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


ore ever mined in Minnesota was
loaded at the Breitung mine-now
part of the great Minnesota mine
and shipped to Two Harbors. The
occasion was marked by general
celebration at Tower, in which sew
eral well-kown Duluthians and others
participated.
When G. Tower, Sr., sent his son,
now the United States ambassador at
the court of Berlin. to Minnesota in
1883 to assume charge of the construc-
tion of the Iron Range railroad and
the opening of the mines, the son pro-
missed the father that the first ore
should be shipped from Two Harbors
by Aug. l, 1884, and he was able to re-
deem his promise by close shave. So
incomplete was the railroad that the
big Baldwin engine, drawing the
special train that Mr.. Tower and his
friends came on from Two Harbors to
Tower, literally scraped her sides
against the rocks in the sides of the
last rock cut on the road to the mines
and was barely able to force her way
through. Thomas Owens, now sup
erintendent of the road, was the
engineer on that occasion.
Mr.. Tower had party of friends,
including his two sisters, Mrs. r. I'll.
Iced and Miss Tower. with him, who
came from Pennsylvania and Mrs. S.
c. Mccormick, Miss Kate Culver,
William G. Sargent. A. H. Viele and
Chas. Culver were also present.
The Pennsylvania were very
anxious to see the Indians and conse-
quently the whole Sucker Point and
Net Lake punches were induced to be
present upon promise of presents
and plenty of grub. They began ar
irving at about o'clock in the morn
ing and clamored for something to
eat all day long. Mr.. Tower brought
along a carload of cheap jewelry and
calico for the women, and pipes.
tobacco, fishing tackle and jackknives
for the men and boys.
The car which bore the first load of
merchantable ore from what then
promised to be the greatest mine in
the world, was loaded at the Breitung
pocket" and every one present
either wheeled barrow load or threw
a chunk of ore into it. Then lunch
was eaten by those lucky enough to
be of the invited guests and the cere-
mony was over.
Most of the Indians had never seen
a locomotive and none of the squaws
or younger members knew what it
was. AS the train drew up to the
mine, Tom Owens, now superinten-
dent of the road, pulled the whistle
valve open. 1t was a hoarse below
ing concern. On hearing it nearly all
the tribe of Indians started for the
woods and refused to return for a
long time. Now these same people,
according to one man who was at the
celebration. are so accustomed to
locomotive that, when they get drunk,
they get run over in the most approx
ed civilized manner.
Two decades ago the Indians were
more crude than today, their customs
were decidedly less up-to-date, and the
day of the celebration at Tower,
twenty years ago, saw them in their
accustomed way, over a small fire, for
the Indians are provident with their
fuel, especially as they do not like to
start forest fires. The blazing wood
would not he more than foot or so
in diameter, and the blaze would gen.
orally be kindled close to tall bushes,
which were made to serve as splits
for roasting the dough.
Flour and water would be mixed
and kneaded for the baking and put
on the high branches of the bush. the
wad of dough being spitted on the end
of a branch just as one would stick a
fork through piece of bread to toast
it. Then the branch would sag down
over the fire from the weight of the
dough, which, suspended in this
fashion over the flames and smoke,
would bake until the Indians consid-
cred it done, when they would pull
off the mass, and let the piece of bush
fly back into place. One of the party
who attended the celebration at Tow
er said the bread would be only appe-
tizing to white man after about a
four days fast.
There was lot of bacon in the
store of the contractor at Tower and
as the Indians are very fond of bacon,
this was given to them before they
left in the evening.
The Indians in that time were not
as cleanly as today and in the contrast
to their habits then is pointed out
the fact that since the road was
opened enough bath tubs have prob
ably been taken up the road for In
dians to fill fair-siZed train.