Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1891 — Source of the Mississippi. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Source of the Mississippi.

For many years students have been answering the question, “What is the source of the Mississippi ?” without a

doubt that they answered truly in saying, “Lake Itasca,” and yet, in all this time, far up in the wilds of Minnesota, the cold, deep waters of Veritas Cuperf have been silently performing the function of a primal reservoir, and flowing on through the great channel to the gulf. Indians have pushed their birch canoes out upon the lake beyond and above Itasca, followed their favorite sports upon its shores, and slaked their thirst at its crystal fountains—giving it a name of their own full of beauty and meaning, “Pokegama,”wbioh our English translates, the waters gather.” But now the spirit of adventure has thrown a new light upon Pokegama. The red man nc longer holds undisputed sway, for his white brothers have invaded the pathless forests and pushed their boats ou( upon the silent lake, renaming it “Glazier,” in honor of the intrepid matt who has established its true relation to the Mississippi. This explorer, as is well known, was the leader of an expedition which visited the head waters of the Mississippi in 1881. For some time before the final step of forming such an expedition had been taken, Capt. Glazier had strongly suspected that Lake Itasca was not the tru« source. The doubt of its being such had been held by him ever since hia journey on horseback across the continent from Boston to San Francisco in 1876, when he heard from Indians who had lived in Northern Minnesota that they knew of another lake to the south of Itasca which they believed to be the source of the “Father of Waters.” So the project began. From that time Capt. Glazier looked forward to ths day when he should satisfy himself on the subject. For, be it known, he is a born explorer. It is generally known now, by his own account and by the accounts of those who have been interested in the matter, how this lake was found by him and his companions, and why it had remained so long unrecognized. There ean be no doubt as to the claim it now holds upon our maps, and intelligent people hail its discovery as the correction of an error which has been . too long disregarded. For the purposes of obtaining sketches of the country around the head waters, and further investigating the northern tributaries of the river, a number of gentlemen interested in geography and science will accompany Capt. Glazier this summer to the Upper Mississippi. This trip is announced to be chiefly one of pleasure, although some serious attention will be paid to photography, geology, and botany by experts of the party. The country is certainly full of charm for devotees of these sciences, and those who have been following the subject of the newly located source hitherto will doubtless await with interest further developments which thia second journey will probably bring forth.— Chicago Herald,

SYRIAN SILK-WINDERS.