The evening times. [volume], February 28, 1906, Image 6

About The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914

Image provided by: State Historical Society of North Dakota

                
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Strong and Concise Discussion of the Stbject of Overflow of Red River
Valley lands and Possible MoMs to Eliminate the Evil by the
Leader of the Drainage MoveM-IMing of Delegates
Last flight of Deepest Interest to General Public
The first session of the Internation
al Drainage conference was called to
order last evening at 8:30 o'clock by
Senator .John M. Cashel, president of
the North Dakota Drainage league.
The conference was authorized by the
late North Dakota drainage conven
tion and in accordance with instruc
tions from that organization, Presi
dent Cashel asked the governors of
North and South Dakota and Minne
sota, and the premier of Manitoba, to
name five delegates each to be pres
ent at a conference to be held in
Grand Forks on February 27. In ac
cordance, a portion or all of each dele
gation were present in the Commer
cial club rooms when ScnaLor Cashel
called the assemblage to order.
The delegates present were: Mani
toba, Hon. D. H. McFadden, provin
cial secretary of Manitoba Mayor
"homas Sharp of Winnipeg Mayor J.
Phillips of Morris John Wilton Reeve
of Morris C. H. Dancer, engineer
cf public works of Manitoba assist
ant engineer of public works of Man
itoba, A. T. Harrison of Winnipeg
Robert Hamilton, mayor of Emerson.
North. Dakota—R. L. Fellows, Bis
marck, state engineer F. R. Atkin
son, Fargo, assistant state engineer,
Bismarck John E. Paulson of Hills
boro Senator J. D. Bacon of Grand
•Forks, and Senator John M. Cashel
of Grafton.
South Dakota—Judge E. M. Ben
nett of Sisseton.
Minnesota—Prof. W. R. Hoag of
Minneapolis, engineer at the Univer
sity of Minnesota Geo. A. Ralph of
Crookston, state drainage engineer
C. R. Nye, mayor of Moorliead ex
Senator P. M. Ringdahl of Crookston
N. A. Nelson, St. Hilaire.
Senator Cashel in calling the con
ference to order, expressed the grati
tude of himself and the North Dako
ta Drainage league at the manner in
which the executives of the four
divisions represented in the confer
ence had responded to his invitat'on
and the delegates themselves for com
ing.
A Memorable Gathering
Senator Cashel said that the confer
'ence was a memorable one and that in
the "history of the state it would be
included in the events of prime im
portance to the state.
Senator Cusliel ruled that the elec
tion of a chairman would be next in
order and A. L. Fellows moved that
Mayor Sharp of Winnipeg be chair
man of the convention. The motion
was seconded by Senator J. D. Bacon.
The election was made unanimous.
Mr. Fellows and Senator Bacon were
named by Senator Cusliel to escort
the newly elected official to the chair.
Mayor Sharp thanked the delegates
for the honor conferred and expressed
I his gratitude at the friendly relations
vhich exists between Manitoba and
the people this side of the boundary.
In fact the boundary is almost purely
imaginary. Grand Forks and North
Dakota are sending some of their best
people to Winnipeg and the atmo
(sphere this side of the line is much
the same as the other side. One peo
pie live on both sides.
The people of Winnipeg have large
ideas, they are dreaming of a time
when sea-going vessels will ship
1 their cargoes at Winnipeg and steam
down the Red river and out Hudson
lay to the ports of the world. They
are now working on a dam at St. Dan
iels rapids and will add a foot more
iter to the lower portions of the
II per. This will raise it sufficiently
to allow of the enterance of much
larger boats.
Mayor Sharp said that the people on
this side of the line were good fellows,
and if their intention was as he had
tnderstood, to submerge Winnipeg in
20 feet of water, they were doing it
in good spirit.' He expressed the hope
that the present friendly relations
might never be interrupted.
Major Nye Secretary.
On motion of Senator Cashel, Mayor
C. A. Nye of Moorhead was made sec
retary of the conference.
Again on motion of Senator Cashel.
8. committee of five was to be named
by the chair on resolutions. Senator
'Cashel submitted a list of names and
they were accepted by the chair.
They were: A. L. Fellows, Bismarck
George A. Ralph, Crookston C. H.
Dancer, Winnipeg W. R. Hoag, Min
i.eapolis T. R. Atkinson, Fargo.
At this point Mayor Sharp called
on Senator Cashel, who delivered an
address on the subject under consid
eration. The following is the text of
the address in full:
Seaator Canhel'ai Addrean.
Mr. Ciiaii-uian uud Gentlemen of this
Conference:
In accordance with resolutions pass
ed at the late Drainage convention, I
requested the Premier of Manitoba, the
Governors of Minnesota, North and
South Dakota to appoint five delegates
each to attend a conference to be held
here this evening for the purpose cf
considering drainage to a limited ex
tent and the over-flow of the Bed river
to It* (tallest extent I am pleased to
say that these executives responded
cheerfully and promptly and .delegates
are now present to discuss the sub
.frpts «u»der consideration.
The question of drainage is being
earnestly agitated, that must In the
near future bear fruits when this fer
tile vallej urill yield bounteously, wet
"aa«!.4l|r*4M&ns alike, under a skillful
system of diversified farming that fav
orable conditions mustproduce. A Mil
^passed tke UaHed States senate, with
out opposition, segregating lljONjftp
from the National Reclamation fund
to be loaned the counties of Pembina,
Walsh, Grand Forks, Traill, Cass and
Richland in this state for drainage
purposes, to be returned in ten equal
animal installments, without interest.
It was thought, desirable to make some
amendments to the senate bill, conse
quently Representative Gronna intro
duced a substitute bill in the house,
embodying the amendments, which is
now in the hands of the committee on
irrigation of arid lands with pros
pects offavorable consideration.' It
lias the endorsement of Secretary Wil
son of the agricultural department,
who says in substance that the Na
tional Reclamation fund should be
used for drainage as well as irrigation,
the object and results are the same.
Should this bill fail, which we trust it
will not, it will only increase our ef
forts to push the work with greater
energy. The ball is now in motion and
we expect its momentum to increase
rapidly as it moves onward. We will
learn from the discussions and oppo
sitions to the bill, where to strengthen
and fortify in introducing another at
the opening of the succeeding con
gress. We will not rely upon this
source alone for relief, although we
feel confident that it will produce it.
We will call .'mother drainage conven
tion next fall to consider drainage in
general and the drafting of a drainage
bill in particular, to be presented
TO
our next legislative wsseqjbly for its
consideration. We will examine the
drainage laws of different states and
Manitoba, which law is highly recom
mended, and employ able legal talent
to prepare the bill. We should lie fully
equipped to commence the drainage of
the valley actively one year from the
coming spring, either through national
relief or state enactment. Manitoba
and Minnesota are pushing tlie drain
age of their low lands with good re
sults.
Admitting that a universal system
of drainage will be established in the
Red River valley in the near future,
that will bring us face to face with the
all important problem of how to take
care of the waters running through
several thousand smooth, straight
ditches varying from five to fifteen
miles in length. The water that now
slowly passes over flat cultivated fields
will pass rapidly down these ditches,
having a fall of from two to four feet
per mile, which with its tributaries,
will overflow the Red river rapidly un
less proper steps are taken to prevent
it. As our drained area increases our
liability to greater floods and greater
damage will increase correspondingly
and the water from the river1 backing
up in the ditches will escape through
culverts and over low banks, thus flood
ing greater districts that will he dam
aged for cultivation and over-run with
foul seed producing noxious weeds,
besides the great damage to improve
ments and personal property. The
cities along the river will be subject to
serious damages to buildings, pave
ments and other improvements, the
greatest to suffer, from its location,
will be that city, the coming giantess
of the north, Winnipeg. Its location
near the mouth of the river will re
ceive all the accumulated waters from
above including those of the Assina
boine, which united will make a mighty
torrent in flood time, rushing furiously
onward endangering life and property.
The Red River valley must be drain
ed for its prosperity and the success
of the cities and towns located therein.
At the same time the drainage of the
valley means greater destruction of
property, periodically, by floods, un
less the over-flow of the Red river ?s
prevented. Now what can be dono?
Each one has his own theory, but what
we /want is a practical, scientific plan
that will accomplish the object, which
should be done by both governments
interested, then appropriations should
be extended under the supervision of
skillful and experienced engineers af
ter proper topographical surveys and
hydrographical tests have been made.
We can discuss here ways and means
that to us may seem practical and ar
rive at some conclusion as to our rec
ommendations to parliament and con
gress. In this connection, otte of the
first things to be considered is, (io \ve
want to preserve the navigation of the
Red river that decended to us as a leg
acy to be transmitted as a heritage 'o
prosterity? I would say yes,, if pos
sible, providing its waters can be con
tained at all times within its banks,
but if they cannot, I would, then say
no, let science and art improve on na
ture, so as to give adequate protection
to the inhabitants along its banks.
In our government all navigable
highways are under the control of the
war department, which is very reluct
ant to pursue any course that vyill in
terfere with their navigation. Its ob
ject is to improve it rather than to de
stroy, providing the benefits will war
rant the outlay. In conversation with
a government engineer a &w days ago
in St. Paul, he questioned the propriety
of asking congress to make any appro
priation for the Red river, unless to
improve its "navigation, and incident
ally to prevent its over-flow. In 1899
there was appropriated by congress as
follows: For surveys having in view
the improvement-of navigation of the
Red river with a secondary object of
.preventing its over-flow and for the
Improvement of navigation in the
Minnesota river, J5,000 for Big Stone
Lake and Lake Traverse, ^5,000 for
Red Lake and Red Lake river, $3,000
for, Otter Tall Lake an4 river, $3,000.
In 1*02, $10,000 more was appropriated
to continue the' surveys. Col. Hoxle,
""Tim.
", T* JC
1
*%'!,
I
government engineer, having the work
in charge, states that by impounding
the waters in these basins, during
flood period, which would comprise
about 21 per cent of thfe Red river bas
in or valley above Grand Forks, "while
the excess flood above the bankfull
capacity of the Red river at Grand
Forks was in 1897 about 21 per cent
of the total flow of the Red river dur-i
ing the eighteen days of such excess
if this surplus of 18,000,000,000 cubic
feet from, the crest of the flood wave
could have been intercepted and im
pounded in reservoirs at the critical
time of the flood, the river would npt
have risen above the danger line
pt
Grand Forks upon that occasion."
Bear in mind that that was the high
est flood known of since 1850 and very
little is known of that.
Lieut. Col. Allen, senior member of
the corps of United States engineers,
estimates the cost of dams, ctc., at
Lake Traverse and Big Stone lake for
the improvement of the navigation c.f
the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers,
at from $357,957 to $1,176,972, and
would not recommend then-' construc
tion for the reason the outlay would
be far in excess of the benefits.
To dam Otter Tail Lake and river
would cost $58,095, and is not recom
mended as desirable. "The construc
tion of a dam with locks at the outlot
of Red Lake for the purpose of im
proving the navigation of the Red
River of the North and the Red Lake
river, Minnesota, in the manner out
lined by the district officer, at an esti
mated cost of $270,456,600, is recom
mended as desirable."
The Red river below Grand Forks
maintains a low water depth of four
feet in the channel kept
BO
at a cost
$7,500 annually by dredging, while
with a dam at Red Lake that depth
can be maintained without dredging.
The questions that present themselves
are, will the slight benefits to naviga
tion with its very limited scope pay
for the outlay to protect it? Also will
the dam at Red Lake, without dams
at the other two basins, that are not
recommended, prevent the over-flow ot
the Red river? From the engineer's
report it will not, but would reduce
the volume of water about ten per
cent, thus lowering it, but not confut
ing it within its banks. Then will" it
pay to protect navigation considering
the enormous losses caused by floods
and what follows? It is estimated, and
not contradicted, that the losses caus
ed by the 1S97 flood equalled $7,000,000
along the entire, valley.
How long would it take to recover
that amount from navigation after the
government expenses to maintain it
were taken out? Then let us elimi
nate navigation, from the river, i:i
other words*destroy it and-deal with
the overflow. Let us commence at its
source, the junction of the Otter Tail
and Bois des Sioux rivers which can
be shortened to unite twenty-four
miles north of Lake Traverse, which
is afiout six feet lower than the lake.
Lake Traverse is ten fdet higher than
Big Stone Lake, its depth varies from
ten to twenty feet, which by canaling
will give about four feet fall from the
new junction of these rivers to Big
Stone Lake. To give it still greater
fall the Minnesota river near Orton
ville, where there are rapids, can be
lowered five feet, thus giving a fall
nine feet from the'junction of these
rivers to the outlet of Big' Stone Lake
into the Minnesota river, a distance of
about sixty miles, while the Red river
has an average fall of less than five
inches to the mile. That would dispose
of the two basins through one channel
at greatly reduced cost, for only canal
ing need be done and no damage for
flowage. Construct the dam at R?d
Lake, then these will give us the 21
per cent in the .reduction of the over
flow, holding the water within the
banks of the river, in flood time. Build
a dam on the Sheyenne at the most
feasible place and hold back the water
in its basin when required probably
four per cent of the flood waters can
be impounded in this basin. Besides
large Jracts of land along its banks,
will be protected from over-flow.
We now come to another very im
portant basin owing to the rapid de
scent of its .waters being about six feet,
ten inches per mile, that is the Pem
bina river.
At Rock Lake in Manitoba,. about 130
miles direct, the altitude is 1635 fe^t.
at the Red river 790 feet, a fall of 845
feet. I can best describe this basin
and its outlet, by copying from the
Pembina Pioneer Express, the follow
ing: "To ascertain the volume of
water passing down the Pembina river
at any stated point during the flood
period and the capacity of the storage
basin as proposed, fortunately we have
some reliable data to work upon, and
by computation of same show the feas
ibility of the storage reservoir.
"Prof. E. F. Chandler, of the Uni
versity of North Datfota, acting hydro
grapher for the United States Geologi
cal survey, is maintaining records of
the flow of the Pembina rivpr at Neche,
X. D. He has kindly furnished us with
a brief summary of the results, in
cluding the months of April and May,
1904, when the stage of water Was at
its maximum, allowing the flow to be
the same at the junction of the Pem
bina in Cavalier county, is a fair esti
mate. We have- also the estimated ca
pacity of the proposed reservoir on a
50-foot head dam, calculated by Dr.
Charles P. Burkey, of Columbia Col
lege, New York city, made when visit
ing this section last season.
"By computing the average flow of
water at Neche for last April and May
and adding ten per cent to same in
order to bring the volume of water to
a high stage, we find it would take
76 days to fill the reservoir. Such be
ing facts, all danger and damage'irom
over-flows from spring floods or sum
mer down-pours over a large area
country in this county would be re
moved, also a much larger section of
country north of us in Manitoba would
be also directly benefited. The area
drained'by both the Pembina' rivers
above their junction is about three
thousand (3000) square miles, much
of it in an open and broken prairie
country, so spring thaws quickly con
verts the snow and ice into water and
1t comes down into the Red River val
ley la one great volume in a very
short Qme.
"The late Prof. C. M. Hall of the Ag
ricultural college of North Dakota, was
acting in the same capacity as Prof.
Chandler until about two years ago,'
but who is now dead, reported in tak
ing the measurements of the flow of the
\-sas
^|It
THE EVENING TIMES, GRAND FORKS, N. D.'
Red river -during period of over-flow
found that for a few days of excessive
high water in the Pembina, that one
fourth of the volume of water passing
the International boundary line came
from the Pembina river. Prof. Chan
dler thinks that in ordinary periods cf
over-flow that the volume of the P4m
bina is one-eighth to one-tenth of the
volume of water passing the Interna
tional boundary line. By holding that
water back in the proposed reservoir
would not only relieve our county and
Manitoba of much annual damage, but
the cities of Pembina, Emerson, Win
nipeg, etc."
By confining the flood waters of this
basin you will reduce the volume of
water passing Into the Red river prob
ably S per cent, thus by the different
processes of diverting and darning, the
volutae of water in the lower river can
be reduced in flood time 33 per cent,
removing all danger to overflow of
lands or damage to property.
The next means of preventing the
over-flow would be by canaling and
cutting off the big bends or
QX
bows,
by this means you would shorten the
channel of the river probably 30 per
cent thus giving a shorter distance and
greater descent to hurry the waters
onward. To illustrate: the fall of the
riyer is less than 5 inches to the lineal
mile, suppose we take a bend coursing
six miles that would gain only one
lineal mile of the river by canaling,
the bend would have a fall of only one
inch to the mile while the canal would
have five inches which must dispose of
the waters in fall and distance in much
less time.
By this process you would destroy
navigation. During the season ..f
normal conditions the volume of water
would be limited and would pa3s
through the canal system in a lower
stage.
The plans and systems that I have
outlined are mainly for the purpose of
bringing on a general discussion of the
subject under consideration, the over
flow of the Red river, particularly Ly
the practical men of scientific knowl
edge who are in attendance at. this
conference.
In conclusion I would recommend
that we arrive at some conclusion as
to some plan, or plans, on which we
can memorize the Dominion Parlia
ment and congress to appoint a joiat
commission of practical men as early
as possible, to investigate the condi
tions of thg. Red river and its tribu
taries and report its findings and rec
ommendations to both governments for
action.
This is the first conference of the
kind called for this purpose which I
ams happy to say is composed of rep
resentative men from whom the public
will expect practical recommendations
that ultimately should produce good
results.
DImgiinmIOII UeffinM.
At the conclusion of Senator Cash
el's address, State Engineer A. L. Fel
lows of Jforth Dakota, desired to ask
Engineer Dancer of the province of
Manitoba, if the increased volume of
water from the Red river resulting
from Senator Cashel's scheme of
Orainage, would back the water up in
the Red river and damage Winnipeg.
Mr. Dancer did not believe so unless
the rivef was frozen over below Win
nipeg at the time of the flood. Engin
eer Ralph answered the question to""'
the satisfaction of Mr. Fellows by
stating that the river had a fall of
15 feet from Winnipeg to the bay.
Mr. Fellows said, that the straight
ening of the channel of the Red river
f.s Senator Cashel proposed would not
destroy navigation as he stated.
With the reservoir system, it would be
possible to release enough water dur
ing the summer to keep navigation at
its present' status.
rrnf. Chandler Made Deleimte.
On motion of Mr. Felloes, Prof. E.
F. Chandler of the University of North
Dakota, and United States hydro
grapher, was admitted to the floor of
the conference with the privileges of
a delegate.
At the request of the chair, discus
sion was discontinued until the ad
dress from Prof. W. R. Hoag of the
University of Minnesota was delivered.
Prof. Hoag said that he was not a
public speaker and was wholly un
prepared, but would make a few ob
servations. ^While the address was
rot lengthy it was extremely instruc
tive
Prof. Hoag had been engaged' in
drainage work in Minnesota for the
past eight years and has had consid
erable practical experience.
In his judgment the hardest part of
the task of draining ..the Red river
valley was not confronting the en
gineers but the men back ot the work.
The great work must lie in the field
of the diplomat and the statesman.
There are allies and enemies the
enemies must be overcome or won
over and the allies unified.
All Help Needed.
The United States is making sur
veys and they will assist any stage in
the work of study of physical condi
tions. Some such work has been
done in the Red river on both sides.
This is one of the allies.
There are many problems of a pure
ly local nature, relative to ditches,
cannals, etc., which must be Studied
and overcome. These are compara
t'vely simple matters. The great flght
will come in securing financial aid.
The matter of ways and means will
demand the greatest talent. The work
should be divided when it comes be
fore the proposed joint comnllssion.
A committee should* formulate a plan
for the manner of doing the work and
provide the means.
The work for the engineers should
be divided, in three parts. First and
luremost should be the gathering of
AagmeattaK Survey*. I
The second work is that of aug
menting the surveys. In addition'to
the surveys already made, .many
others must be made. This will de
mand a large force if ft is to be done
in a few seasons. Lastly the plan
for accomplishing the work. Tills will
to a big jobforthe-best engineers in'
the country. When these plans are
formulated, the carrying ont of them
Vlll be comparatively simple.
Prof. Chandler 'was called for at
the conclusion of the address by Prof.
Hoag and delivered a short extempor-
•m J**
1_
aneous address on the subject of
hydrographies and thd reservoir
schemes!
Ptof. Chandler says that all the en
gineer has to deal wlth in the valley
is the spring watefs or storm waters
of an extraordinary kind in the sum
mer. While in some respects the
overflow may tend to lessen, in others
it grows worse. The witter when it
foils, finds more ditches and means of
getting into the streams than before
the land was ditched or cultivated.
Wrung Thing Demanded.
Prof.- Chandler says that the wrong
thing was demanded by the war de
partment in their survey of "Red Lake
ior the purpose of lowering the. chan
nel and making a reservoir] It was
to improve navigation and not to se
cure relief from floods in the valley.
He believes that the Red Lake pro
ject, the lowering of the bed of the
Red Lake rive* some two or four
feet would be feasable and would act
as a reset voir to hold back flood
aters.
The war department made many er
rors in their survey, from the fact that
they had little data to work from,
among other things a real flood. He
estimated that they were off 25 per
cent on their estimates along these
lines and as to water flows.
The normal flood of the Red Lake
river above the confluence, is from
one-half to two-thirds of the flow of
the Red river below, the confluence.
This is under normal conditions. At
times of high water the Red Lake is
about one-third and the Red river
about two-thirds above the confluence.
HeMrrvoIr Will Da the Work.
In the judgment of Prof. Chandler,
the Red Lake reservoir will do the
work of preventing floods in the Red
river valley. The lowering of the bed
Jf the channel at the outlet of Red
Lake will allow of the storing of
enough water to lower the worst pos
sible flood a foot at Grand Forks.
It would lower the ordinary flobd,
like that of two years ago,, from two
to two and one-half feet. It is the
last foot that does the damage.
The report of the engineers of the
war department favored the reservoir,
scheme at Red Lake but the report
was turned down as the navigation did
not warrant the outlay of $270,000 on
the stream. The survey was to im
prove navigation while what is want
ed now is a survey to prevent floods.
There is a great deal of misunder
standing relative to the contemplated
reservoirs. They will not be made by
raising the waters of the lakes but by
iowering the channels of their out
lets and lowering their levels, except
in flood times, when by dams they will
l.e brought, to a normal lqvel.
Engineer* Differ.
Senator Cashel complained that fen
gineers differed in their opinions. In
1S97, the big flood damaged Walsh
county and he secured an appropria
tion from congress to make a survey,
which was done. These engineers
and others differed in their opinions
from one Major .Tones, also a govern
ment engineer. Major Jones esti
mated that with the contemplated
system of" reservoirs, the average
depth of the Red river above Grand
Forks could be kept at 3.5 feet and
that below it could be kept at 4.5
teet the 2i2 days of the open season.
He believed that reservoirs would
help navigation and other engineers
believe that theywould Injure naviga
tion. He asked Pfof. Chandler to re
concile these things.
Prof. Chandler said that hydo
grapliic estimates were made by the
average rain fall on the area drained.
The trouble with the valley is that
it is about one fourth drained, there
are no rivers to take care of flood
waters. The Red river drains 20,000
square miles with an average rain fall
cf 20 inches, one inch-of which finds
its way into the river. This is not ex
actly a desert but on the edge of
one. For instance the Susquehanna
river In Pennsylvania drains about the
same area but has a normal rain
fall of 40 inches a year and about four
of them get into the river. The river
has a flow all of the time about like
the Red river when its banks are full.
Stavy Thine* Enter In.
Many things enter into the consid
eration of what will happen under
certain conditions and the older en
gineers had less data than the latter
ones. The ground gets softer with:
cultivation and absorbs, more water,,
evaporation is greater, etc., and all
these things enter into the question.
Ditches make the flow of water more
rapid to the rivers ana the floods are
acute, shorter but higher.
Mr. Fellows said that Engineer
Stewart who made the survey in the
alley last summer, came to the conr
elusion that under ordinary condi
tions the Red river took care of the
water but it was on during flood
periods that the channel was inade
quate.
Engineer Ralph TalkM.
Engineer Ralph said that the
amount of water which the ditches
carried to the stream was relatively
not as great as what found its way
in before. This is due to the draining
of low lands and making, the soil
more receptive, and under cultivation,
evaporation is greater. He estimated
that the work on the Red Lake chan
nel to lower it four feet could be
done and the dam pat in for $100,000.
This would not include locks for
navigation and allowed 10 cents per
cubic yard for the excavating Instead
of 20 cents, the war department es
timate.
There would be no trouble at Red'
Lake in lowering the level of the lake
nor at any other points, except above
Otter Tail lake and at Brown's valley
near Lake Traverse. These lakes were
surrounded with rich farming coun
try which would be damaged by the
lowering of the lake. The Otter Tail
river could be sent around by the
Minnesota river, but Moprhead and
Fargo would object and It could not
be done. vg
1
all data now extant. To- gather and
compile this, topographical and
hydrographical, will demand the work
of a large force of compilers for some
time. It is a big task.,
Jndie BeaaeU'a Warning,
Judge^ Bennett of South Dakota*said
that he would take the position'to
day in hl's address, that the waters,
of the Otter ,Tail river could be sent
around by the Minnesota river and,
that when that wius done, navigation
would be opened front Hudson Bay
to the Gulf of Mexico. The sanie
thing which helped' navigation Would
stop floods. The Otter, Tail u^der con
trol. and there would be no more floods
Prof. Chandler reminded him that
the Otter Tail river took a month to
handle, the water that'the Red Lake
handled in It week. Prof. Chandler
gave the water surface of ^the three
lakes as follows lied lake 500
square miles, Otter,Tall 64 square
miles, Traverse 1,200 square miles.
The convention then adjourned to
((meet at 10 o'clock this morning.
Social Setialon.
After, adjournment refreshments
were served in the club rooms and a
smoker enjoyed while the delegates
qilngled in friendly intercourse.
(ContlnWed an Page
For Prevent'ng tlie Overflow of the
Red River—It Also Embraces the
Problem of Navigation of the Red
and Minnesota Rivers.
Judge Edgar M. BennettFof Sisseton,
S. D., who is here as a delegate to the
drainage conference, is an old timer,
both in the drainage movement and the
development of the Northwest. Some
26^ years ago next month he came to
Big Stone, and took a prominent pa
ft
in. politics and the drainage movement
or the "Bennett Waterway Scheme," as
it was then known. As mayor of Big
stone he took a prominent part In a
scheme iif connection with the people
of Winnipeg for the opening of a
waterway from Hudson Bay to the
Gulf ot Mexico. While enjoying a so
cial chat with an Evening Timefe man
in the corridor of the Dacotah last
evening Judge Bennett said:
"We have^ better prospects for the
consummation of the great waterway
from the foot of Big Stone lake to Lake
Winnipeg, under the Major Jones plan,
as reported by him to General Casey,
in 1892, than ever before. There is no
question about having a plentiful sup
ply of water for navigable purposes.
The old theory that there would not
be water enough is cried only by those
who are not conversant with the plan.
The reason I speak of this is that when
I first bcigan to advocate this project,
twenty years ago, that was the* argu
ment used against me. But if anyone
will read the report of Major Jones, a
civil engineer of high standing, such
will be dispelled. In personal inter
views I have had with Major Jones, he
says there is no question as to having
plenty of water in the most droughty'
seasons,, under his plan, which is the
reservoir system.
"Every one in the Northwest is ac
quaftited with the destruction caused
by the flootta of the Red River of the
North, there naving been, since the set
tlement of that portion of the country,
some $10,000,000 worth of property de
stroyed by floods. Several lives have
also bean lost. No longer than the
winter of 1897, over $2,000,00 worth
of property was destroyed by the floods
of theRed River of the North, or more
in value than it would take to pay the
expense of the building of this grand
waterway under Major Jones' plan.
IBS
$
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1906.
rt
In the valley. He Warned the! en
gineers of his position so that they
might utterly demolish him if he were
Wfong.
B.»"\r •1
vv ________
HISTORY OF
THE_PLAN
All
of this can be prevented by simply put
ting a dyke at the north end of the
Boise de Sioux, about fifteen 'miles
south of Wahpeton, and another dyke
at the foot of Big Stone lake and a lock
and gate on the Otter Tail river at the
nearest point to the Rabbit river chan
nel, and forcing he waters of the Ot
ter Tail, in the spring, south through
short-distance" artificial channel to the
Rabbit river channel,: down the Boise
de Sioux, where it will be forced from1
the north' dyke south, through Lakes
Traverse and Big Stone, to the dyke at
the foot of the last named lake ,thus
.creating one grand reservoir" of nine
ty miles and preventing the floods of
the Red River, of the North. The Otter
Tail riven is the principal feeder to. the
Red river,.and,.as it thaws out earlier
in the spring than, the Red river of tlie
North,, farther north, its waters flow
to the ice beds of the Red River of the
North and create the floods. By its di
version,. the floods are easily prevent
ed. There is agate connected with, the
lock on the Otter Tail river.' 'When
the gate.' is closed, the water is forccd
south' into the reservoir. When, the
gate is lifted, the water of the Ottor
Tall resumes its natural course—north.
Thus the waters of the Otter Tail are
under absolute control. Hence, the
damage is prevented and the surplus
waters are held intact, to be used at
will as a geoefit.
"Big Stone lake, being a feeder- to
the Minnesota river, would be' the
means pf furthering navigation on the-'
Minnesota river south, under the res
ervoir plan, so that fair-sized boats
coold be used for navigable- purposes
on the Minnesota river ,to the twin
cities. Just remember that I do "not
pretend to say that the ninety-mile
resertotr would hold all of the surplus
flood waters that create all the .floods
of the Red River of the North. But it'
would hold a sufficient amount' of such
waters with what it could get lid of
as a feeder to the Minnesota river and
its created reservoirs further south, to
prevent the floods of the Red River of
the North and make navigation south
to the twin cities. Congressman Mc
Cleary has been* as I learn, a strong
advocate of the theory I advance' per
taining to navigation of the Minnesota
river to Big Stone lake.
"The same principle would be util
ized in the creation of navigation on
the north to Lake Winnipeg. That is,
the reservoir system and the straight
enlng out in many places of the Rejl
river channed. Thus navigation would
be created to Lake Winnipeg. In fact,
citizens of Winnipeg have been strong
supporters of this waterway ever since
I began to agitate it, in 1880. I have
communications in my possession as
far-back ap Nov. 28, 1885, from C. B.
Hamilton, the mayor of Winnipeg,
wherein he and his council took great
interest in. the work. Also from Geo.
A. Stewart, civil engineer of Winnipeg,
who has written many lengthy com
m'unicatlons as to tjbe great worth if
the project rind the gfeat benefits to be
derived therefrom. 'Under the Jones
Pten we wouty have 990 miles of Inter
ior waterway, fyom the foot of *Big
Ston^ lake, taking In Sake 'Winnipeg
and the Red Lake country, outside of
the Minnesota river. *Iis Would be the
means,, if once consummated, of creat
ing a further waterway down the Nal
son rlver, atvthe north of Lake Winni
peg, to Hudson bay In other words,,
'we would have one grand waterway
communication from thejgulf of Mexi
co to H«ids6n bay. Many have made
the objection that it Is frozen up too
long from Hudson bay but any one
.who will take the pains to investigate
will find that the1 season Is only two
weeks -shorter than at Diiluth. The
only reason that steamers have never
been used' from Hudson/bay is because
the'country as yet is sparsely populat
ed and is controUed by the Hudson Bay
Fur company, which Is one with the
Canadian 'Pacific company, and is yet
under their absolute control. They at
this, time prefer the long ^aul over
their line of railway. As far back, as
1888, Premier Greenway attempted to
organize a railway company for the
purpose of ^building a line of road from
Lake Winnipeg to the nearest point cn
Hudson bay, 152 miles .in length, and
had subscriptions of some $500,000,000
of stock for this purpose in London.
But the, project was strangled by a
greater" power, which was supposed to
be-the Hudson Bay Fur company and
the Canadian Pacific railway company.
"The1 outlet of every one of the res
ervoirs would furnish a water-power
which could be utilized to charge the
dynamos and run the boats by electric
ity, if necessary. These several water
powers could be used according to
their location for numerous'purposes
in some localities, for sawmills and
plaining mills,' in others, for flouring
mills and paper mills. At theifoot of
Big Stone there would be a grand
water-power, with a sixteen-foot fall.
It would be necessary to construct a
dyke at that point, a mile-and-one-half
in length and some twenty feet highv
and at that pofnt the water would be
about sixteen feet in depth. It would
create one of the finest water-powers
there is in the west, and its immense
granite mountains could be utilized
and numerous polishing Works could'
be constructed. Remember, your court
house in Minneapolis, is built of this
granite. The prairie country would be
made accessible, to the timbered coun
try. The twin cities could be furnished:
with lumber from the Red Lake coun
try, all by water. Besides, it would
make the Dominion government's in
terests identical with our own—just
what we want Make her interests
ours, and our hers, and after a while
the marriage bells will ring and we
will be one nation, under the old flag.
a,ffg?na. lp2P 9b,m Dnt.Ah,atu -jd'i.rv
(Continued from pase'Di
ii
later overcome procrastination 's
little short Of criminal.
The member of the Endowment rank
young in age,- should demand in no
uncertain tones that the excess of ht&
payment should be reserved for his
use and benefit in tile future and. the
member older in years,, should and
must feel confidents that some method
will be devised 'out of the fraternal
spirit of the order that will impose
no undue hardship upon him he has
had his protection for many years at
an inadequate price, and in justice to
others, he should feel willing,, even
though the burden- may seem large, to
bear at least a portion of it the- mem
bers of the order at large who do not
belong to the Endowment rank shoufd
take a pride in putting this institution'
ia a position where they may point
it as a monument to. the skill and in
telligence of the order from a business.
standpoint every motive seems to in
duce a thorough examination by every l?'
naember of its condition and' the
prompt application' of adequate means
of remedy..
Mlnet,
v'-.A
im*
W
S'
With, kindest regards* I am,
'Fraternally,. •-iwr
v- GEOi A. BANGS. $5.
.. ,v
"Why so blue, Reggy?" ...
"Wliy, confound it, I was -goose I
enough to ask Miss Dashing to be my
wife. I havent enough at present to/
support myself, so I must set the date1
as far distant asN possible."
"Oh,, that's all right, old man. .-Tell
her you will marry her the day the '.
Panama canal is finished."—Chicago -1'\",
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1
CLABK HOVFEY''
WILLIAM
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