The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-07-23
HOTA[|NG TALKS
ON MINNESOTA
TOURIST TRAVEL,
TEN THOUSAND LAKES ASSO-
CATION is A FACTOR IN
GROWTH OF MORE
ADVERTISING NEEDED.

That has been one of the troubles
in Minnesota in recent yeaIS. am
hannv to state. however, that be-
heve that situation Is tast fadihg
ont and that Minnesota Is now
standing on the brink of new pros
perity. The fact that severai Dlg
real estate transfers have taken
place in recent weeks, and that
there is a steadily growing demand
for Minnesota property should sub
stantiate my beiist that our state Is
resumnng her rightful place as the
garden spot of the, North American
continent and that we are gaming +
the confidence of the nation.
Too Many Quacks.
Lack of confidence In ourselves
has, l believe, been one OF the most
distressing elements in our makeup
curing the unsettled postwar period
through which we have just gone.
there has been too much cIamoring.
100 many quacks going around with
prescriptions for our agricultural
MS; too many crying from the
housetops that farming does not
pay; too few possessed with the
necessary optimism to point out the
means whereby agriculture can be
made to bring profitable returns.
/ would like to tell you about the
Ten Thousand Lakes association and
to point out to you, if possible, just
what can be accomplished by herald |
ing to our nation our good points
rather than hanging our patched
ana mended underwear on the wash
line to indicate that we are poverty
stricken Recently at the auto show
dozens of persons from other states
approached our booth and asked for
literature and information. A lady
from Brooklyn wanted to influence
erty. A man from England wanted
across the sea.
Need California Spirit.
We have a great state and if we
could only get some Of the booster
spirit of the Californian and Flori-
aan, there is no knowing where
things would go to. Where the Ten
Thousand Lakes association has one
dollar to herald to the world Mime
sota'a advantages and wonders, these
states have thousands.
You may know all about the
origin of the Ten Thousand Lakes
association, but for fear some of
you do not, let me retell the story.
Back in 1917 a few men from vari-
Gus parts of the state were seated
about the lobby of the Saint Paul
hotel. During the evening the con-
versation drifted to the tourist bust
ness when one of the gentlemen
spoke up, saying: 81 do not see
any reason why Minnesota should
not have a tourist business as well
as California, Florida and Colorado.
We have the scenery and the finest
lakes in the land" One word led
on to another, and the discussion
waxed earnest, and all agreed with
the first speaker, with the result
that then and there the Ten Thou
sand Lakes association was born,
each of the men chipping in $50 to
start the movement going.
1t was little hard and difficult
at first to get hard-headed business
men to see the advantage of adver-
tlsing water even though they had
before them the continual shining
example of California in selling
sunshine. Firewater and moonshine
might be disposed of by the use of
printers ink, but they shook their
heads at plain waiter. But Mime
sofa had sunshine and it had water
lots of it-why not sell it?
$500 Square Miles of Water.
Without taking Lake Superior in.
to account Minnesota has $500
square miles of water area. Think
of it. Over 100000 acres of wat
er. Some job to bottle it, you viii
say. 1t is beyond human compre
hension. On sober thought, per
haps, we could not bottle it, but We
could bring people to it. This vas
water area is divided into thousand.
and thousands of beautiful lakes
ranging in size from three to hund
reds of miles in circumference
shore lines marked with pine ans
hardwood ti~ber, the wooded bank.
furnishing ideal camping spots fol
camper. fisherman and hunter, al
well as for those seeking rest ane
recreation.
AS matter of fact it is doubtful
there is another commonwealth
upon the face of the earth wher.
there is more happy uniting OF
the elements which go to making vi
a vacation land than those to b,
found in the land of Ten Thousand
Lakes.
L
any wonder that those who hav,
visited Minnesota continue to max,
annual pilgripages here and tina
they bring others?
While some of our neighborins
states have been LOSING in population
the past few years, due largely t,
depression in agriculture, Minnesot;
mas held its own and gained SOM
besides due to the fact that thes
visitors who have been enticed t.
the state to view our scenic >nder
have been surprised, yea astounded
at the wealth agriculturally and in
dustrially throughout the state.
Slow to Realize Possibilities.
Outsiders have been the first t
recognize the worth and value o
these outstanding attractions an
possibilities and if a period of ex
pansion and investment does suddes
ly appear above the horizon it WI
be first noticed by those from with
out. Those living here have bee
slow to recognize the great posslbI
tiles lying at their very doors an
have looked upon our scenic wealt
largely as a matter of course, faias
to notice that the amount of dc
sirable lake frontage, for illustra
ton, is fast passing off the markei
Roger Babson, the statistician, in
recent report referring to the act
ivities in Florida, indicates that lak
shore property in the north Nigh
take on an activity not heretofor
noted and cautioned those ownin
such property not t, undervaiue il
l.