Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-25
THE CITY OF DULUTH
Matter of Municipal Adornment
BEING Given Consideration.
BUILDING A BOULEVARD
Residence Section Connected With the
Manufacturing District.
NAMED AFTER AN EXPLORER
Proctor Knots Satirical Speech on the
"Zenith City of the Unsalted Sea"
Turned Into Prophecy.
NAMED AFTER AN EXPLORER
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

| Duluth as a city twenty-five miles long.
one mile wide and one mile high, which is
| not as inaccurate you might suppose.
| At the tip of the finger of water which
forms the extreme end of Lake Superior
pointing westward, where the course of en-
plre takes its way, there Is a high ridge
| of hills rising almost Immediately from
the beach and sopinG off at either end
within the limits of the ordinary vision.
The first settlers Of Duluth, who were fish
ermen, built their cabins at the foot of
that ridge. Those who have come here
since have laid out streets upon its slopes
running parallel with the shore of the lake
and rising one above the other like series
of terraces that visitors who approach
by water are not troubled as Yankee
Doodle when he couldn't see the city
of Boston because there were so many
houses in the way.
Duluth hugs the shore for a long distance,
and the business houses. hotels and pubic
buildings are stretched along Superior
street, the main thoroughtare. which eX
tends for several miles. There are other
streets running parallel at higher grades
and they are pretty we'll built up. The
rest of the town is spattered along the
hillside and out on the northern shore of
the lake. which is devoted to handsome
Villas and fancy farms. The south ern end
OF the city Is given up to manufacturing
until it reaches the Wisconsin line and joins
the city of Superior. which is almost
and the same thing with Duluth The twin
cities are Joined by business ties and rela-
tionships. and there Is no division except
the invisible and imaginary boundary be-
tween Minnesota and Wisconsin
Municipal Adjournment.
OF recent years tire people of Duluth have
had leisure to contemplate the esthetc side
of life and thprp II n la
improvement In the outward appearance of
things, in business and residence architec-
ture. and in landscape decoration since |
was here last. The people now have the
time and the money to express their taste,
and large area at the northern end of the
town during the last few years has been
emhellished in delightful manner. The
homes of Duluth will now compare well
with those of St Paul. Minneapolis. Mil
waukee and other western cities, and the
terraced streets allow every house a water
view as far the eye can reach. The
water front is intermnable. 1t is not neces-
sary to build the houses near together.
There is plenty of room for everybody on
the lake shore. although experienced peo-
pie explain that a residence site half way
up the ridge Is more desirable than those
upon the immediate edge of the water
because of fogs that gather every morning
In the late fall and early spring. Hence
the most expensive homes are found on the
second or third parallel of the terrace.
and the ascent is 50 steep that their occu-
pants can overlook the roofs of their neigh
bors. Duluth has the makings of a de-
ltghtful summer resort. and it Is strange
that some one has not erected a large and
attractive hotel on the lake shore.
Toward the top of the bluff the entire city
is encircled by a boulevard following it's
contour for several miles from the resi-
dence section In the north to the manufac-
turing district at the southern end. Rayines
and barrancas. rocky gorges and other ir-
Irregularities Of the topography have been
utilized in ingenious and tasteful man.
ner for park purposes, and although the
work is yet unfinished and a great part of
the park reserve Is still in the rough, sew
eral public-sprited citizens with generous
foresight have furnished the means for tha
municipality to acquire the land before it
becomes valuable. and there is now plenty
of time for establishment.
The public spirit of the citizens of Duluth
is commendable. They are proud of their
town. and although they have had little
time heretofore to beautify it. and have
needed their money for more practical pur-
poses. they are getting together and doing
successful team work for their mutual well
fare.
The public buildings are admirable. I
have always contended that the high school
building at Duluth is the finest in the
world. There are many beautiful public
school buildings in the cities of the far
west. There is more public pride in ana
generosity in that respect in western towns
than in the east. There are no school
houses In Massachusetts as fine as those In
Colorado and no city of the size of Duluth
or five times its population ever erected
more beautiful public building than the
high school here.
Named After French Explorer
Duluth named by wandering
clergyman in honor of Jean Greysolon
| du Luth, one OF the early explorers en-
ployed by THE One Hundred Associates"
| "a promoting company-Which was char
| opment of New France, as Canada was
1 originally called Du Luth was an In
| trepid adventurer. He spent at least two
| years in this neighborhood, but there is no
| certainty that he ever camped on the site
| of the city. and the assumption that his
great council with the Indians September
| 15 1879 was held at this spot is without
| tangible proof.
| On the LIST of September 1873. du Luth
| left Montreal on voyage of discovery
1 with seven FrenChmen and three Indian
| slaves. He made his way up the great
| lakes. hauled his canoes around the Sault
| Ste. Marie. and followed the south shore
| Of Lake Superior to the mouth of Pigeon
| He then proceeded westward as far as
| Winnipeg and made friends with the AS
| sinbone and other tribes of Indians, who
| were at war. persuading them to Join in
| the great peace council which was held
| at the extreme end of Lake Superior the
| following fall. 1t Is possible that the coun-
| Gil met WneTe tue CITY or Duluth now
| stands A clergyman who came up here in
| an early day convinced himself that that
| was the fact. and for that reason The
| Zenith City Of the Unsalted Seas was
| given its present name. Du Luth remained
in this section for several years, and was
| instrumental in assisting Father Hennepin
| and his companions to escape from the
| Sioux. who had captured them and held
: them prisoners in northern Minnesota
| Father Hennepin returned the favor some
! years later by securing the release of du
| Luth, who had been consigned to prison on
| a charge of treason after his return to
| Montreal. The remaining years of du
| Luth's life were spent in exploring other
| parts of New France. and his exploits
| among the Indians and during the HOSTILE
ties with Great Britain won him great
| fame. He was appointed kings engi-
| neer' in 1880 and built the Notifications
| of Montreal, which are said to have done
| credit to his genius. He died there in
| ITO, but there Is no further record of his
| fate than is contained In letter written
by Jesuit monk to another. and the
| only relic or memorial of his public serv-
| ices consists of tablet set into the wall of
| house he occupied while he was building
the fortificatio Of that city.
Proctor Knott's Satire Prophecy.
When the Northerp Pacific railroad uaS