Morris tribune., 1895-11-20
Mayor Smith Was Cordial.

the COnVonG1On anu n0dFClIy WolCoA0u
the delegates to the state.
Mayor Smith Was Cordial.
Mayor Smith, on behalf of the city,
spoke in equally cordial vein, saying:
greet the representative men OF the
Northwestern states feeling satisfied
that the great work for which you have
assembled will be fully accomplished.
We Of St. Paul feel especially gratified
that this movement was inaugurated by
an energetic citizen of this city, D R.
Met cGinniss, secretary of the Commercial
club, who by his untiring energy en-
listed and secured the cooperation of
the leading men of the Northwest IN
this immigration movement,
In view of the fact that very large
number of distinguished gentlemen
have consented to address this conven-
ton upon every subject which has a
direct bearing on the great undertaking
which has called you together. it would
seem unbecoming for me to make any
extended remarks. His excellency, the
governor, has welcomed you on the part
of our great commonwealth, and l, on
behalf Of our citizens, extend to you a
cordial welcome to the Capital City of
Minnesota.
W. J. Footner, president of the st.
Paul Commercial club then made q
statement of the origin and purpose OF
the movement which resulted in the
convention here gathered, and on the
suagesti on of P. V. Collins of Mime.
apolis, the convention joined in singing
America"
Theodore Schurmeier was made tenn
porary chairman and D. R. McGinnis
temporary secretary
While the convention awaited the ap-
pointment of the committees, E. G..
,Gridley of Duluth addressed the con
vention on the iron industry Of Mime.
sofa
Mr.. Gridley Talked Iron.
Mr.. Gridley introduced his remarks
by congratulating the Northwest upon
the fact that at such short notice it
was possible to gather such an aggrega-
tion of representative men On behalf
of Duluth he also complimented St.Paul
upon the possession of such citizens as
E. V. Smalley and D. R. McGinnis, to
whose efforts was largely due the sue.
cess of the convention. He then went
into somewhat technical, though in
teresting discussion upon the iron in
dustry of Minnesota. There were. he
said, more than 100000 tons Of
the best iron ore on earth
in the great ranges Of Northern Mime
sofa that could be put upon the cars at
35 cents ton. If it were possible to
smelt and reduce this ore at or near the
mines it would save the cost of trans.
portation to the Pennsylvania furnaces
and the transportation from Pennsyl-
vania back over the lakes to the West
ern consumer again.
Mr. Gridley made the point that the
Missabe ore could be shipped to St Paul
to meet coal here from the Illinois mines
and manufactured here at consider.
ably less cost than it could at Pittsburg,
giving Minnesota the benefit Of the
mining shipping and manufacturing
He also made the prediction that
the water power near Duluth would
within a few years be used
for the generation of electricity to re-
duce iron ore, and when this was ac-
complished no more ore would be
shipped to the Pennsylvania furnaces.
He advocated law authorizing cities
to exempt from taxation manufacturing
enterprises for term of years after
their establishment and closed with the
prediction that within a quarter of a
century this Northwest would be the
great center of the commercial and in
dustrial interests of the country.
At the close of Mr.. Gridley's address
the chair presented Hon. T. M. DAILY,
Of the interior, of Ottawa, Ont.
who was received by the delegates
Following this was an address by