The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1919-08-16

II was opened for the same purpos
J that the beautiful automobile roa
! was later opened for--to aiford a
avenue Of communication between tn
Menominee and the Gogebic iron dis
tricts.
The first railroad to tap the Goge
bic range came from the sonth.
was the Milwaukee. Lake Shore a
Western. road extending along thu
shore OF Lake Michigan from Mil
waukee to Manitowoc and thence /,
Il the northwest, crossing the Nortl
Western railroad at Appleton Junction
and continuing on in general north
westerly direction to watersmeet Bees
semer, Wakefield. Ironwood and Ash.
land where II ended. This piece OF
road is now the Lake Shore division
OF the Chicago 4 North Western rail-
lroad. It's construction occupied the
years between 1882 and 1886, period
contemporary with that OF the open
ing up OF the Gogebic range The
road reached the present site OF the
village OF Watersmeet in 1884, Wake
field in 1885 and through to Ashland
In 1886. AS the road was extended
along It's course 1t became more and
more accessible TO the traveller and
many who went to the Gogebic in
those days went to Appleton Junction
on the North Western and then tc
the end of the track on the Lake Shore
making the balance or the journey on
foot
The great majority of the explorers
and miners on the Menominee range
considered this roundabout route toe
lang and expensive so they plung-
ed into the wilderness over the old
trail, carrying their blankets and
grub on their backs and In a remarka-
bly, short time negotiated the distance
between the two sections.
Many a good man hit that trail
The world owes very much to those
hardy pioneers for they brought into
use an iron ore that, for richness and
purity has no peer. Its usefulness
was amply demonstrated during the
great war when II became an objec
of great demand because its compost
ton was such that the very best steel
could be made out OF II in the short
est time, and time was everything In
those hurly-burly days.
The old trail was not as congested
highway nor was II negotiated as
speedily as is the new one which par
alells 1t about 10 miles distant. but
those who travelled over it had a pur-
pose In mind other than pleasure -
the main object of travel today. They
had their minds set upon bringing in
to light of the buried treasures OF
those forest depths that they might
aid civilization. They smote the
rocks of the wilderness and brought
forth richness that far outshone the
wealth OF Indus or of Ind"
They were big men, too. Many OF
them developed into captains OF indus
try although when they made the trip
over that old trail they were poor and
unknown. A story is told OF how one
man who later became wealthy and
prominent in the business and politi-
cal circles OF the Northwest, appro-
priated at Iron River a pair of boots
that didn't belong to him in order 10
equip his feet for the ardous journey
The trail left Iron Rivers main
street at its west end. 1t continued
on over what was then known as
Weimer hill and led of In general
southwesterly direction towards the
Brule river. The portion OF the trail
between Iron River and the Brule Is
now being paralleled by state trunl
line highway which Is to connect
with the Wisconsin state trunk lire
at the Brule near the town OF Alvin.
Wis. Along the line of this old trail
between Iron River and the Brule
there are now many good farms. but
at that time there was only solid for
est with occasionally homesteaders'
cabin and this only very rarely and
close to Iron River. One Of the
homesteaders along the route was
John Stanley whose cabin stood on
the old trail near Stanley Lake body
OF water that occupies large portion
OF Sections 4. S. s and Q. TAB n, R36
w. This was the last habitation of G.
white man between Iron River and
the exploring camps.
From the Stanley homestead the
trail struck OF to the southwest and
approached the Brule river near the
II india. l.x&~wl... .......I -. Gs..tt.~.