The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-08-20

| power plant, warehouses and other
fixed improvements. Some of the
railroad tracks serving the properties
are on the ore, but they will not have
to be disturbed for years.
The enterprise at Rabbit is char
acteristic of the courage. and is one
of the fruits of the experience of
d. c.. lacking. They laughed at
him when he proceeded to put por-
phyry copper on, the commercial map
and there are some people laughing
at him now for trying to put the low
grade magnetic iron ores of the east
ern Mesabi on the same map. From
every present prospect he will laugh
last.
The Eastern Mesabi is Invested
almost entirely of its once great pine
forest. A new generation of pines
is struggling forward at the COM
mand of nature. The logger and the
forest fire have laid the country
waste as to its once great wealth of
valuable timber. With the naked
boulders scattered everywhere in
profusion, the country looks hard
and forbidding, but it is not without
it's charm. The air is singularly
clear, and bracing, and the view from
the heights at Rabbit one long to
be remembered.
The Mesabi Iron Company is
starting out right to win. good
reputation from employees. Every
thing within reason is being done for
their comfort. They are provided
with comfortable camps, and with
ample room. There is protection
from mosquitoes and flies in. the sum-
mer and from cold in the winter.
A camp superintendent sees that the
bedding is kept clean and free from
vermin. The men are provided with
laundry where a large number may
work at the same time to do their
own washing, with hot and cold water
and soap. The eating camp is built
in the form Of a cross. AT the juno
ton point of the crosssis situated the
ranges, where the cooks and their,
assistants and the walters prepare
and distribute the food. -Four hund-
red men sit down and eat at the same
time. The food is of excellent quail
ity, is well cooked, and the variety
great.
The work. on the permanent i'm
provemeuts at Rabbit began in May.
A surprisingly large amount has been.
accomplished in, the interval. Much.
OF this work is not at first impressive
to the, observer, for it, is in large,
part in foundatipus, in railroad and
wagon road construction, dams and
in general preparation for improve
ments which will later be necessary
to the operation of the. mines and
mill. But the new village of Rabbit,
looks fresh and confident. A hospit-
al which will be. in charge of DIR.
P. j. Mccarthy iss almost completed.
A dormitory 40xl00 feet is under
construction. Many Of the crafts
men and officemenaw will live there,
and there will be space onsthe ground
floor for club room. There is no
school at Rabbit as yet, but there
will be school the coming winter.
The prospective attendance is Is orr
10 children.
This recalls that the first man to
take his family to ,Babitt to live. IS
take his family to Rabbits live il
August Palo an electrician, from
Duluth. Mr.. and Mrs. Paloa have
two children. Mr.. Swart win re-
move his family from Duluth toll
Rabbit as soon as the new dwelling
which he is preparing for their occu-t
pancy is completed, and that viii bel
soon.
The buildings which, are erected
at Rabbit to accommodate consider
able numbers are built on the unit
plan. Later, when further distribut-
ion of employment land shelter may
be desirable these units may become
a number of detached houses. The
large eating camp, and the main
sleeping camp, are built on this unit
plan.
While the country at Rabbit is
hardly suited for gardening, as the
'oil is scarce, Mr.. Swart has a gar
len. He has tomatoes now rip
ming, together with lettuce, radishes,
BEANS, corn, etc.
1t would seem that the Mesabi Iron
Company had fully worked out its
problems in metallurgy, when one
considers the success Of the first cargo
# the product of the low grade mag
letic. ores, which was produeedt in
he experimental plant in Duluth
. far as can be seen all problems } |