The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-05-14

Lon Merritt, the family's lead
er, managed to recoup some of his
losses, permitting payment of the
remaining $1,500,000 of indebted
ness. This he was able to do
through his intimate knowledge of
the mining country.
The story is told that the Merritts
failed because of loyalty to their
home city of Duluth. In making con-
cessions to permit Duluth to COM
pete with its sister city, Superior,
as leading ore shipper, the Mer-
ritts Inadvertently weakened their
then none too secure financial struc-
ture, opening the yay for the SUBJ
sequent disaster. They asked per-
mission of the Duluth city council
to route their railroad through the
city. This was refused for some
reason and the dock line was start
ed into Superior as quick outlet
was necessary. Duluth had a change
of heart and the Merritts, acceding
to pressure, shifted the road to Du-,
luth. This necessitated increased
investments which proved too great
a strain when the crisis came.
Mr.. Merritt also discovered and
opened up copper and gold mines in
the West and in Mexico, where he
spent several years; organized the
Lake Superior Consolidated Iron,
Mines of which he was first presi-
dent; became owner of a bank at
Mountain Iron; served as a repre-
sentative in the Minnesota house of
representatives from 1898 to 1894,
served as commissioner of public
utilities of Duluth from 1914 to
1917, and as commissioner of fin
ance from 1921 to 1925.
In 1920, he was appointed by
Governor Preus as member of the
board of directors of the Minnesota
Old Soldiers home and had held the
office since.
The discovery of iron ore on the
Mesaba range came indirectly
through the timber activities of the
Merritts, through which the father,
Louis H., became convinced that the
Mesaba range was rich in iron ore.
From the time Leonidas Merritt
took ap. his first government claim
in 1880, he had visited all sections
of Northeastern Minnesota and lit
orally knew every foot of it. He
pieced together with his knowledge
of the Mesaba range his fathers
surmise that the jasper peak he saw
at Vermilion in 1865 was the head
of a claim of deposits. Specimens
of lean ore Clipped from a ledge of
taconite in the Virginia district
were brought in by John E. Merritt,
nephew of Leonidas, in 1884. The
belief of the family that ore was to
be found was strengthened, but no
opportunities to investigate further
were presented until 1887. In that
year explorations were made by the
Merritts, despite the fact that ex-
pert biologists ridiculed their efforts
to find iron ore in Northeastern
Minnesota.
John MacCaskill, Canadian
woodsman, shares with the Merritts
the fame of actual discovery of iron
ore on the Mesaba range, having dug
a test pit in ore in 1889. Mac
Caskill's discovery, however, be-
cause of misfortune on his part and
litigation in which he became in-
volved, came to nothing, and it re-
NAMED for the pioneer Duluth fam
lily to open up the rich mineral de-
posits. The first real discovery was
at Mountain Iron in 1890. This
led to the discovery in other places,
and the rush of explorers followed.
Mr.. Merritt had been in good
health, returning to Duluth recently
from Tampa, Fla, where he spent
the winter. Death came suddenly
just after he had arisen Sunday
morning at his home, 115 South
Forty-sixth avenue west.
Mr.. Merritt is survived by one
daughter, Mrs. Ruth Merritt of Du-
luth; two sons, Lucien and Harry
Merritt, both of Minneapolis, and
three brothers, Alfred of Duluth,
Lewis J. of Pasadena, and A. R.
Merritt of San Jose, Cal.
Despite his advanced age, Mr..
Merritt had been active in business
and public life up to a year ago,
when his term expired as commits
sioner of finance. Since then he
spent most of his time at his sum-
mer home at Pike lake and in
Florida.
Funeral services were conducted
yesterday afternoon from the First
Methodist church at 2:30. The body
lay in state at the church from IL a.
m. to 2:30 p. m. and was viewed by
thousands from all parts of the state
and neighboring states. Rev. Will
liam j. Barr assisted by Rev. Chas.
NJ poaa of n,,1.,@L Da<y 7 Will