The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-08-13


is roads starting from the far side
of a lake and terminae likewise,
launch service completing the con-
nection. Roads so protected could
not be used by the public and their
presence in the forest would be in
and unsupported. Their
use, also, would in
no wise harm the wilderness spirit,
nor iniure the fullest recreational
use of the forest.
"Recreational roads then could be
built wholly as needed to supplement
improved waterways and water
Such roads could, also,
be used Enthusiastically
without detrimental effect. In the
light of all that has TRANSFERRED, this
seems the simplest solution Of this
most complex problem. This type
of administrative roads would not
and could not invite resorts to the
innermost sanctum of the forest.
1.-THE roads heretofore built lack
a landscape engineering standpoint.
of national recreational needs. More
over, they are wretchedly crude from
a landscape engineering standpoint.
The county engineer of the forest
service unquestionably can build
roads to meet their own needs, but
here we have a most important ma
tional reservation with exceptionally
high human use values which need
primary consideration to safeguard.
them. The north shore drive, High
way No. l out of Duluth to Port
Arthur, is case in point. If land
scape engineer had been consulted
and given supervision, this otherwise
highway would have be-
come an object of the engineers
highest art. It's stiff tangents and
arbitrary mechanical curves and
grades would have been
softened and made pleasing to the
eye, and the road would be CO.
habitant of the hills and valleys, its
cascades and cliffs, instead of an OBJ
vious intruder on an unwilling land
scape. The best results have not
been attained since the engineers
training precludes his taking cogniz-
ance of any but engineering feat
ures. The same principle holds good
for the forester.
Furthermore, we find the forest
personnel composed mainly of West
ern men, used to pack horse trail
and auto roads. Since pack horses
are out of the question, they resort
to the second line of defense end,
in true Western style, convert the
Superior, into a northwoods wilder
ness a la Colorado.
The Superior National needs for
est service men born to the hard
ships of the canoe and pack men who
recognize the great national recrea-
tional assets of the forest, whose
sympathies rise above that of their
own bodily discomforts; men who see
in the conservation of this last
primitive wilderness in the Missis-
sippi valley an obligation to posterlty
and gladly dedicate their lives to this
service.
Lakes are among the most vaiu-
able of our natural resources ana
their wealth to the state is being
recognized more each year with the
intensive development and expansion
of a sytem of state highways linking
heretofore isolated districts to indus
trial centers and pOpulous districts.
Northern Minnesota rs particular
ly fortunate in this natural basic re-
source, for of the 10000 lakes OF
Minnesota over 5000 are located in
the Arrowhead Country OF North
eastern Minnesota.
Several years ago residents OF
the lake region offered no special IN
ducements to attract tourists and
the potential wealth from these ma
tural bodies of water lay dormant.
Rapid development of the motor car
industry, which in turn brought
about expansion of highways, has re-
suited in nearly every lake becoming
a summer resort where thousands OF
persons spend many days each sea-
son in pleasant relaxation. Here
they stimulate physical and mental
vigor with which to attack business
problems when they return to com.
mercial and industrial environments
estate conservation officials, VINO
are ever endeavoring to arouse the
public to the necessity of making use
of natural resources and to use
judiciously those resources not re
movable, have for years pointed ou'
the extreme value of converting
lakes into resorts and sites for sum
mer homes, Their arguments me-
| decided public response when I'M
| proved motor routes increased IL
this state, and car owners forge
such things as township and count!
boundary lines when they set out OF
pleasure trips.
"Today sees hundreds of thou
sands of summer visitors at Mime
sota's numerous lakes, with million
of dollars spent in developing land
scapes, beaches and homes, many o
the latter being all-season struc
lures.
sThe health value of lakes cal
scarcely be estimated.
GA few weeks. days or even hour
spent at any lake is as refreshin
and invigorating to the tired Dusl
ness man as a medicinal tonic an
far better in many cases, for ne re
turns home fit to take up bushes
problems that have worn his nerve
to FRAGILE and persistently sappe
his physical vigor. ).
"Nature is the biggest thing wit
which manku.. can get acquainted
for her moods are many and ne
teachings manifold. Man has eve
patterned after her to his great AZ
!, vantage and profit. A visit to tn
lakes of Northern Minnesota give
one new prospectus, inspires
greater achievement and stimulate
and urges the visitor to do his be-
in the scheme of life, having aiwa!
before him as illustration the graz
work of nature.-Outing writer
one Of the daily papers. In anoth
, place in the same paper was four
a TRADE against roads in the 70
lest.