The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-30

has made it's new mark and holds it's
place in the van in the march of the
United States thru this period of
record-breaking prosperity.
1t was said, at the turn from 1905
to 1906, that, great things were to
come and that the country, already
prosperous beyond precedent, would
show still greater achievement. That
the northwest = in the forward move
would set the pace, and, relatively,
would distance other sections in new
development, was the prediction. It has
been made good. Nowhere in the
United States has wealth increased so
greatly, nowhere has such general activ-
ity prevailed and in no section hiss
there been so much in new under
taking. The states of Minnesota, North
Dakota and South Dakota, in the mag.
nitude of new investment, new enters,
prise, and development Of the funda-
mental kind that makes new wealth
and creates new towns and new COM
munities, has a record not approached
progress in the older and more populous
states has been very great, commerce
has fourished business has expanded
everywhere and the whole country has
been immensely prosperous.
Amazing Mineral Wealth.
Out of the ground in northern Min
nesota there was taken last year the
enormous total Of 25,4S4,OOO tons of
iron ore. Never before was there such
activity. The older ranges of Wiscon-
sin and northern Michigan contributed
their share, but upon the Mesaba
range fell the great burden-the task
Of supplying the bulk of the iron for
the northern furnaces. The business
ran to magnitude undreamed of few
years ago. Measured in tons produced
or in money value it was prodi gious. To
mine this ore, to load it and transport
it to the docks at Duluth and Two
Harbors for ship ment down the lakes,
a great army of men was employed, at
average wages never before paid. It
was difficult even at high wages to get
men enough to handle the work. This
great northwest source of wealth was
tapped wider than ever before and from
the prosperous towns of the ranges to
the larger supply centers, money
stream flowed back and forth and the
greatest prosperity the range country
ever has known was on from the begin
ming to the close of the season.
The burden Of moving this enormous
tonnage down the lakes to points of
trarsshipment fell upon the lake car
ricrs and never were such efforts made
to crowd results into a single season.
Steamers going out Of Duluth carried
cargoes that few years ago would have
caused worldwide comment, and moth
ing was thought Of it. The average
load of ore that cleared was 6,576 tons,
and many vessels were loaded much
heavier. az
This is the work that year after year
must fall more and more upon Mime
sofa, for the country must have iron,
and here in the north star state are the
mines, once neglected, now one OF the
greatest sources of wealth.
What the future has in store can only
be judged by the past. The Duluth &
Iron Range road handled 1,130 car
loads of ore over it's docks every day.
and loaded III vessels month during
the season. In connection with the.
Duluth, Missabe & Northern it brought
down from the ranges 19400,000 TONS.
Tie Great Northern, handicapped to.
some extent by difficulty Of securing
labor, even at the high prices paid, and
under still greater handicap thru fail
ure Of the car building companies to-
deliver cars ordered months ahead, yet
managed to brinH down the total Of