The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-10-05
C: A LOCAL
WV ~IIiI INDUSTRY
Address to Ely Commercial Club
By r. K. LeBarron
Lakes States Forest Experiment Station

limit. (2). Useful and attractive. CD.
Primarily low-cost or free local ma
terials. a.. Possible to make with
simple toolS-handsaw, ak, hammer,
knife and square. 80. Compact and
durable. This helps in selling because
they can be easily wrapped and carried
away.
(Note)-The articles submitted were
as follows: Birch bark post card; hot
pads for dishes made of thin cross
sections of tree trunks with bark on,
birch bark flower pot, book ends made
of birch wood bound with copper, book
ends made of spruce with bark on, and
wren house made of birch bark and
native cedar wood. Some pine and
spruce cones were also offered as dis
tinctive local products that have good
possibilities for sale)
These articles, and several others that
have in mind, fulfill these require
ments completely.
AS matter of fact, start has al
ready been made in the local manu-
as rapid progress as it should have.
Without going into the details of why
locally made goods have not crowded
out the imported articles, wish to
suggest that the basic reason Is that
no organized group has grasped the
significance of the idea or directed the
efforts. propose that the Ely Com
mercial Club take the necessary action.
1t appears that the most logical way
would be for this club, through its Of
ficers or special committee, to find
what kinds and quantities of articles
the merchants want, and then distribute
the orders among workers who are
willing to undertake to make the things
In this way the industry could be de-
veloped upon a systematic and orderly
basis.
Since the industry is essentially one
of home handicraft, there is need Of
some sort of a permanent clearing
house to cooperate in improving
methods, making new designs, setting
fair prices for the articles, taking order.
from the retailers and placing then
with the workers. There is no more
logical organization to undertake thi.
function of clearing house than the
Commercial Club, although after thu
project has been started, the worker
should also be given voice in the adj
ministration to insure satisfaction ant
a fair deal all around.
| C,,no oy, ;,,d,Yctru o,,na ctortad rOa,1f
very logically expand into number o
other activities that require more skill
and capital. These include manufac
ture of rustic furniture and othe
summer home equipment, fishing tackle
boats and canoes. In rustic furniture
manufacture for summer homes Their
seems to be an especially good op
portunity for development, since NOR,
summer homes on our lakes are beinl
built every year and there are no widel.
sold lines of summer home equipment
There are several men in this localit.
who make very attractive and practica
furniture, but it must be admitted tina
the bulk of the rustic furniture W,
see is not particularly artistic and il
definitely more uncomfortable.
Practically all of the manufacturing
activities that have been mentioned art
we'll adapted for winter work, and thi.
is another reason to encourage its de-
velopment.
At the risk of sounding like a pro-
moter, I wish to urge again that vol
take some positive action to develop
souvenir manufacturing as a means O
increasing local income and employ.
ment, particularly winter employment
as well as to provide summer visitor!
with souvenirs that are really souvenirs