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A TRir I\ TlIK MTTIvE FORK. NETT RIVER COUNTRY. MINNESOTA 



BY 



Albert B. Reagan. 



On May VMh Mr. Charles Ilartman, Regi.stor of the Diiluth Land Office, 

 and myself set out from the Indian Agency at Nett Lake, Minnesota, on a 

 trip in the Uttle Fork and Nett Lake river valleys. AVe had camping out- 

 fit and had hired three Indians with canoes to take us from place to place 

 as we desired. Wo left the agency at about 2 P. M. and canoed westward 

 five miles across Nett Lake and descended Nett river. That night we stayed 

 at Glen Thompson's homestead on the west side of the Bois Fort reserve. 

 The next day we camped where the D. R. L. «& W. Ry. Co. switch from the 

 main line at Kinmount crossed Nett river in the logging days of 1908 on the 

 reservation. At this juncture we sent two Indians back to the agency for 

 more supplies. This delayed us a day, most of which was spent in camp and 

 in visiting the country in the vicinity of the same. May IGth and 17th found 

 us at the falls on Nett river. On the 18th we went on down the river to 

 where it joins the Little Fork to Dead Man's rapids and on Monday 1 

 walked overland to Celler's rapids still further up stream. On the 21st we 

 descended the Little Fork 65 miles to the town of Little Fork. Here we paid 

 off the Indians and Mr. Hartman and myself proceeded on to Big Falls on 

 the Big Fork river by railway, some 20 miles southwest of Little Fork 

 post office. We spent the 22d at Big Falls and then took the evening train 

 northward for home by way of International Falls. Mr. Hartman stopped 

 a day at the latter place, but I went on the first train south from Ranire 

 over the D. R. L. & W. Ry., arriving at Nett Lake May 23. 



We had been out in all less than ten whole days. AVe had traveled more 

 than 200 miles by water and a little less than 100 miles by railroad. AVe 

 also saw much country that has hitherto received but little mention. 



From its confluence with Little Fork river from where it leaves Nett lake, 

 Nett river is a very crooked, much meandering stream. It is some fifty miles 

 in length as it runs, while a footman can walk from its mouth to its source 

 in one day by cutting across the meanders. The general direction of the 

 stream is north of west. Sixteen miles from where it leaves Nett lake, as it 

 runs, are a series of pronounced falls, three in number. The distance be- 

 tween the first falls and the third is approximately one mile. The first and 

 second falls are over Laurentian granites and allied Archaeon rocks. The 

 third falls are over upturned lower Huronian rocks along fault lines, cross- 

 ing the river at right angles to its course. 



Nett river has but little fall from where it leaves Nett lake to the fall line. 

 Its banks do not average four feet in height and much of the region adja- 

 cent to the river is a swamp. There is evidence that in very recenc geolog- 

 ical time Nett lake extended to the falls and covered an area of r.00.000 

 acres instead of % of a township as it does now. Furthermore, should 

 an earth disturbance raise the falls twelve feet, it would convert the region 

 back into a huge lake and the lowering of the same falls twelve feet would 

 .soon make Nett lake dry. 



