The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-08-28
TWAS A GRAND TRIP
The Northern Minnesota Editors
Excursion. 1
Royalty Entertained at Virginia, Hibbing,
Tower Minn.' and IIoughton, Mich.
IAN Enjoyable and In
structive Trip.

ana the golden grain
From the boundless plain
Finds pathway to the sea.
The sun kissed sail
Meets the gistening rail II
:. In homage at her feet;
And the lordly pines
With the ore combine :, *
10 make her wealth COMPLETE"
The sixth annual excursion of the
Northern Minnesota Editorial association
was one of the most enjoyable and in
structive In its history, and included a
good square look at the enterprising city
OF Duluth, visit to the wonderful iron
mines Of the Mcsaba and Vermillion
ranges, steamboat trip across Lake Su-
per1or to the famous copper country in
northern Michigan. One Of the maih OBJ
5ects of this association is to visit diff
ferent parts of our own state, and thus
become familiar with the features, ad-
Vantages, beauties and historic incidents
OF all the regions embraced within its
borders. Such information is valuable
ana very necessary to that intelligent
service that newspapers are expected to
render to their respective localities, and
10 their own commonwealth. With this
laudable purpose in view, in addition to
The social pleasures which always are
conCumltants at gatherings Of this kind,
the editorial party assembled in Duluth
on Aug. l. 1902, in time to take the
early morning train on the Duluth, Mes
aba & Northern Railroad for Virginia, "a
miles distant After a couple hours run
through fine forests Of spruce and pine,
mixed in places with variety of decidu-
Gus trees, and occasional stretches of cut
over or burnt-over lands, which testified
10 the wasteful depletion of this magnif-
1cent timber region in times past, Vir-
g1n1a was reached and each member of
the party was eager to catch the first
glimpse of a typical Minnesota mining
town.
Our coming had been heralded and
most pleasing arrangements for our en-
terta1nment had been made by Editors
Cuppernull, Of the Virginian, and Han
naford, of the Enterprise. assisted by
citizens of the place. A dozen handsome
carriages were in waiting at the depot
to convey us to the different points of
interest The Oliver, Lone Jack Ohio
and Norman mines. Of the United States
Steel corporation, were the first ones WIS.,
1ted They are open mines, but are not
worked at present as the company pre-
fers to operate on leased lands. Yet the
sight of this vast body of ore almost at
the very surface of the EARTH filled US
with amazement, and gave us an inkling
or the enormous quantities of iron con-
tanned In the ranges. A little further on
the Franklin and Union mines, owned
by the Republic Iron & Steel company,
were encountered. where we saw the
operation of steam shovel, engaged in
loading train of cars from huge pile OF
ho,,% g.,
loading a car. Next. the Commodore
mine, owned by Corrigan, Mckinney &
Co.. and the Lincoln mine, of the Jones
& Laughlin company. were visited. To
Capt. Bergman. at the latter the editors
are under obligations for courtesies ex-
tended. About 80 different mines are
grouped about Virginia, and it was, of
course. impossible to see them all in the
limited time at our disposal. When the
debris on top of the ore deposit is too
thick to allow it to be stripped off, q
shaft is sunk to the ore, which is con-
veyed to the surface in the usual man
ner Most mines we saw here are of this
class. AS an Illustration of the enor-
nous mineral wealth contained in the
bowels of the earth. we were told at one
Of the. mines that the ore body had been
struck 100 feet below the surface, had
been penetrated 200 feet, and how much
deeper it extended no one knew, unless it
was the company. Returning to the city
the members of the party were pleasant
ly entertained at the Virginia club, by
Editors Cuppe:null and Hannaford. adj
journing later to discuss an appetizing
menu at the Fay hotel.
At o'clock p. M the party again
boarded the cars, which were whirled
westward about 20 miles to Hibbing, an
other important mining town. Here we
were driven in carriages to the edge of
the Mahoning mine, the greatest wonder
OF them all. The surface debris, which
averaged about Is feet in thickness, had
been stripped off a 40-acre area, laying
bare solid ore deposit at least 200 feet
In depth. Gazing at this huge. elliptical
shaped pit. simple, dark, deSOlate soil
tary and sublime one reminded Of
the picture of the ruins of the Roman
Colosseum At the sides was the am
phitheater and on the arena mighty steam
shoves were engaged in gladiatorial con-
tests. scooping up the soft, brown colored
ore and dumping it onto specially con-
structed ore cars. Three trains were seen
loading at different points in this vast
pit only couple hours being required to
load a full train. The only limit to the
production is what the owners care to
make it. This great mine must be seen
to be appreciated. A heavy rain pre-
vented inspection of other properties
and the party returned to town. where a
dainty repast was served by the ladies'
of the Maccabees. The supper was turned
into an informal banquet, at which our
worthy and ever watchful secretary
served as toastmaster, and happy re-
sponses were made by different members
of the association and citizens of Hibbine.
Editor Claude M. Atkinson Of the Hib-
bling News called attention to the great
attractions Of this region for the sports
man, both the hunter and the angler.
Again the editorial party boarded the
cares, which were run to Tower, another
important mining town, where we arrived
at midnight, and were comfortably quar-
tered in the cozy Vermillion hotel Early
the next morning we arose and embarked
on scow, towed by tug, for a trip on
the beautiful Vermillion lake, with its
pine-clad shores and evergreen isles. Be-
fore leaving the hotel there was an OBJ