Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2022 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Lake Benton Valley News Lake Benton, MN May 4, 1934 Wild Geese Clear River of Winter Ice Anoka. - The geese that saved Rome by honking and awakening the sleeping sentries have nothing on the geese around Anoka that cleared the Missi- ssippi River of ice last week. STEWART LAIRD, superintendent at the Coon Rapids dam always has many acres of ice cut out above the dam each spring as a protection to the dam when the ice goes. This year the ice became very rotten and was made of spicula or needles. A big flock of wild geese, numbering 50 or even more, alighted on the open water above the dam amidst great honking. LAIRD turned on all the lights on the dam and the geese started at once to swim up stream away from the lights. They swam into the rotten ice, breaking it up and continued up the river some distance. It is thought to be a record to have wild geese clear Old Man Mississippi of ice. Next morning at day break they rose in pre- cise formation and sailed away to the north, still making a noise that is music to the nimrod only. ==========================================================================