The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1915-07-09
MESABA RANGE
PIONEERS VISIT
OLD LANDMARKS
IIeOnidas Merritt of Duluth, Who
Made First Trip to This Sec
tiOn in 1864, Here.
DISCOVERED. ORE AT
MOUNTAIN IRON IN 1891
Louis Merritt of Pasadena, CAL,
One of Eight Famous Broth
ers, Also in City.

In 1854, young explorer, of a family
of eight sons, walked from Duluth to this
territory through woods and trails. reaching
what was the site of the present Virginia.
Today the same explorer. with streaks OF
grey in his hair but still showing the
rugged build that braved hardships in the
pioneer days, accompanied by two of his
grandch ildren, grown to womanhood
reached Virginia in automobile. He was
accompanied by his brother, also an ex-
plorer in the old days, but now prominent
resident Of Pasadena, Calf.
The explorer is Leondas Merritt, now a
Duluth commissioner, and his brother, Louis
Merritt one Of the famous eight Merritt
brothers whose names will always be linked
with the history and growth of the Mesaba
Range.
Reached Duluth In 1855.
The Merritt brothers sons of Mr.. and
Mrs l.. H. Merritt, New York state pio-
neers, who came to Duluth from Chiogwee
county. N. Y, in 1856.
"In 1864 | made my first trip to the Me-
saba Range, said I.eonidas Merritt this
morning at the New Fay hotel. When Mr.
Merritt first saw the site Of the present
hostelry a row Of trees decorated it and it was
q part Of thick woods.
1--WE were always confident would find
ore on the Range" he continued II located
the Bangor mine near Angora, in the COS
but not until 1892 did find at the
property still retain a quarter interest in
the mine l lost my interest in the property
in 1894. but the new owners thought the
property worthless and l managed to
purchase an interest in the Bangor. l am
glad did,
First Ore Found In 1891.
Back in 1891 after years of exploring my
brother Alfred and l found the first on
the Mesaba Range at Mountain iron at the
Mountain Iron mine. We shipped the first
ore in 1893 T. C., my brother, with
US in the trying day of 1891. All Of us boys
came to the Range in the early days. Alfred
is dead now
Invested $3,o0o,ooo.
I'VE, Alfred and l. invested SO, ,OOO, 900 on
the Range. We built the first railroad in this
section laying tracks at Hibbing and other
points the Range We leased the Biwabik
mine to John Kimberly, VINO died several
years ago. The Missabe Mountain mine in
Virginia. now an Oliver Iron Mining COM
pany holding, we leased to John Jones, who
is out west The Mountain Iron mine
big property. In addition to the
mines named. had several smaller hold
ngs. In fact, controlled the Range.
Named Town for Them.
As he sat in the hotel, on the site Of which
he had once grubstaked, the old explorer con-
tinued his "reminiscences.
The town of Merritt, near Biwabik, was
founded by o. D. Kinney the old banker, and
named after u.s. Mr.. Merritt continued I'VE
we're awell known and the townsite owners
must have believed it would help business to
use our name. / never had much to do with
the town Of Merritt. In fact, l only visited
it once and that was to cash check at the
l was identified
Holding Estimated at $20,O0O,o00
"1n 1893. Alfred and estimated our hold.
ings on the Range at $4,000, ,00O,' he de-
clared. Nov we realize our old properties
were worth even more, but when we lost oul
interests the Range we did not have
enough money for car fare"
In 1898 the Consolidated Mines compan,
of Lake Superior secured the Merritt holdings
1T would take book to write about hov
we lost our Mesaba Range interests" sal
Mr. Merritt, as he smiled smile that CAV
him the confidence to build second forum
after his first earnings had been wiped away
I'm 1894 left the Range. do not visi
this section very often," he continued a
his mind wandered back to the days when tn
Merrltts were the leaders and owners of tn
little known mining section, whose resource
are now byword in every school in tn
world.
I'VE opened the Minnewas mine, near you
city" Mr.. Merritt continued
Skaters Old Tradition.
Poet, philosopher and writer, Mr.. Merri
takes much interest in the history of Il
Mesaba Range and is an authority on event
in this section.
There is a tradition that a strong wi,
blew over a tree. the roots of which W
ore,' said Mr. Merritt. This was suppos
to be the way in which ore discovered
the Range, but the fact of the matter
my brothers and had found one in Mounta
AIOn IN 4oS1, Lne year De1oEe\ dAlu Ldu NJ
and test pits in ore when the Biwabik sto
circulated. 1t made god reading a
what you newspaper boys call story
1891 and not 1892 was the year when the Fl,
Mesaba Range discovered. No wi
helped US in 1891
Owned Acres of and.
After his first trip to this section in 49,
Mr.. Merritt purchased large land holdin
here. There was not house in this ter
tory when Mr.. Merritt did his exploring
Builds New Fortune.
Despite the fact that the consolidation
1894 left him penniless, Mr.. Merritt Set ab<
to build new fortune. Today he holds
large interest in the Iroquois mine at Mo,
tain Iron, a quarter interest in the Ban,
mine at Aurora and a large interest in
Section 30 property at Ely.
Alfred His Favorite Brother.
In hia interview Il appeared that All
vas Aia fsvortt> hxe>aar. h Ill 4 IA