The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-10-08
CLUB MEMBERS
VISIT Rabbit.
DELEGATION OF ELY CONNER.
CIAL CLUB MAKE TRIP TO
BABBIT SUNDAY.

iiy SoiliilSiCIdl SluU IOOh IuG hlO-
bucher steamer and the Rothman
launch there and proceeded up Birch
Lake to the Koski farm from where
they walked overland by trail to the
hustling city of Rabbit. The party
was met at the landing by Superin-
tendent Swart of the Mesabi Iron
Company. The first step was made
on the brow of the hill overlooking
Birch Lake and the surrounding
country from which point a most
excellent view of miles and miles of
country can be had.
Upon arrival at Rabbit, the party
were at once taken to the large, airy
and commodious dining hall where
the finest kind of dinner was enjoy
ed. Here we found, Bert Hedloff,
an Ely boy, in charge of the dining
hall and where in addition to him
self eighteen others are employed in
the kitchen and as walters and where
from 275 and 800 men are daily
served. After one of the most excel
lent dinners ever partaken of by a
very hungry bunch, trip around the
works was made.
The town is situated on the south
side of the brow of the hill overlook
ing the ore deposits and about mile
from the quarry. Elegant homes
have been built for the men and their
families already there and more
buildings are being constructed. All
the homes are equipped with heat,
water, light and sewerage. Dor
mitories are being constructed for
single men. Rooms in the dormit-
cries are equipped with two iron beds
and the best of mattresses and
springs and other linen, dresser,
toilet and bath facilities. Recreational
facilities in the shape of billiard
rooms are also being put in.
The Office building is constructed
in the most modern manner. Every
room is an outside room with light on
three sides. All are heated and have
the finest facilities for good work.
A crew of twelve men under Mr..
Fitzgerald are employed in the draft
ing and making of plans and specif-
cations and blue prints. The entire
construction work is in charge of
Superintendent Jordan.
On the north side of the hill are
located the reduction works and a
railroad. has been built from the ore
quarry to the works. The various
units of the mills are being built at
the present time and the country has
been ripped up, it seems, for miles
for the concrete foundations on which
the structures will stand. At the
time of our visit the boilers were
being placed for the power plant and
the main ore pit was being dug and
walled in for the reception of the
ore from the first crusher after which
it will be hoisted through 20 per
cent grade tunnel and upon a tower
leading to the crusher system. This
pit will be 100 feet in depth and the |
main tower will be 100 feet high. |
All the superstructures are of con-
crete. and the towers and buildings
of fabricated steel which is now being
built at Minneapolis and will be ship |
ped ready for erection as soon as the |
concrete bases are ready. The man.
agement informed us that unless un-
seen situations arise considerable of |
the erection work will be completed |
by spring and active work of ore
production will be in full swing.
The party also visited the quarry.
Here is where the big surprise await
ed. A pit about twenty feet deep
has been blasted out and the material |
removed in the process of developing
the reduction system. The ore runs
through the formation in layers. a
layer of ore and one of rock varying
in thickness from half an inch I'D.
The material will be loosened with
heavy blasts and afterwards loaded
On cars with a steam shovel The en-
ornity of the deposit can be more
forcefully brought to the attention of
the reader when it is stated that drills
have penetrated the material to a
depth of 500 feet and that the deposit
is mile wide and over twenty miles
long, in fact the length has not as
yet been thoroughly settled but over
twenty miles of it is assured.
A visit to Rabbit is we'll worth
while as those who made the trip
Sunday can testify. Mr.. Swart and
MS assistants are fine fellows and take
great pride in showing visitors about.
They say, 1--WE have nothing to con-
,eal." Those who made the trip
Sunday were Messrs. G. B. Hughes,
Peter Schaefer, H. S. King, Oliver
Bell, Henning Olson, R. G.. Schreck,
Joseph Kelsall, Erick Anttila, j. A.
Rothman, VIM. Jones, H. E. White,
John A. Harri, Rudolph and Frank
Alvin Schaefer, A. ].
Thomas, Ole Berglund, Olof Knutson,
Leonard Slabodnik, John E. Johnson,
Chas. Quigley and w. P. Wolff.
Monday, after the visit to the new
city, committee got busy and petit
ion was prepared to be presented to
he County Commissioners asking to
nave a branch road from the Ely