Minnesota has five navigable rivers. The Mississippi (The Father of
Waters,) having its rise in Lake Itaska, in the northern part of the
State.
The St. Croix, flowing through a large portion of the lumbering region.
The Minnesota, rising in Dakota Territory and flowing through a large
portion of the State empties into the Mississippi, five miles above St.
Paul. It is navigable, in favorable seasons, about 300 miles.
The Red River of the North, forming the northwestern boundary of the
State for a distance of 380 miles, and navigable about 250.
The St. Louis River, flowing into Lake Superior on our northeastern
boundary, a distance of 135 miles.
Besides these, the largest rivers are the Root, Rum, Crow, Sauk, Elk,
Long Prairie, Crow Wing, Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Maple, Cobb, Watonwan,
Snake, Kettle, Redwood, Wild Rice, Buffalo, Chippewa, Marsh, Pomme de
Terre, Lac qui Parle, Mustinka, Yellow Medicine, Two Rivers, Cottonwood,
Cannon, Zumbro, Whitewater, Cedar, Red Lake, Straight, Vermillion, and
others. These, with a vast number of smaller streams tributary to them,
ramifying through fertile upland and grassy meadow, in every section of
the State, afford invaluable facilities for the various purposes of
lumbering, milling, manufacturing and agriculture.
In connection with her rivers, we will say that Minnesota has perhaps
the finest water power, within her bounds, to be found in the world.
This power is found all over the State, and though only very partially
developed, it serves to manufacture 2,600,000 barrels of flour annually,
and runs 250 saw mills.