The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-29
Pike River Valley, Settlement.


Pike river valley. This river flows into vernil-
lon lake and Is ons Of the streams from which
Executive Agent Fullerton Of the state game and
fish commission gets pike fry In large quantities.
The farms are quarter sections for the most part,
and the farmhouses are at distance of a mile
from each other. The settlement is about equi-
distant from Tower, Virginia and Biwabik, at
which the settlers do their trading. The vir-
gilman contained the following editorial relative
to Pike river and the roads.
BY little united hustling on the part Of the
business men the Virginian believes that money
wagon road into the Pike river country The
farmers there greatly handicapped owing to
poor roads, as they have no way Of bringing their
products to market except in the severe winter
months. These hardy pioneers are doing great
deal to develop the agricultural districts of this
county, and they should be encouraged by re-
ce1ving large and substantial appropriations for
road building"
More important than any Of the districts al
ready mentioned is that comprised by the set
Elements along the streams which unite to form
the Little Fork river-the Sturgeon, the Bear
reach the Rainy river from this section requires
canoe trip Of three days down the Little Fork.
This method Of travelling will give way to rail-
road transit when the Duluth, Virginia & Rainy
Lake road is put thru At present there is no
wagon road directly between Virginia and Inter
national Falls, tho bill introduced in the 1egis-
lature by Representative John Saari of Sparta ap-
propriates $4,000 for one. Ashawa, the present
terminus Of the Duluth, Virginia g. Interna tional
road is a town Of one year, and boasts a news
paper, the Northland Farmer, postofhee hotel,
and wagon shop, a town hall and sawmill with
q capacity Of 10000 feet day.
Claus Olson, former alderman of Eveleth,
and j. F. Delile, both Of the Sturgeon river coun-
much information about the country. Mr.. Delile
was one Of the earliest settlers. The latest ar
rivals there are six Finnish and three Swedish
families There is a mixture Of all nationali-
ffon D1orf3 Inv will oHo,,&
Of May Roads are badly needed. road is
necessity between Virginia and Angora, but there
Is a greater need of one between the Sturgeon
river settlement and Hibbing or Chisholm.
A Sample Road.
The road running west from Angora is IT years
old, and but little money has been expended
npon 1t. The most at any time was an appropria-
miles can be Travelled with sleighs In two and
one-half hours, but in summer it takes twelve
hours. It Is, however, passable all the year
round. The trees overriding to such an extent
| that the limbs snatch hay from passing loads
and tho road often presents the appearance Of a
covered lane.
In the Little Fork valley things are moving
rapidly. Alderman Johnson Of Virginia has q
fine farm three miles east Of Ashawa. Last year
1000 bushels of potatoes were raised on this
farm. For this year he is planning many i'm
provements, including the purchase Of binder
| farms Is that Of John Owens, former clerk of
the court for St. Louis county, whose land ad-
Joins the Johnson farm. There ls talk Of a large
| stock farm to be started by eastern men and
| certainly no better place for such enterprise
could be found than in the well-watered lands Of
this region. ~fs
Iron Ore Shipments Started.
Shipments Of irop ore commenced in this local
ity March a.. The Adams mine commenced
loading cars from the, pocket at No. 8 shaft and
the first train went out today to Biwabik on the
|
Two Harbors over the Iron Range The Genoa
started shipping from pockets the same day.
Joe Kohler, aged 81. died at the home Of
monia. The remains were taken care Of by the
Modern Woodmen of Sparta, and sent to Fredo
MIA, Wis, the former home Of the dead man.
| William Holm, a miner at Adams No. shaft
walked into an open chute at night and fell
eighty feet. He lived till morning. He was
| single man, p years old. and leaves a mother
| two brothers and q sister in Finland.