The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-05-20

who own cottages on lakes Of Min
nesota protesting that their property
has not received proper protection
from the local authorities. "This
of itself" says H. c. Hotaling, state
oourist commissioner, "has prevented
a good many persons from building
summer homes and investing their
money here and it benooves the au-
chorities, especially in the lake
districts where there are many cot
oages, to see that the same are pro-
tectea from petty thievery during
the absence Of the owners. These
non-residents have built hundreds
and hundreds of thousands Of dol
lars worth of fine buildings in Min
nesota, all of which share in carrying
The burden of taxes and anything
chat will have a tendency to restrict
this sort of investment is regretted.
As an indication of just what the
situation is, a prominent Iowa lum-
perman who has been coming to Min
nesota each season for many years
writes:
81 own a cottage in central Mime
sofa in which l spend about three
months each summer and l do not
recall single year but that the cot
cages in our neighborhoOd have not
peen broken open during the winter
months and gums, fishing tackle, bed
ding and other articles stolen. To
nv knowledge there have been but
three arrests for those thefts. This
same condition obtains in many por-
lions of the state.
" It would seem that the authorl-
ties are not big enough for the job
or are unwilling to give the matter
che attention required. 1t would
also appear from the class of articles
stolen that the thefts, in our vicinity
at least are largely by local talent,
and it may be that the officials have
peen slow to- prosecute not desiring
co get in bad with their neighbors.
."rhe Ten Thousand Lakes Asso-
citation publishes the fact that hun
dreos of thousands of dollars are
brought into Minnesota each year by
tourists and those who own cottages.
/ know this is true, as have per-
sonally spent several thousands OF
dollars in your state in the way OF
taxes, labor and living expenses
since I have been making my yearly
trips and it wouya be Lot of salts
faction to- feel that proper authori-
ties were at least making an effort
70 give my property and that OF my
neighbors protection during the
time we must, of necessity, be away
from our cottages, earning money to
spend in your state during the sum-
mer months"
+" On the WHOLE" says Mr. Hota-
ling, the property of the non-resi-
dent has been carefully guarded and
the tourist given every courtesy pos
sible as Minnesota realizes that if it
is to build up its army of out of state
visitors it must practice the Golden
Rule and it is doing so in treating
the visitors as friends who some day
will become, in many instances,
permanent residents.
Vandals have done considerable
damage to lake properties in this
vicinity in years gone by, but last
year not much damage was done.
This is partly accounted for in the
fact that cottages are as an open
house to which anyone travelling is
welcome providing they leave things
clean and unmolested. Notwith-
standing the welcome" sign, there
are those who cannot resist the
temptation to do damage. These are
vandals, pure and simple and should
be made an example of when caught.
There are "roughnecks" here as well
as in other places. Township authori-
ties should see that lake shore pro-
perty and cottages are protected in
exchange for the taxes paid.
Where cottages are grouped, it
is the custom of the owners to hire
protection at their individual ex-
pense. This has proven the most eff
fective plan. 1t must also be re-
marked that this should not be neces-
sary any fore than it is necessary
DO hire individual protection in town.
Property is property, whether it is
in the city or on the shore Of q
nearby lake.