The Ely miner., 1913-12-26

way between Warroad and Beaudette.
where, the next morning, in company
with Mr.. J. r. Norris. the local
justice of the peace and president of
the Williams Farmers Club, we
started out to visit claim which was
held as a "relinquishment" by the
Warroad man, Mr. G. E. Weatherbee.
This claim is located six miles due
north and one mile east of Williams,
and we engaged farmers son,
named Kelly, to take us with a team
out to the land, bringing up at the
home of Mr.. George GrOvum, one of
the leading settlers of ZipDle town
ship, who after treating US to fine
dinner accompanied us to the claim.
about mile distant, and showed US
the corners and told what he knew
about the claim. We found it to be
comprised of three 'forties' extend
ing in row norSh and south, and
another on the east side Of the south
forty. The land is as level as table,
except for slope of about ten feet to
the mile towards small creek which
runs into ripple Bay, large bay ex-
tending inland from the Lake Of the
Woods about three miles, The north
end of the claim is about half mile
from the head of the bay.
This land was burned over about
eight years ago. and the small timber
and brush with which it was covered
so thoroughly killed out that there is
nothing left but bare poles and small
stumps on part of it, while sixty or
seventy acreswas so thoroughly clear
ed that ''red top grass has set so
| we'll as to make fine stand of
meadow, only needing togather up the
scattered stumps and snags which lie
about over it and only the matter of
few days. work for team and
couple of men.
The original "settler" had built a
log house. 16x2O. of well-squared and
carefully notched logs, making very
comfortable, though small, home for
starter, where, with kitchen
"leanto," a family can exist until
larger and more pretentious dwelling
can be provided. The soil is black,
rich and deep.
1t looked pretty wet, at first glance.
but when we considered the ease with
which the surface water could be
drained off by "dead-furrows" to Ihe
creek. by two section-line roads which
will intercept it within short dist
ance, both east and south. we deter
mined that we could do no better if
we searched another two weeks, and
as young "Snookums. seven hundred
miles away, was pulling awful hard
on our heart-string, we returned to
Warroad just long enough to close up
a deal for the REIMBURSEMENT, make
out out new filing papers and leave
them with the Commissioner to mail
and had just five minutes in which to
catch the train minus dinner) for
| home, where we arrived on Friday
evening, just sixteen days after leav-
ing, after twenty-seven hours con-
tinuouS travel, making four changes
of cars with the longest interval be-
tween trains being an hour-and-a-half,
at Minneapolis, 3 sandwiches and
hunk of pie at International Falls
being the total subsistence obtainable
in the two days and one night, except
at Minneapolis, where we were too
'skeered" of missing the next train
to venture across the street to
restaurant.
The United States government is
spending $4,000 to improve the har-
Dor facilities of Ripple Bay, which can
accommodate all the shipping on the
lake at cnce; small store and post
office is located at the mouth of the
bay, three miles from us. and school
house is located about mile distant.
A few quarter sections on the south
west of us sre still open to entry, and
l will do all can to help anyone
wishing to make home on any Of
this land.
The next few days will see US start.
ed on the return trip with about two
car loads Of household goods, farm
imnlamanfs and live stock