Y 10. RESERVOIRS UPON THE HEADWATERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. The object of the reservoirs is to collect surplus water, principally from the precipitation of winter, spring, and early summer, to be systematically released so as to benefit navigation upon the reaches of the several streams below the dams, and also that of the Mississippi below Saint Paul. Alleviation of floods, in localities near the proposed reservoirs, expected to obtain to some extent, but control of extended floods or freshets covering long reaches not expected. It seems proper to note here that this office is not responsible for the extravagant statements made by friends of the system and appearing in newspapers and other publications from time to time as to the extended benefits to be derived from the reservoirs under consideration. In order that navigation may be benefited upon the Mississippi above the mouth of the Saint Croix, upon the Saint Croix, the Chippewa, and the navigable reaches of the Wisconsin, the system of dams proposed for each must be carried out, and no benefit of consequence to the Mississippi below Lake Pepin can be predicted unless the entire system is built. The capacities of and supply to the proposed reservoirs are discussed in the several reports upon reservoirs surveys of January 15, 1879, December 12, 1879, January 15, 1880, and January 16, 1881. Appendix X, Part II, pages 1457-1459, Report of the Chief of Engineers, 1883, contains a résumé of hydrological observations and conclusions based thereon. The project for this work may be said to have been adopted in 1880, following an appropriation by Congress for the work, by act approved June 14, 1880. The work upon the dams at the outlets of Lake Winnibigoshish and Leech Lake, and at the Falls of Pokegama, was vigorously pushed dur ing the year-winter months as well as summer. The latter dam will undoubtedly be completed by October next; the others will, it is expected, be finished by September; in fact, they are practically completed. These dams were described in the last annual report. The Winnibigoshish and Pokegama dams are in local charge of Mr. Archibald Johnson, assistant engineer, assisted by Messrs. Albert Wanzer and C. L. Harrison. The Leech Lake Dam is in charge of Mr. John Cullen, assistant engineer. To these gentlemen credit is due for their zeal and care in carrying on the work. The preliminary work for the dam on Pine River, at the outlet of Cross Lake, commenced last winter, and consisted in the procuring of about half the timber and piling necessary, and in detail survey of the dam-site and lands above and below the site liable to damage from the operation of this dam. The structure is to have a lift of 17 feet, to be built of timber crib-work, with 18 sluices for the discharge of water, 3 of the sluices being placed at different levels to admit of the passage of logs. To reduce the quantity of timber and rock, the upper 5 feet of the lift is to be obtained by the use of stop-plank above the waste-way. This dam is in local charge of Mr. A. O. Powell, assistant engineer, who has carried out his work, also, satisfactorily. It was found necessary to institute proceedings for the condemnatiou of much of the land above the dam liable to overflow, and during the past winter the necessary authority was given the United States attor ney for this district to assist this office in the matter. Steps leading to condemnation have been taken, but the process is tedious. For an account of the work since 1881 in procuring releases of and in condemnation of land, reference is made to the report of Mr. C. McClellan, marked Appendix A, herewith. The work upon the dams has been done by day labor and purchase of materials in open market. Some of the timber was cut, by authority, from United States lands withdrawn from market for reservoir purposes. Meteorological observations and measurements of flow of water have been kept up so far as opportunity permitted, and old hydrological data revised. The report of Mr. J. B. Parkinson, marked Appendix B, herewith, gives full accounts of this part of the work. His conclusions as to coefficients, though not at this writing necessarily fully concurred in, are worthy of consideration. During a portion of May and June it was necessary to close the gates of the Winnibigoshish Dam, mainly to partially lay bare the bed of the river below it for the purpose of collecting river bowlders for use upon the work; the gates were also closed more or less previous to May 1. The Leech Lake Dam was also closed, in order that work upon the apron might be carried on. During the short time, however, that the dams were thus closed, the surplus water collected in the two reservoirs amounted, by June 30, to about 12,000,000,000 cubic feet. The past year has been a dry one over a large extent of Minnesota and Wisconsin. The average rain-fall at Saint Paul is 30 inches. From June, 1883, to June, 1884, it was but 22.2 inches. The drainage basin was dry, and the soil this spring in condition to absorb much more than its average proportion of precipitation. A full test of these two reservoirs cannot, therefore, be made this season; the results of the partial test will be made the subject of a future report. The quantity of water collected was encouraging. No marked benefit to navigation below Saint Paul can be expected from the operation of but two reservoirs. The accumulation of logs in the river above the lower (Pokegama) dam embarrassing the work which was in process of construction, it was deemed necessary to get them out of the way, and orders were given to release sufficient water from the upper dams (Leech and Winnibigoshish) to effect this, as well as to clear the river below of logs, so as to admit of steamers from Aitken reaching Grand Rapids, the water to be released in such quantities as not to endanger the unfinished work. An inspection of the river was made in June by Assistant Davenport to ascertain the cause of the saw logs blocking up the river. His report, June 30, forwarded herewith, marked Appendix C, attributes the difficulty to lack of water in the tributaries below Pokegama and the failure of certain parties to turn their logs out in time for the spring rise. The reservoirs have been ordered by Congress in the interest of river navigation; they should not be diverted from this purpose. Some action by Congress bearing upon the full control of the reservoirs in the interest of navigation will undoubtedly become necessary at an early day. It appears proper here to acknowledge the valuable services of Mr. F. T. Hampton, assistant engineer on this and other work in charge of this office. Amount expended since the project was adopted (cost of preliminaries included), $418,367.38. With the sum of $60,000 appropriated by act of Congress approved July 5, 1884, it is proposed to continue work upon the system on the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The sum of $140,000 in addition to the sums already appropriated can be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, in continuing work upon the reservoirs above Crow Wing, viz, in completing the Pine River work and in work upon the proposed dam at Gull Lake, or in commencing work at the Vermillion River Dam, if the latter should be decided upon. The cost of hydraulic foundations cannot be predicted with the approach to exactness that many other kinds of work admit of; and the cost of land and other damages is an item also not easy to predict. Amounts appropriated to date are: Act approved June 14, 1880.. Total....... Allotment per letter from office Chief of Engineers, November 9, 1881 1881.. Award to Indians for damages in connection with the building of Leech Money statement. July 1, 1883, amount available.... $312, 118 67 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883. $182,546 47 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities... 22, 939 58 205,486 05 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ 1,224, 083 50 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886.... 140,000 00 REPORT OF MR. CARSWELL M'CLELLAN, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. SAINT PAUL, MINN., June 14, 1884. SIR: In compliance with instructions I have the honor to submit the following outline narrative of operations in the division of lands pertaining to this office, embracing all lands affected by the proposed system of reservoirs on the headwaters and tributaries of the Mississippi River in Minnesota and Wisconsin, with which I have been charged by your orders since November 12, 1881. Preliminary lists of the lands referred to had been forwarded to the Chief of Engineers with your report of December 12, 1879, and were published in the Annual Re # It is not known at this writing whether the amounts awarded to Indians for damages in connection with the building of Lake Winnibigoshish Dam and Leech Lake Dam are to be paid from the appropriation for reservoirs; if so, then the amount available June 30, 1884, will be $91,165.72. Estimated cost of the system, exclusive of land damages, $1,809,083.50. port of the Chief of Engineers for 1880. Based on these preliminary lists Presidential proclamations No. 859 (of March 22, 1880) and No. 868 (of April 5, 1881) withdrew from sale or disposal a portion of the lands noted as belonging to the United States (chiefly those located in the State of Wisconsin), and an act of the legislature of Wisconsin approved March 16, 1880, made similar disposition of the lands belonging to that State mentioned in the list. Correspondence and conference had taken place with parties in Wisconsin, and ́as early as June 1, 1881, assurances were offered from prominent owners of private lands that voluntary releases would be readily made in time to prevent any delay in the proposed work in that State. January 31, 1882, a revised list of lands belonging to the State of Wisconsin, supplementing and correcting the list of December 12, 1879, was filed with the department of public lauds of that State. Commencing April 17, 1882, steps were taken to secure releases of lands embraced within the flowage lines of the proposed reservoirs on the Pakway-wang and Courtes Oreilles, tributaries of the Chippewa River, Wisconsin. Lists of lands belonging to the Chicago, Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railroad, and the Farm Mortgage Land Company were referred to the land commissioner of the companies April 20, 1882, to ascertain if voluntary releases would be granted. Under date of July 3, 1882, the commissioner replied that no definite answer could be given till after the lands had been examined and reported upon by agents of the companies. No further answer has yet been received. Indi Correspondence and personal conference was also had with private owners. cations and assurances at first favored the belief that voluntary releases would be promptly granted, but, as the months of May, June, and July went by, it became evident that a growing fear that the construction of the proposed Government works might conflict with the interests of the various lumbering firms operating upon the Chippewa and Wisconsin rivers and their tributaries would render condemnation proceedings necessary in order to secure the right to establish the necessary flowage lines. Between September 19 and December 22, 1881, the work of the division was carefully revised, and lists of all lands affected by the proposed system were prepared, giving the township, range, section, lot designation, and acreage of each tract, and dividing them as to ownership under the heads of "United States, to be withdrawn," "State," "railroad," "Indian," "private," and "United States, withdrawn." These lists were intended and believed to be made with as close an approximation to acenracy as was possible from data then obtainable by this office. They were forwarded to the Chief of Engineers January 24, 1882. November 4, 1881, a list of United States lands affected by the Leech Lake (Minnesota) Reservoir was forwarded to the Chief of Engineers. Presidential proclamation No. 872, dated November 28, 1881, withdrew these lands from sale or disposal. December 31, 1881, a list of lands belonging to the United States supplemental to the list of November 4, 1881, and also to lists contained in Presidential proclamations Nos. 859 and 868, was forwarded to the Chief of Engineers. The lands embraced were withdrawn from sale or disposal by Presidential proclamation No. 874, dated February 20, 1882. A few additional tracts, discovered as the work developed, have since been reported, February 6, March 23, and August 3, 1882, and withheld from market by authority from the General Land Office, awaiting a future proclamation. Winnibigoshish Reservoir lying entirely within Indian reservation land, the settlement of the question of damage by flowage devolved upon the Interior Department, and lists of the lands in question have at different times been furnished for the information of commissioners appointed by that Department. November 7, 1881, a list of lands belonging to the State of Minnesota affected by the proposed system of reservoirs was filed with the auditor (ex-officio land commis sioner) of the State. This list was withdrawn January 19, 1882, and a revised list substituted of lands to be held subject to provisions of an act of the legislature of Minnesota approved November 18, 1881. Further additions were made to this list January 5 and March 26, 1883, and March 14 and May 3, 1884, as prosecution of work developed the necessity. July 6, 1882, a list of lands affected belonging to the Saint Paul and Chicago Railroad Company was submitted to the agents of that company. August 10, 1852, a deed, bearing date July 7, 1882, was received, which released to the United States the right to flow any of the lands of that company "at or near the headwaters of the Mississippi River." This deed was recorded in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, August 12, 1882, was forwarded to the Chief of Engineers February 27, 1883, and approved by the Department of Justice March 29, 1883. A written agreement to execute releases to the United States had been voluntarily signed and filed in this office April 11, 1881, by a number of the most prominent owners of private lands along the Mississippi River above Pokegama Falls, Minnesota. About November 5, 1831, measures were inaugurated to perfect these releases, as 5908 EN-102 far as lands affected by the Leech Lake Reservoir were concerned. By December 8, 1881, the necessary deeds had been executed and recorded in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. They were forwarded to the Chief of Engineers December 16, 1881; were approved by the Department of Justice April 14, 1882; were returned to this office and reforwarded to the Chief of Engineers April 9, 1983. They were from the following grantors, viz: John S. Pillsbury, Charles A. Pillsbury, and George A. Pillsbury, and wives; David J. Adams and wife; Thomas B. Walker and wife; George A. Camp and Thomas B. Walker, and wives; Thomas B. Walker, George S. Cleveland, William W. Herrick, and wives, and Ed. W. Herrick, widower; Thomas B. Walker, William P. Allen, and wives; Thomas B. Walker and Ezra Pabody, and wives; E. B. Ames and H. E. Newcomb, administrators. The deeds of Thomas B. Walker and George A. Camp released also lands affected by the proposed Mud, Vermillion and Pokegama reservoirs. On December 17, 1882, a deed from Nathan Butler (unmarried), recorded in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, August 12, 1882, releasing lands affected by the Vermillion Reservoir, was forwarded to the Chief of Engineers. On February 12, 183, the last deed necessary to release all lands affected by the Pokegama Reservoir was received. These deeds were all recorded in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, and were as follows, in addition to the deeds of Messrs. Walker and Camp before noted. Caleb C. Dorr and wife, recorded August 12, 1882. John De Laittre and wife, recorded August 12, 1882. Henry T. Welles and wife, recorded September 22, 1882. William H. Lawrence and wife, recorded September 22, 1882. W. D. Washburn and wife, recorded September 22, 1881. Joseph K. Gould (unmarried), recorded February 13, 1883. All were forwarded to the Chief of Engineers February 27, 1883, and were approved by the Department of Justice March 29, 1883. Deeds from Leonard Day, William H. H. Day, Lorenzo D. Day, and John W. Day and wives, dated September 27, 1883, and recorded in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, March 14, 1884, released to the United States for reservoir purposes the last of the private lands remaining to be released above Pokegama Falls, on the Mississippi River. These deeds are still in the safe of this office. The following deeds have been received and recorded in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, and are deposited in the safe of this office, viz: Releasing lands on Gull River, Minnesota: Loren Fletcher and Charles W. Loring and wives, recorded August 12, 1882. C. F. Kindred and wife, recorded August 12, 1882. The matter of securing further releases on Gull River is at present held in abey Albert N. Gowen and wife, recorded August 12, 1882. Charles A. Gilman and wife, recorded August 12, 1882. John B. Gilfillan and wife, recorded August 12, 1882. Loren Fletcher and Charles W. Loring and wives, recorded August 12, 1882. E. B. Ames, administrator, recorded September 22, 1882. Ezra Pabody and wife, recorded September 22, 1882. G. H. Stratton and wife, recorded March 28, 1883. John De Laittre and wife, recorded March 14, 1884. F. H. Hall (unmarried), recorded March 14, 1884. George W. Holland (unmarried), recorded March 14, 1884. S. W. Farnham and J. A. Lovejoy and wives, recorded March 14, 1884. John Cooper and wife, recorded March 14, 1884. John A. and A. L. Davis, and wives, recorded March 14, 1884. These leave the right to flow still remaining to be secured from four parties owning private lands on Pine River, viz: D. M. Clough, J. Deane, N. L. Pine, and Nelson Tenney & Co. |