The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-08-14
GOPHER EDITORS
annual outing
NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND
CANADIAN NORTHWEST RAJ
PlDLY DEVELOPING.
The Provinces of Manitoba, Saskatch-
evan and Alberta-Wonderfui Elk
tent of Fertile Territory Awaiting
the Farmer,

the Farmer.
Ten years ago the editors of Min.
nesota made an excursion through
western Canada from Winnipeg to the
Pacific coast. They were surprised
at the extent and apparent fertility OF
the vast region between the Red River
or the North and the Rocky noun
tains. For days the train sped over
the undulating or level plains, grass
covered and green in their native lux
uriance.
Now again, after a lapse Of a dec
ade, they have made another trip thru
the same region, and they are able to
give 1t more thorough inspection,
because in those ten years thousands
of miles of new railroad lines have
been built, and the development of
the country has made marvellous
strides. Millions of acres, then lying
in their wild and untouched state.
have since been transferred into grain
fields. Towns have sprung up as if
by the wand of magician, and their
development is now in full progress.
1t is a revelation, record of conquest
by settlement that is remarkable.
THE EDITORIAL PARTY.
The excursion party, consisting Of q
hundred and twenty-five editors and
members of their families, headed by
President w. NJ. James, of Brecken-
ridge, assembled at st. Paul on Fri
day, July 18th, with complete pro-
gram Of the trip arranged by its eX-
ecutive committee, comprising c. c.
Whitney, F. j. Meyst and w. E. Eas-
fnf1 ynfn i,, hn h.ro /
ness In Minnesota.
The committee in planning the trip
was able to arrange the excellent itin.
erary thru the cooperation of Hon.
Frank OLIVER, minister Of interior Of
the Dominion government, and his
able representative, Mr. Will ]. White,
and by the presence of the latter dur
ing the entire trip, the visiting edit
ors were enabled to enjoy very in
teresting and instructive outing, and
were shown every courtesy by the
residents of all the towns visited.
The route of the trip was from ST..
Paul to Duluth, thence to Fort Fran
ces and International Falls, on the
northern border of Minnesota, then to
Winnipeg, the metropolis Of the Cana
dian northwest east of the Rockies.
From Winnipeg the course lay north
west to Prince Albert and Edmonton,
600 miles northwest of Winnipeg,
thence south 200 miles to Calgary in
Alberta, west to the Banff Springs
and Laggan in the Rockies, and then
back to Winnipeg over different lines
of railway, the whole making a trip
of nearly $500 miles over the won
derful empire to the northwest of
Minnesota
The editors were carried in a spe-
cial train of five cars, including three
standard sleepers, private observa-
tion and buffet car and day coach.
1t was a fac smile of the Winnipeg
Limited, as the sleepers, secured from
the Great Northern railway, were
Identical to those in use in their regu-
lar service, and was the best equip
ment ever used in an editorial special.
Nothing was left undone by the Cana
dian government officials, the associa-
tion officers and the railroad people
to make the trip a pleasant one,
which it was in every sense OF the
term.
NORTHERN MINNESOTA.
The extent and natural resources of
northern Minnesota are scarcely real
lied by people in other sections or
the state. Something Of an adequate
conception of the geographical extent
of northern Minnesota may be realized
when we say that the city of Brain
erd, in Crow Wing county, is pretty
near the center of the state. People
In southern Minnesota are apt to i'm
agine that Brainerd is near the ex-
IRENE northern border. The northern
half of our state is vast, undeveloped
tract which in time will be settled and
improved.
A WORD ABOUT DULUTH.
The editorial party arrived at Du-
luth Friday evening and the excur.
sionists were at once taken in charge
by a committee of the Commercial
club, conducted to their rooms, where
an hour later an elaborate banquet
was served. During the interval
many of the excursionists took the
opportunity to look over the town.
Some visited the aerial bridge over
the canal, steel structure some 200
feet high, the only one of it's kind in
the world. In order to not hinder the
passage of vessels in and out of the
harbor, it was conceived to erect a
steel framework over the 200 feet
wide channel, with an opening high
enough to allow vessels to pass
through Traffic across the canal, in
GLIDING the street car lines, is accom-
modated by swinging platform, sus-
pended from the top of the steel
frame, and rolled back and forth on
a wheeled track at the top, like hay
fork in the peak of barn. Street
cars, foot passengers and vehicles are
run on this platform, the machinery is
set in motion and the platform, with
its freight, is swung across to the
other side, where they move on to the
solid ground again.
After the banquet Mayor Hugo act
ed as POSTMASTER, and incidentally
put in a few optimistic words about
the present and coming greatness of
Duluth, the Zenith city of the I'M
sailed seas" Shortly before midnight
the cars were again boarded and the
train pulled out for the north over
the Duluth, Missabe & Northern as far
as Virginia, and from there to Fort
Frances and International Falls over
the new Duluth, Rainy Lake & Win
nipeg line The greater part of this
run was made in the night, but morn
ing came as we were passing along in
the northwestern part of st. Louis
county, having travelled nearly all
night without getting across the bor-
der of this very large county. st.
Louis county and the whole north
eastern part of Minnesota is region
of timber, brush and swamps. Most
of the land is sufficiently smooth and
free from stones to be farmed, and
the soil, while considered light, grows
luxuriant crops of tame grass, vege-