Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, March 31, 1900, Page 16

POKEGAMA FALLS, HUNTING A PAIR OF YOUNG ITASCA COUNTY MOOSE IN CAPTIVITY. SCENE [ GRAND RAPIDS, ITASCA COUNTY, MINNESOTA. NEAR WINNIBIGOSHISH DAM. GREAT WATER POWER A Strong Company Organized and the Oon- struction of a Dam Across the Missis- sippi at Pokegama Falls is Begun. be developed at Pokegama Falls, twoanda half miles above Grand Rapids, on the Mississippi river. This fact has been known ever since this locality was first seen by white men, but no effectual effort was made tow- ard development until the Grand Rap- ids Water Power & Boom Company was organized January 10, 1899, and elect- ed ofticers as follows: D. M. Gunn, President. D. W. Doran, Vice President. John Beckfelt, Treasurer. H. D. Powers, Secretary. There were seven incorporators, con- sisting of the above-named officers and L. F. Knox, Geo. F. Meyers and John Costello. The capital stock was fixed at $50,000. The company lost no time in taking the preliminary steps for actual work, and immediately had a bill introduced in congress to grant authority for the construction of a dam across the Mississippi river, and it became a law on the 27th of the following month. The company then proceeded with the necessary survey and the condemnation of the lands to be overflowed. C. L. Pratt, of Grand Rapids, was retained as attorney for the company, and C. F. Loweth, of Minneapolis, was appointed chief en- gineer. The affairs of the company were thus placed upon a thoroughly business-like working basis. The projected work will develop 2,500 horse power at the average stage of water. It is intended to lease pow- er at low rates as required for any kind of manufacturing enterprise. Recently the site of the proposed water power was examined by Chicago capitalists who were looking for a suit- able location in which to establish a large wood-pulp. and paper mill, and were well satistied with what they saw. The proximity of a_ sufficient and ample power to the great pulp- wood region of northern Minnesota is an advantage of importance to paper makers. Without going into further details it is sufficient to state that construction work on the dam was be- gun by the company on Monday, Feb. 26, 1900. Grand Rapids has evidently reached a very important: era in -its growth, as the power at Pokegama falls will be sufticient to operate sever- al large manufacturing concerns, and it is believed that in a short time the entire reliable power can be leased. A GREAT water power can easily } ee |