The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-03-29
THE TNBIT4 TIOYS 4 r RICE'.S POINT

The wisdom OF the Northern racine
Railroad Company in selecting Rice's
Point as the base of all their operations on
plainly since their final decision in that
matter was made, considerably over year
ago. They foresaw the tremendous risk
and the enormous expense, OF trying to
maintain an artificial harbor at the most
exposed point of the greatest Lake on the
globe. And as cool business men with no
corner lot mania to sway their better jjudg
ment, they must especially have felt the
absurdity of hampering such great Enter
prise as they represented, with the inces-
SAINT costs and contingencies Of so unnec-
essary structure as an extra attachment
to the fine system of harbors, they found at
the head of Lake Superior. They might as
well have been asked to construct a long
canal parallel with the Columbia river, or
to build an outside, open ocean attachment
to Puget Sound.
Since the breaking away of the n. p.
management from the mesh Of absurdltles
referred to, and their definite establishment
on Rices Point, their action has been JUS
tilted by the great storm Of Nov. l3, 1872;
by the words of a veteran U. S. Engineer
officer put on official record eight days af-
terward, Nov 81, 1872, viz: "the works in
the Lake will ultimately be abandoned;"
by the formal compromise between Mime
sofa and Wisconsin, Jan. goth 1878, asking
merely joint appropriation for the Bay of
Superior; by the action of Congress grant
ing this, and refusing $4,000, secretly ask
ed for the breakwater, during the last hours
Of the session; and last but not least, the
wise action of the n. p. Company has been
approved by the actual business men of
Duluth, and by one, if not two, Of their
newspapers.
The removal of the Freight depots from
the g outside harbor"-i. e. the open lake
to place in immediate connection with
and most decisive step taken in furtherance
of the n. P. policy at the head Of the Bay.
And the various influences which have, in
the face Of what were once apparently In
superable obstacles, brought all this about
in two and half years from the beginning
of work on the Northern Pacific Road, are
of such q character that their action can
never be reversed. And it is interesting to
consider the unexpected changes which
this permanent removal Of the business cen
ire will have on north shore affairs. The
necessary readjustment has already begun,
and will advance with rapidity. The ma
chine shops ETC., belonging to the n. p.
Co., have been located there, of course
The foundries, furnaces, manufactures,
warehouses, elevators and all similar enter
prises that may be established on the north
shore, requiring heavy capital, and many
ample already set, and locate at Rice's
Point.
The workingmen in such business estab
lishments will find homes IN the neighbor
hood Of their ocork, and that will settle the
question as to the centre of affairs up the
bay. The men who have steady employ
ment form the bulk of any thriving popula-
ton. They do not seek stores and shops,
but stores and shops seek them. Already
the homes of workmen, and the "branch
stores" that supply them, form an important
!
ing the present season will reveal to all the
permanent success of the n. P. policy in
that quarter.
We may expect this summer, to see