The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-10-09
CONSERVATION
Commissioners
Secretary Perham of the
Arrowhead Association
Gives Impression.

The members of the Minnesota
State Conservation Commission ap-
pointed as a result of action at the
last session of the State Legislature
accompanied by he heads of the fou
divisions, have just completed weeks
trip through Northeastern Minnesota
seeing for themselves and getting first
hand information on many of the
problems that made the existence Of
the commission necessary. The Ar
rowhead country was never more
beautiful as the party, official and un-
official, left Duluth Sunday morning
on Highway No. enroute through
Two Harbors and Beaver Bay for Ely
Gorgeous autumn colors with then
background of evergreen, the delicate
blue of Lake Superior, and later OF
inland lakes, combined with the clear
est of sunshine to make the start OF
the tour pleasure.
These men, william E. McEwen OF
Duluth, chairman, R. R. Bailey OF
Virginia, James T. Williams of Min
neapolis, Ernest Reiff of st. Paul, and
John R. Foley of Wabasha, are close
students of the conservation move
ment With them were the men, who
as heads of departments, have the di-
rect responsibility of carrying out the
policies to be adopted by the commits
sion, w. T. Cox, conservation director;
and under his direction, Grover M
Comet, in charge of forestry and fire
prevention; w. D. Stewart, commiSs-
sioner of game and fish; E. v. Willard,
drainage and waters; and Frank
Wildes, mines and minerals. In adj
dition the party included Mayor An
derson of Minneapolis, George E. Wal
lace of st. Paul, special representative
of Governor Olson, officers of the U.
S. Forest Service, two members of the
state legislature, press representatives,
officers of the Izaak Walton League
and representatives of the Minnesota
Arrowhead Association All are inter-
ested in the adoption of policies that
will best conduce to the public welfare
in the future.
To the writer it seemed the mem
bers of the commission were quite i'm
pressed with the interest shown by
the public as evidenced by the repre-
sentative attendance at the Hotel
Duluth breakfast under the auspices OF
he Minnesota Arrowhead Association
Sunday morning, the Waltonian
meetings the evening before, and by
those who met with the commission
at various points on their itinerary
Differences of opinion on certain
phases of conservation, though they
existed and occasionally came to the
surface, were not pronounced and it
was apparent a good understanding
would iron them out to the satisfaction
of all.
No Conflict Between Recreation and
Industry
The Isabella Scenic Highway
through the Superior National Forest,
brought the party to point of in
terest in the new granite quarry, just
a few rods off the road-between
Stony River and the Kawishiwi, that
well illustrates the fact that there is
no real conflict between recreational
features of the forest, which have
been a concern to many, and in
dustry. The only object of the quarry
at all visible from the road is a build
ing, and this is screened quite effec-
lively by strip of growing timber.
The black granite is of a very de-
sirable texture and appearance Pol
ished, it becomes lustrous. One car
load has already been shipped Like
the returns from timber, the govern
ment apportions Is percent of the
royalty paid to the three counties,
proportioned according to their area
in the forest, and ten per cent adj
ditional goes into the road fund. ALI
in the party were much impressed
with the possibilities here
Another point of issue, one which
the commission in the future may be
called upon to act, is in regard to an
additional unit at the Winton hydro
electric plant. The plant so far re-
presents an investment of one million
nine hundred thousand dollars, but
for the lack of adequate water it is
not at this time an economical pro-
ject. Back in the forest, almost a
days trip by canoe from any road
are lakes Gabbro and Bald Eagle.
A thirteen foot head of water above
the present stage in these lakes would
provide reservoir that would place
the plant on a competitive basis with
the new Duluth steam plant. There
has been some opposition to creating
this reservoir on the grounds Of
injury to the scenic values of the
forest. Standing at the Winton dam,
the members of the commission
learned that in two years seven canoe
parties passed through Gabbro and
Bald Eagle, and the only other prac-
tical way of visiting these two of the
many lakes in the area is by airplane
Also that two-thirds of the ground to
be covered by water is swamp-land.
Furthermore, that Lake County with
282, 905 acres of tax delinquent land
and half million acres of state and
forest land would considerably in
crease its present tax receipts
in round figures from the company's
operations, the valuations being based
partly on the electric production of
the plant which would be more than
doubled. The commission and its d.
recting heads had the opportunity of
seeing how flowage zones are cleaned
up, cleared of their dead wood, where
the Isabella road crosses the Stony
River and the outlet of Birch Lake.
Selective cutting of timber is the
ideal method Of harvesting forest pro-
ducts, and this method i'll be effective
IN the Kawishiwi cutting circle Of
the Superior National Forest was
brought to the commissions attention
by A. G.. Hamel, of the q. s. Forest
Service who had charge of the Su-
perior for four years. The plans of
the service call for better stand of
timber on this area fifty-five years
hence than there s now before the
selective cutting commences.
Fish and Game Protection.
Time and time again Chairman Nc
Even reiterated the intention of the
commission to put the game and nsh