The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, January 4, 1917, Page 10

~ @ @ . ‘st in the United States, mside from the "'} Great Lakes. Its area is about 500 square miles, furnishing enormous ‘reservoir capacity. Further, it is unique in that no land will be damaged as the outlet can be cut down, and a dam and gate_ substituted which will raise the water seven feet or to natural flood height, and give ample storage—about 95 billion cubic feet. This will give full protection as the reservoir capacity is about three times the annual run-off of the lake. It is seen that each foot of lift has a capacity of about 13% billion cubic feet. MUCH WATER CAN BE HELD BACK IN LAKES Takes Traverse and Big Stone—By placing a 11-foot dam at White Rocks, at the north end of Lake Traverse, a reser- | 4 voir of over 10 billion cubic feet capacity can be constructed. This is probably ample to take care of any floods coming to this lake, including that of the Mus- tinka river—cause of much of -Fargo’s r trouble this year. x% Lake Traverse is but 8 feet higher than Big Stone lake, from which it is separ- g ~ alod-by-about.8 miles. The low portage between is ordinarily four feet higher re than Traverse and constitutes the crest “th of the continental divide, separating the el Mississippi and Red-Nelson river drain- & Bage systems. In time of high water the Traverse flows over the portage into Big (4 Stone and drains to the Gulf of Mexico. D The White Rock dam would restore the t ancient drainage outlet of Lake Agassiz, which was through Traverse and Big oi Stone. A controling dam could’separate ol the two lakes. A 12-foot barrier dam 1s at the south end of Big Stone would impound 7,000,000,000 cubic feet of water bl in that lake. Another dam at Lac Qui h Parle lake in the Minnesota river would convert it into an enormous reservoir. The following table gives an idea of the approximate relative capacities of ¢ _ to contemplated reservoirs: le Reservoir capacities: 81 ‘Apron dam for Trav- & erse, barrier dam for Big Stone, etc.. 3,000,000,000 cu. ft. -€t Barrier dams for both ol 1 ‘Traverse and Big < dl Stone it iR 6,000,000,000 “ “, ‘Max. capacity of great- est possible dam for _ Traverse .....co....... 10,000,000,000 “ ¢ For Big Stone ........... 7,000,000,000 “ “ 4 Y Red Lake .. 94,500,000,000 “ “ ¥ ttertail ... 5,150,000,000 “ « £ Yac Qui Perie...........30,000,000,000 * * | Shevenne Projects—Further, it has ¥ been found that the Sheyenne river pos- - gpesses several sites feasible for impound- ing water at costs from $25,000 to $100,000 in the different locations. | Similar projects, at least one each, are ¥/ held nracticable on the Pembina, Tongue s« and Wild Rice rivers, the latter at estim- ! yiated cost of $6,000 to $8,000. No cost g‘, .destimate is available on the Pembina and T those on the Sheyenne and Wild Rice T rare only the rough estimates which can , be made prior to a detailed survey. ! They ave based upon thé examination “1uade by one member of the committee while critically examining the soils and geological resources of the Sheyenne “ valley, and upon consultation with other engineers, and are deemed to be suffic- iently accurate for all present needs, prior to a critical survey. MANY DAM SITES _GN-THE SHEYENNE + 0o ns~ANnts d Tor 150 miles the Sheyenne flows t “through a narrow gorge whose walls are about 200 feet high. The width varies from one-half to one mile. It furnishes t . several favorable sites for dams from i Lisbon to far north of Valley City. Shale appears in places in the valley walls l’l jut the dams would need be earthen (¢ structures. The soil of the valley is of "1 the rich Sioux loam, and the damages to ! be paid out would be great, though not (. prohibitive. Here ‘as. elsewhere would (¢ come .the sad necessity of wrecking an (! occasiomal pioneer homestead. The char- "l acter of soil and subsoil and shale sub- VMl struéture have been determined in a 1t private survey. : e ! Comparison of the maximum run off of | streams at the various dam sites, with €& capacity of the possible reservoirs, i roveals the fact that the latter is quite Hor nearly sufficient to hold the flood " waters of any previous floods on the Red “hand ‘its tributaries, and will therefore #brove capable of relieving the valley of \ i R o C e W ashesad s motiesld 1 > b, the futtlisr Tenace and desolation from floods. In the flood of 1897 at Grand Forks the total estimated quantity of excess water above the level of bankfull -river was 18,000,000,000 cubic feet. Lake Traverse dam would hold 10,116,394,000 cubic feet” or 56 per cent, leaving 44 per cent to be - taken care of by Sheyenne, Tewaukon, Red lake and other dams. - DAMS ON SHEYENNE WOULD PROTECT FARGO This is a very comforting thought in the face of the peril confronting the valley at this time, True, a series of dry years may precede the mnext flood. On the other hand the fact remains that the soil’s capacity for holding water was fully occupied, when the freeze came this fall. Given a heavy spring rainfall and the valley faces ideal conditions for an unprecedented flood.” Great damage is possible. In fact the committee’s report was substantiated by Senator O’Neil’s statement that there would have been more damage but for the fact that in April last, while the snow in the upper basin of .the Red was melting out, the peaty marshes about Red lake were New State Assistants for Some of the Farmers’ Men in Office Named J. R. Waters of Beach, Governor Frazier's new state bank examiner, looking over some of his stock. Governor Lynn J. Frazier of North Dakota has announced two important appointments, those of his private secre- tary and the state bank examiner. N. A. Mason of Wimbledon has been chosen by the new executive as private secretary, and he has accompanied Mr. Frazier upon two or three short trips to state institu- tions. After a few days thus spent, he took up his residence at Bismarck, and spent the last days of December familiar- izing himself with matters at the capital Mr. Mason has been a resident of North Dakota 12 years and has been engaged in the insurance business at ‘Wimbledon. He disposed of his business to become Governor Frazier’s private secretary. As head of the state bank:examiners, J. R. Waters of Beach, formerly of Grand Forks, has been named. Mr. Waters has been a resident of North Da- The Leader at the This is a reproduction of a card containing an important announcement received by the Leader the other day. ‘Mr. and Mr of the League in North Dakota. The Leader wishes. the new “Nonpartisan boy” a -, ,‘ long life and a happy one. N rrived on...a@;.@.x:.,zl_-..lf[l, Yocked by a local freeze. “Had their waters gone out at the same time, Grand Forks would have been swept into Hud- .son bay.” Fargo and other towns may see a like cosdition. Of especial interest to Fargo are the, the possible resérvoirs along the Shey- enne, since the holding back of the flood waters of that stream would permit the crest to pass Fargo before its escape. As it is now,the Sheyenne,though empty- ing north of Fargo, causes back water in the Red beyond that city. The discharge of the Sheyenne is often equal to that of the Red where they join. As the Shey- enne dams would likely hold all ‘excess water of that stream, their protective value would be most important. Dams on the Pembina, Tongue and perhaps other streams would afford relief further down stream. A 55-foot dam was once recommended for construction on the Pembina river which has several hundred feet of fall. Here and on the Tongue, Wild Rice, etc., impounded flood . waters can be saved from doing destruction in the Red valley and be made to serve useful purposes. Wwarther, the power on the North Dakota rivers may, after adequate sur- A ppointees kota for 15 years and owns a 1000-acre farm near Beach, where he is engaged in livestock raising. Another important appointment an- nounced last week, was the naming of Lloyd Rader as deputy commissioner of agriculturae and labor by Commissioner John N. Hagan. Mr. Rader is a prom- inent dairy farmer of Dickinson, and a college graduate. N. C. Macdonald, state superintendent of public instruction, has named three assistants, as follows: Edward Erickson of Grafton, county superintendent of Walsh county, to succeed Mr. Macdonald as inspector of rural schools; Morris Johnson. Kernal, formerly of the Valley . City normal faculty, as deputy state superintendent - of schools; and Miss .Helen Sullivan, until now head of the boys’ and girls’ industrial club work in the Agricultural college, . assistant‘ state superintendent. Gets a Card Kome s. Riba are among the most loyal boosters - vey, be developed by the state if desired, as these streams are not “navigable® While there are many reasons making; it desirable to have the reservoir construce tion and power development placed under the federal government, far from the pose’ * sibility of making them the basis of local; political plums, it is also true that immediate action could be got by tha. state working in cooperation with the Ug S. department of agriculture and tha counties and -cities affected. Minnesota’ has waited many years for war departs mertt action only to be put off indefinitely’ with repeated “surveys.” If the developa. ment can be hedged about by proper safeguards, North Dakota, with amended copstitution, is in a position to avoid tha federal inertia, and the stagnation of her resources and take an advanced step in progress. Between her lignite coal deposits and her water power she need not stop at terminal elevators but may mill her grain within the state. Sk Under federal or state control the water rights may be utilized, or disposed of at a return sufficient to reimburse the government for its original outlay. CHOCOLATES Ea THEY ARE GOOD CHANEY-EVERHART CANDY CO- : Fargo. N. D. - CHANEY-EVERHART Ancient Order United Workman OF NORTH DAKOTA d Insurance in force .................$11,500,000.00 Reserve 1,359,000.00. This year’s policies from $1000 to $5000 at 25 per cent less than old line life companies. 2 WHY LIFE INSURANCE IS NEEDED.' BECAUSE Nine out of every ten men leave no estate. Because: Ninety per cent of estates of $5000 or over are dissipated s rarmation tand ey . r information and sample 1 write Home Office, ; 5 ok FARGO, N. D. 0. ASk for catalog. ) STONE Piano Company Grand Forks -Dept. M. Farge Spring Plowing Must Be Packed Immediately Because if left rough. and parus the sun and the wind will dry and bake the soil into lumps which will require valuable time and ‘labor to work it down and make a' proper seed bed. The WILBERG PLOW ATTACHMENT WILL MAKE AN IDEAL SEED BED WHILE YOU PLOW because it packs and pulverizes the furrow slice. the moment it is turned over while it is moist and pliable; thereby enables you to s earlier which “means ORE BUSHELS and BETTER GRADES, It relieves the horses: from. working on rqugh clod eovered ground, and the 1, binder and Yplows- will- run easier and better because the: surface is' firm and compact. NS It is just as- important to work the furrow slice the moment it is turned over as it is to strike the iron when it is . hot. THINK IT OVER., ) r. . Price only $14.00 ecash with order. Order early. Stock limited. * Wilherg Plow Attachment Co. Nome, 'N. D.. . ..+ Mspilop {he Leadsr Whea Paizonlaiag Advertisars