The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-07-15
BOARD LEGAL|zES
ELY-BUYCk ROAD

Several months ago the matter OF
legalizing several miles of the Ely
Buyck road came up before the
board of County Commissioners and
was laid over until last Monday
when the matter was again taken
from the table. The matter was
ended Tuesday when the board on
a vote of to 2 legalized the con-
struction.
At the hearing Monday the same
opposition was present that caused
the matter to be laid over several
months ago. Harry j. Denny rep
resenting the Izaak Walton League
voiced his protest and was assisted
by Mrs. R. N. Marble of Duluth,
Alfred Hoel of Gilbert and several
others.
A. C. Hamel, supervisor of the
Superior National Forest, made a
lengthy resume of the matter be-
fore the board on Tuesday stating
that the road was an absolute neces-
sity for fire fighing and other con-
servation measures. G. A. Dahlgren,
formerly supervisor of the Forest
and now with the Fourth Commits
sioner District, also spoke in favor
of the road. A. j. Thomas, JAS.
Moonan, l.. j. White and j. Kelly
spoke in favor of the construction
of the road as it is impossible to
reach the upper or Buyck end with
out this road. Mr.. Kelly stated that
only a few miles were unbuilt in
the forest and that the road then
sought to be legalized was petitioned
for by settlers on the route. Cases
were cited where a fire was located
in that section and while a crew
was gotten to Buyck in short time
from Duluth and the range towns,
it took from 16 to "a hours to get
the crews and supplies to the fire
by packers route.
1t was plainly evident that sew
eral of those who opposed the road
did not know what they were talk
ing about and confused this route
w4... the Gunflint Jake Preuss high
way and other matters that have
been in the limelight for several
years. However, in justice to the
opposition it must be said that we
believe they, one and all, were for
conservation of the forest and its
wild life. AS this is also the OBJ
ject of the Forest Service and the
people of this section, there was no
argument and the commissioners
were of the opinion that the gov
eminent and the men entrusted
with the maintenance of the For
est were better able to formulate
a plan tending towards conserva-
ton. After the fact was established
,..aL both sides were not for the
destruction of our wilderness do
main, the board granted the petit
ton for the legalization. The
executive secretary of the taxpayers
league also spoke against the road
from taxation standpoint. He had
not studied the matter and also
failed to hear the statement of Mr..
Hamel that the Department of Ag-
riculture was paying for the con-
struction and all that was asked of
the county was the legalization.
AS the larger part of the opposi-
ton to roads was developed in In
diana and Illinois by propaganda
widely circulated; paid advertise
ments; and worked-up enthusiasm,
some of us older residents have
been trying to get at the underly-
ing motives for the sudden concern
for conservation and for which many
of our people have been working
for years-with pretty fair results.
That there is somebody behind this
move with a motive is believed by
many to be the case. The Ely end
of the Forest seems to be the con-
Germ and nothing is being said