Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-03-16
Miss Florence Minis Visits the
Richest Town in the United
States.
Dear Advertiser:


from some one who said that it was
strange that rivers ran always by big
cities, and lakes and oceans were loca-
ted beside them. This person learned
later perhaps that the natural forma-
tions, such as waterways, have agreat
deal to do with the situation of cities.
These things have so much influence,
in fact, that the city of Hibbing, Min
nesota, is being removed from its pres
ent location on account of the rich iron
deposits found underneath it.
Cities and towns spring up in a night
in this part of the country, and as
quickly disappear again.
Yesterday, on my way from Hibbing,
where l spent several days, to Aurora,
l saw house after house nailed up with
boards on the windows, and on asking
why this was done, 1 was told that the
mines at this place were no longer in
use and the settlement was deserted, a
real deserted village"
The city of Hibbing had its beginning
on account of the wonderful iron de-
posits at that particular place, and
Hibbing boasts OF being the richest
town in the entire world, not that the
wealth lies in the hands of the foreign
population, but the potential wealth
which lies under ground gives it this
reputation.
The largest open pit mine in the
world is just on the outskirts of the
city. not more than one block back of
the main business street. In fact, one
passes right over the mine itself on a
street car, huge bridge spanning the
open pit which extends on either side
farther than eye can see.
If you can imagine large cave. not
SO deep but that the bottom can be
seen, with the sides tcrraced, and along
each terrace track on which the ore
cars run, you. will get some idea of the
general formation of the pit.
/ do not knoYV Whether the open pit
mine is any more advantageous for the
workmen than the underground mine,
for though one offers fresh air and sun
light, it is also very exposed to the
snow and wind, and though the under
ground mine is more protected from
the elements, the miner is also shut off
from all communication with the out
side world, except for conversation at
intervals with his fellow workmen.
Most of the actual work in the mine
is done in the winter, when the lakes
are frozen and ore cannot be shipped,
and the summer is spent in loading the
ore and shipping it across Lake Supe-
rior from Two Harbors, which is be-
tween Aurora and Duluth, and from
Duluth.
In Hibbing at the present time, the
largest High School in the entire Uni
ted States is being erected. 1t will be
two years before the building will be
finished. In the present Hibbing High
School there are one thousand students,
and it is building that would do credit
to any city in the United States, cor
tanning, as it does, a swimming pool,
cafeteria, tremendous auditorium,
study halls and every modern conven-
ience.
The schools in the Range towns. as
this section is called, are magnificent
in proportion to the largeness and rich
ness of the mines, since a certain tax
from them goes to the schools.
Hibbing, in the same county where l
am teaching, has the largest mine,
therefore schools are very excellent,
and the new High school will valany-
thing in the city of New York itself.
Besides it's love of education, Hib-
bing is also patriotic. l saw very in
teresting service flag above the court
house or city hall, the only one of its
kind I have ever seen. A tremendous
square flag made of white boards stood
just on the corner of the building. fac
ing the main street of the city. In the
upper left-hand corner, was blue field
and in it were these words, written in
electric lights, with each light letter,
which would shine like a star in the
blue field at night: every Light g
Hibbing Boy for Uncle SAM Then
there were rows of red lights, which
had between them the white stripes,
and on the top were seventeen huge
stars, arranged along the upper edge
of the flag, standing out in gold lights
at night, and representing the Hibbing
boys who were killed in the service.
did not see the flag lighted, for
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