The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-02-16

was mostly by boat with the alterna-
tives of travel by foot, horseback or
behind oxen over rough trails. Real
roads have followed the blazed trail,
and now the marks of the vacation
Route of America" point the way on
ward, as did the scars Of the trunks
of the stately jack-pine. It Is the
principal one of several marked high
ways, and brings hundreds of folks
from the distant parts of the country
to this delightful playground and
progressive business center.
Two Huge Saw Mills.
There still remains two huge saw
mills that are feeding upon the last
morsels of those mighty forests that
have furnished millions of feet OF
lumber for the homes of all people In
all chimes. 1t is estimated that per-
haps the timber will keep these two
mills busy for the next ten years.
Beyond that time no plans are being
made by those who have seen the
lumber industry rise and decline. Ad-
miration for the efficient destroyers
of trees, but producers Of smooth
boards, is somewhat mingled with
a feeling of remorse that the tall,
stately monarchs of the hills and val
leys should have been sacrificed for
the commercial advancement of man
kind.
To the visitor from the south the
clear air and clean water, the rough
foliage and the rolling hills offer
subjects for praise and commenda-
ton. The pleasure-seeker and vaca-
zionist finds here paradise. Birch
mont Beach, with its modern hostel
ry, supplements the accommodations
of Bemidji, but night after night
throughout the past summer people
were constantly. required to undergo
inconvenience because of the enor-
nous stream of transients. Hotel
accommodations were limited, Of
course Often reservations made days
before were difficult to fill. Never in
her history. has this community enter
tanned so many travellers as during
the summer of 1919. Many folks
spend the entire vacation season at
Bemidji. Others seek the open, liv-
ing in cottages and tents within rea-
sonable distance of town. Boating,
swimming and fishing are popular
pastimes, too.
Didn't Grow Like Topsy.
Bemidji did not grow just like
"Topsy." There were leaders of civic
thought, pride and consciousness that
have contributed heavily to it's prog
ress. Well, they know that they can
not work singly. The Bemid11 CIVIC
and Commerce Association, with 9
membership of 400 business men and
women and farmers is today the
'brains" of the community. Through
this center or civic thought and &C.
ton Bemidji is enabled to move for
ward as a whole along those lines
that will respond most readily to the
cal for united effort.
The lumber business is on the
wane. Beltrami County cannot 1--we
Inv tourists alone. Therefore, the
natural advantages must be utilized
Already she has begun march tha'
her leaders believe is to make her the
center of industry and commerce
a distributing point for the great sec
ton called northern Minnesota
lCheap power in abundant quantities
from the harnessed Mississippi. rail
Iroad facilities and the raw product
|are all assets. Keeping in mind these
qualifications the Bemidji Association
Lis working for more manufacturing
plants.
Fine Crops and Stock.
While looking at possibilities TN
agricultural should not be passed
Diversified farming that features
stock raising, small grain and corr
growing, dairying and the like i
coming into it's own. Under tn
leadership of county agent cooper
ating with Give wires" throughou
Beltrami County community center
: have been and are being formed. /
policy that has helped to break dow
that imaginary wall between city an
country has been that of MAXIM
visits to these community centers b.
Bemidji business men. A motor ca
would carry the party, who woul
20 to monthly dinner, supper or jus
ordinary meeting, taking their shar
Of the leafs" along. Right Off tn
bat they were on equal footing, ne
cause they had brought their shar
lust as the other fellow had. Stay
ing for the business meeting the.
often could be of great help. Natur
ally they began to get the farmers
viewpoint and the farmers got theirs
Result-co-operatiO
Beltrami On Map.
The way they treat potatoes In Bel
|tarmi county would hardly impress
the casual visitor with the reverence
lin which they are held. This com
mon variety of vegetable has done
much to put Beltrami on the map
If they were cantaloupes or apples OF
pears or oranges or grapefruit they
should be packed in neat little crates
and everyone of them would be wrap.
ped in a pretty pink piece of tissue
paper. 1t was an exhibit from Bel
trami County that was taken to the
exposition at San Francisco to repre-
sent Minnesota. Here's little inside