The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-10-16
NOTED WRITER
VISITS HERE
Well Known Outdoor Enthusi-
asst Speaks on Ely Out
doors as Asset.


The recreational values found in the
wilderness around Ely are the one
great asset of this section which can
be sold year after year without di-
minishing its worth, is the opinion of
Arthur Hawthorne Carhart, nationally
known author and president of the
Colorado Authors League who has just
completed months visit in the Queti-
co-Superior region while gathering data
for articles and book length novel
on which he is working.
Carhart will be remembered by a
number of Ely readers as the recre-
ational engineer of the U. S. Forest
Service who made a study ten years
ago in which he outlined the posi-
bilities of the tourist business centering
around the wilderness area of which
Ely is the hub. Since resigning from
the Forest Service in 1922 Carhart has
been city planner of Denver, has
planned many resort projects in the
Rockies and has had several books and
and articles published in national
magazines.
This area is unique" Carhart stated
to a representative of The Miner" In
the west we have a score or more good
mountain areas equal to Glacier,
Rainier, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain,
Mesa Verde and other national parks.
But there is only one Yellowstone, one
Grand Canon and one Quetico- Su
perior wilderness of the lakes. The
value of the Superior wilder
ness; that is unspoiled. The one thing
that can destroy this great asset is to
allow indeScriminate roads to be built
through it, and to surrender to interests
that would like to get cheap hydro
electric power regardless of damage
done to other values.
Personally, think there can be no
harm of permanent type come from
judicial cutting of good timber. Tim
Der is crop. 1t natures. It is har-
vested. Another crop comes in its
place Roads to utilize timber or roads
for protection cannot do damage if they
do not give ready access to the rubber
tire, stay-over-night tourist, who would
flock to lakes opened up" to auto
roads. The autoist does not need to
see every square foot of the United
States of America from the back seat
of his car. He can see SO 44-100 of it
in that manner now. A third of
million has been spent to put an auto
road to the top of Mount Evans west
of Denver. 1t is the highest auto road
in the world. But it is a road little
different than dozen others to high
points. There is no appreciation of
that mountain for the person who is
hauled to the top by gasoline motor.
The trip up and down is a matter of
three or four hours and then the
tourist is off to some other trick high
way; gone for good. But where a per-
son goes into the outdoors by pack,
either horse pack trip or by canoe, he
stays several days, he appreciates the
country through which he travels, he
will come back.
are worth some effort to reach them.
Keep them that way"
AS game refuge and wild life sanct-
uary and as a playground Of national
Importance, Carhart believes the SUI
perior and Quetico forests are standing
alone. He declares that wild life here
may become more famous than that
found in Yellowstone National Park
He points out that this is the only lake
country wilderness left and each year
that quality of wilderness travel found
here will become more and more valu-
able.
ut is rather up to the people of this
section what the future holds" he
stated. Potentially the recreational
values are the greatest asset of the
region. Timber harvest should not be
materially impaired if full protection
is given the scenic qualities while re-
creation certainly does not hurt timber.
Power development can destroy values
which will give many people employ
mnt in the future; destroy equipment
in the way of lake beauty and scenic
qualities which will now bring thous-
ands of dollars from the outside into
this community. Power development
would only deprive guides and resort
workers of their chance to increase
their annual business and make them
turn to other less renumerative work,
but it would not bring any money into
the community except perhaps limi-
ted amount of taxes. And the taxes
on resort property will more than make
up for any taxes power equipment
might pay. Once the community re-
cognizes that the recreational values are
not mere side issue, but that they are
of primary and paramount Importance,
once it is realized that injudicious road
development and power projects will
utterly destroy those assets, will drive
tourists to other sections than there
will be few but will stand against
such development to the last ditch.