Dam Site on Chippewa River, Wisconsin, at Brunett's Falb 



boats and other craft, and yield to the 

 Mississippi River the beneiit of the 

 regulated waterflow of this river. The 

 lands withdrawn from sale hitherto, 

 have been sold with reserved rights of 

 flowage. The estimated cost of the 

 works contemplated for and upon the 

 Chippewa and branches, submitted by 

 the Government engineer is $325,000. 



The Chippewa River unites with the 

 Mississippi at the foot of Lake Pepin, 

 after a course of 267 miles, one of its 

 sources extending to within twenty 

 miles of Lake Superior, the total fall 

 of the river being 900 feet. The drain- 

 age of the river commands an area of 

 9,573 square miles, occupied by count- 

 less springs, and more than 100 lakes, 

 large and small, many of which may be 

 utilized for reservoirs. 



This vast area of 6,000,000 acres, 

 much of which was once forests, em- 

 braces in most parts as fine agricultural 

 lands as can be found anywhere, 

 adapted to cereals, vegetables, fruits, 

 and grasses. For dairying and stock 



raising they are not excelled. With 

 the present population of 200,000, set- 

 tlement is rapidly going forward. 



The value of the water-powers upon 

 the Chippewa River and tributaries can- 

 not be measured. To undertake the 

 enumeration and description of these 

 varied water-powers would weary the 

 reader or listener. It is worthy of note, 

 however, that the east branch, the Flam- 

 beau, supplies a larger and more uni- 

 form flow of water than the main Chip- 

 pewa, its drainage area being 2,120 

 square miles, and average discharge 

 about 4,000 cubic feet per second. Of 

 the numerous water-powers upon this 

 branch the most available undeveloped 

 power is located near Big Falls, four 

 miles north of the Soo Railway, a fifty- 

 foot fall being obtainable It may be 

 truthfully stated that the territory em- 

 braced in the drainage of the Chippewa 

 River may be made to sustain a popu- 

 lation of 10,000,000 inhabitants. Similar 

 conditions exist upon the St. Croix and 

 Wisconsin rivers. 



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