The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-10-02

commission made It's mai report.
A group of farmers and land
owners of the lake area and repre-
| sentatives also testified at the morn
ing's session.
George H. Selover of Minneapolis,
representing the Izaak Walton
League of America, and Mr.. Backus
had sharp dispute as to whether
erection of a dam at certain
height would raise the levels of the
affected lake similar height, and
Mr.. Backus accused him of being
off on the wrong foot.
/ Question by Clark.
l. Chairman Clark asked Mr.. Sell
over or any other witness who
might have any information on the
subject, to answer the question of
how the district would be support
ed if locked up against Industrial
development. Mr.. Selover pointed
to the national policy of retaining
the district as a national park as in
dicated by the creation of the
Superior National Forest.
my impression of the opponents
arguments is that they claim more
money could be made in the dis
trict from the tourists traffic than
by industrial development, isn't that
so?" Chairman Clark asked.
"The point is that the property
of many land owners will be dam
aged and it is theoretical as to the
industrial development" Mr.. Sci
over told the commission. "The
national government has committed
itself to the national park idea by
the creation of the Superior Ma
tional Forest. Is this idea to be
abandoned?"
Mr.. Backus interrupted and asked
that Mr.. Selover read to the COM
mission copy of circular letter
sent out by the Izaak Walton
League in response to which the
st ereotyped petitions and protests
were received. Mr.. Selover said he
/ did not have a copy of this letter
with him. Later Mr.. Eackus made
the same request.
| 81 told you | did not have one
with me and would furnish the COM
mission with it later" Mr.. Selover
turned and said pointedly to Mr..
Backus.
| Other Speakers in Opposition.
| Other speakers were c. M. Hill
man of Two Harbors, representing
the Lake county board and the Lake
County Development association; M,
Nv. Peterson of the Wilderness Out
filters, of this city, and also repre-
senting the Ely Commercial club
E. c. Oberholtzer, writer owning
islands in the boundary lake coun-
try, who represented number I
land owners, including Norman
Hapgood and Maj. A. j. Roberts of
Davenport, Iowa; DR.. F. A. Duns-
moor of Minneapolis, a large land
owner.
Mr.. Hillman cited the develop
ment of Florida as tourist PROPOSE
ton and declared that the business
interests of the Arrowhead district
would be seriously affected if the
power project ruined the tourist
trade of the area. He presented
resolutions from the Lake county
| board and the Lake County Develop
ment association formally opposing
the project.
Mr.. Peterson gave the commits
sion statistics on the volume of
tourist traffic by his concern, say
ing that his firm started in business
in 1921 with four secondhand
canoes and now operates fleet of
sixty-five, which were kept busy
Throughout the entire season. The
canoeists object to portaging around
dams, he said, and the dams tend to
destroy the natural beauty of the
streams and rapids.
Dunsmoor's Stirring Talk.
DR.. Dunsmoore made a stirring
talk in which, after explaining that
he was an old friend of Mr.. Backus
he did not understand how any man
could have the supreme gall to ask
two governments for the things he
to pay part of the expense of the
project. ''No one can tell those
who live and love the lake region
that the flooding of the lake shores
would enhance their beauty" DIR,
Ounsmoor said. 81 have Travelled
all over the world, and nowhere is
there a place which gives such con-
tentment. There is something un-
canny beautiful about it. There is
something else in life besides the
commercial value of trees and lakes;
much more .contentment is worth
more than watts"
| After Mr.. Thomas of Minneapolis
had explained the cheap power that
could be developed by the project
approximately on the basis of $50
per horse power, which, it is de-
clared, is worth 500 per, horse
power, Victor L. Power, former
mayor of Hibbing, took the floor.
He declared that if power could be
developed on that basis and trans
ported to the iron range it would
mean wonderful development for
that district. II was squelched by
Mr.. Hillman, who asked him just
how much more output could be de-
veloped there with 35,000-horse-
power.
The hearing ended at 3:45 p. M.
Wednesday, after representative of
lumber and other interests opposed
to the granting of the application of
the Fort Frances Pulp 4 Paper COM
pany had made their closing argu-
ments.
1t was learned after the hearing
closed Wednesday that at least one
member of the commission is OPP
posed to the carrying out of the
project. and two others are inclined
to favor the saving of the beauties
of the border lake country.
| Mr.. Backus reviewed the history
of development which he had spon
sored in the area, telling of coming
there thirty-one years ago. and a
| ,,oor lator riding int, tha tnu,y ON