasible there ought to be no ques-
ton as it adds wealth to the entire
community in the industries it Gre
ates and it saves through the utility
companies in providing the public
with cheaper light and power than
can possibly be provided through
| the use of coal.
"Can you think of any just criti-
| cism that can be offered to this
plan, and if so, what can the OBJ
| lection possibly be-"
Very truly yours,
| (Signed) E. w. BACKUS