The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-08-05

UUOSe VI UOudy anu Ouc OIdlu WulCl
brought down the first ore consisted
of fifteen of these. There was no
road from Two Harbors to Duluth
then. 1t was not begun until two
years later, in 1886, and was complet-
ed in December of that year.
The means of getting to and from
Two Harbors for the special party
which attended the celebration was a
tugboat. although there was regular
steamer plying between the two
towns at that time.
Hotel Accommodations were decided
ly uninviting at the time, and those
who went up the evening before had
a rather unfinished hostelry to spend
the night in. This was the Pioneer
hotel, which was opened in July, 1888,
but which, at the time of the opening
of the Two HarbOrs-Tower line, had
no plaster on the walls or ceilings
and the floors were not even nailed
down. One reason of the difficulty
about the nails was that the ones
contracted for were to be packed
thirty miles from the end of the line
to Tower at S. per keg for about fifty
kegs. But the packers, after carrying
them certain distance, would fire.
quently decide that they preferred to
abandon their burdens than complete
their contract and collect the five.
So the mailing of the hotel was not
finished until after the road was fin
ished.
With such loose flooring on which
to get about the guests, though ever
so careful, frequently disturbed one
another, and if man on the upper
floor heaved heavy sigh or snored
heartily it was immediately known all
over the place from the vibration and
the readiness with which sound car
ried through the ceilings and floors.
Among the guests were the late Ed
ward Breitung, of Negaunee, who
was afterwards Michigan congress
man from the Marquette district, and
the late Professor Roemminger, later
state geologist of Michigan. They
slept in the hotel during the night
and it is recalled that in the morning
the professor was heard so sneeZe and
try to clear his throat.
You must have caught cold, doc
tor" suggested Mr.. Breitung, when
he heard the noise the professor was
making.
I'm afraid I have" answered the
geOlogist. "The fact is that there
was draught through here all last
night. l felt it after went to bed.
There was a window open just across
from the bed"
II should think you would have
shut it. rather than subject yourself
to such a risk"
"Well, I did get up once and go
over to shut it and found there wasn't
any glass in the window"
Before the road was completed there
were three certain Indians employed
on construction work, who were re.
tanned by the company after the road
was in operation, working on sect
ion near Allen Junction. Two of
these stayed at Allen Junction sect
ion for nearly ten years, lining track,
and keeping their part of the work in
good shape. They have since disap-
peared from that place. They are
pointed to as remarkable exception
of the traditional inaptitude for
work shown by most Indians and the
tendency Of the race to leave one
thing for another from time to time.
They were as good section workmen
as the majority of white men.
Capt. Elisha MorcOm, now chair
man of the board of county commits
sioners of st. Louis county, was the
of the Minnesota
mines at the time and others in the
employ of the Minnesota Iron COM
pany were John Owens. Sam Owens,
James w. Goss, Amos Sheppard,
Geo. Vivian, D. T. Denton, Franklin
Prince and John Mailman,