Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/253

 EED RIVER RED RIVER OF THE NORTH 237 serious obstacle to navigation, as it required the boats to leave the channel and pass through lakes and bayous. The "great raft," an im- mense collection of trees and drift wood, ex- tended from near Grand Ecore to a little be- low Shreveport when the United States first undertook its removal. Capt. Shreve opened a navigable channel through it in 1835-'9. Meanwhile, from continued accessions of drift timber, the head of the raft was carried above Shreveport to near Hurricane bluff. This por- tion was opened by Gen. Williamson and Capt. Linnard from 1841 to 1 % 845. In 1871 the foot of the raft was at Carolina bluff, a few miles above Hurricane bluff, and its head near Spring- bank, about 45 m. above its foot. Operations were begun on this raft, under the direction of Lieut. Woodruff, on Dec. 1, 1872, which result- ed in opening a navigable channel through its whole length in November, 1873. At a small annual expense for a few years the renewal of the raft may be prevented, and an excellent cotton region between Shreveport and Fulton developed. Red river receives its name from its peculiar color, supposed to be derived from the red clay of the gypseous formation through which its upper course lies. The chief tribu- taries on the left bank are the North fork (a little W. of the 99th meridian) and the Wa- shita, in Indian territory ; Little river, in Ar- kansas ; and Black river, formed by the Wa- shita and Tensas, which enters in Louisiana not far from the Mississippi. On the right bank the chief tributaries are the Pease and Big Wichita rivers, which enter from W. Tex- as. In Louisiana Red river sends off numer- ous bayous, which find their way back again to the main stream, forming frequent lakes. In the spring of 1864 an immense expedi- tion of combined land and naval forces, the former under Gen. Banks and the latter under Admiral Porter, was sent up the Red river to capture Shreveport and thus open up the great cotton districts of Texas. It was unsuccessful, Banks's defeat at Sabine Cross Roads by Gen. Kirby Smith (April 8) compelling also the re- treat of the fleet down the river. This was effected with great difficulty and loss, the river being very low and still falling, and the gun- boats and transports exposed to the fire of the confederate forces from the banks. On reach- ing the falls, near Alexandria, further progress would have been impossible but for the bold conception and construction of a dam by Lieut. Col. Bailey of Wisconsin. (See ALEXANDRIA, La.) The main dam still remains intact, and the river has formed a new channel on the W. shore. RED RIVER. I. A N. parish of Louisiana, intersected by Red river, and bounded E. by Black river; area, 325 sq. m. It has been formed since the census of 1870. The surface is level, and the soil fertile and productive of cotton and corn. Capital, Coushatta Chute. II. A N. E. county of Texas, separated from the Indian territory by Red river, and bound- ed S. by Sulphur river, one of its branches ; area, 872 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 10,653, of whom 4,148 were colored. It has an undu- lating surface and fertile soil. The chief pro- ductions in 1870 were 385,840 bushels of In- dian corn, 13,444 of oats, and 3,069 Ibs. of wool. There were 2,522 horses, 1,242 mules and asses, 3,813 milch cows, 868 working oxen, 9,547 other cattle, 1,739 sheep, and 20,- 131 swine. Capital, Clarksville. RED RIVER OF THE NORTH, a stream rising in Elbow lake, 1,680 ft. above the sea, on the border of Becker and Beltrami counties, Min- nesota, in about lat. 47 10' N. and Ion. 95 25' W. It flows S. for about 100 m. through several small lakes to Otter Tail lake in the county of the same name, and thence W. 100 m. to Breckinridge, Wilkin co. (lat. 46 15', Ion. 96 35% whence it runs N. about 550 m., separating Dakota from Minnesota and divi- ding Manitoba into two unequal parts, and empties into the S. extremity of Lake Winni- peg (628 ft. above the sea) through six mouths, amid extensive marshes, about lat. 50 30' and Ion. 96 50'. It is very tortuous, its length being about twice that of straight lines fol- lowing its three principal directions. The portion between Breckinridge and Otter Tail lake is also called Otter Tail river, the term Red river being sometimes restricted to the portion below Breckinridge. It is sluggish, except at the rapids or chutes, flowing through a very flat prairie, between clay banks vary- ing from 20 to 60 ft. in height. The area with- in the United States drained by it is about 82,000 sq. m., in which the annual rainfall is comparatively small. The water is muddy but agreeable to the taste. The river is subject to annual spring freshets, very variable in dura- tion and height, which are due to ice gorges. Its valley is but thinly settled. The principal towns along its banks, all of which are small, are Breckinridge, McCauleyville, and Moor- head in Minnesota, Fargo and Pembina in Dakota, and Winnipeg or Fort Garry in Mani- toba. Between Moorhead and Fargo, 50 m. N. of Breckinridge, the Northern Pacific rail- road crosses it. The business on the river consists principally in carrying supplies for the settlements in Manitoba and bringing back furs. Two or three small steamers ply in summer between Moorhead and Fort Garry, and a considerable amount of freight is floated down in flats. At Breckinridge the Red riv- er receives the Bois de Sioux or Sioux Wood river, flowing N. from Lake Traverse. The chief tributaries from the west are the Wild Rice, Cheyenne, Elm, Goose, Turtle, Big Salt, Little Salt, and Pembina rivers in Dakota, and the Scratching and Assiniboin rivers in Manitoba, the latter being its largest affluent. From the east the principal tributaries are the Buffalo, Sand Hill, Red Lake, Snake Hill, and Two rivers in Minnesota, and the Roseau or Reedgrass river and the riviere Seine in Mani- toba. These streams drain an immense num- ber of small lakes.