The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-08-15
hen, almost wholly an added return
with no loss to other fields of ac-

with no loss to other fields of &C.
tivity.
"Ely is fortunate in having one OF
the individual forests in the country
And fortunate, further, that in the
first season of this greater activity
that forest should have consideration
and study. In the district in which
the Superior National Forest is sit
uated, there are some twenty seven
forests. During the season only
about eight of these forests will be
visited by the recreational engineer
of the district, and the Superior is
one of the eight.
'The Superior offers wonderful
opportunities for a distinctive type
of recreation. Canoe travel is al
ready found here to. a greater ex-
tent than any other ike area within
the forests. With this type of travel
already established, and good routes
already existing, it is good sense to
encourage that kind of recreation
to be found in such trips. Trunk
line traffic may soon be developed
which will take the tourist into the
heart Of the most delightful areas;
but when he is finally located in some
place he must take to a canoe to get
the full benefit of his outing. The
trunk line traffic spoken of may be
such thing as an auto road coming
just to the edge of the most. scenic
areas, and there. insisting that the
tourist take to the water.
Cor it might be a route of motor
boats making regular scheduled trips
over some belt line which will follow
the larger through routes, and then
the canoe trips start from points es-
tablished along the trunk line. At
any rate, there will always be a
necessity of getting into a canoe to
get the full benefit of the attractions
to be found along lake and river of
the forest.
$50 far as has been studied this
year in the limited time available,
some of the most alluring scenic
areas are to be found in the region
around Lac La Croix. Here are some
of the most delightful cliffs, shaded
banks and gem-like islands that can
ever be found within a like area.
The values are tremendous in their
extent and in their ability to please.
If any scenery has marketable value
that around these lakes surely pos
sess the essential qualities.
'To make these values reasonably
accessible; to assure the comforts
necessary for ordinary life in the
open, and then to induce people to
come to these places, is part of the
program of recreational development
of the Forest Service. But in order
to get the most out of this, it is up
to the people locally to cooperate as
a unit. Happily, there is the best
of spirit in the City of Ely, and it is
certain that all of the necessary local
support and enterprise to put over
such plan as may finally be devel-
oped here will be found among the
citizens. At present there can be
no big work done. A thorough plan
of the whole development must be
made to fit the big country that is to
be made such an attractive vacation
land. Luckily, there is almost an
untouched condition present which
will allow the best plan to be put in
operation without any tearing down
of poorly arranged structures and
plans. In other words, we are look
ing at great reserve of recreation
al territory that has never been ex-
ploitd to its detriment and which now
can be developed from its virgin con-
dition 10 the most beautiful possible
outdoor playground.
"But all of Lac La Croix is not
beautiful; several places are ugly and
unsightly and repulsive. The one
great menace of the forest has visited
the islands or shoreline and left it
without any of those qualities which
make this place a region of delight
fire has stripped some of the islands
and the shore that no one would come
there to camp, and when looking that
way would quickly turn to find re-
lief from the fire scar by beholding
some thickly timbered banks. Fire
destroys every BIT of the beauty that
can make this region one of the best
known play areas'in the country; and
unless that dream of future recrea-
tional development near Ely is to
vanish in smoke, it is up to every
living human in the whole region to
"Preach and Practice Care With
Fire" in the forest.
"Not only does the fire destroy the
beauty of a place but it also drives
out game. One of the most pleasing
features of trip in the lake region
is to see the wild life. After a fire
there is no home for game, and il
moves onto greener areas. AS those
areas decrease, the game either moves
or die out. There is a tremendous
loss of timber in each fire and the cost
of fighting fire is no small item.
Forest cover destroyed reduces the
well regulated stream flow that il
necessary to support all of the &C.