The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-04-20
Six Years Of CCC Progress
on Superior National f crest

make Total OF "a structures. COm-
munication systems have been installed
at all of these stations, totalling 437
miles of telephone lines completed.
Radio installments have been provided
to supplement the more inaccessible
points which is also means of COM
munication for side" camps and fire
crews.
The road construction program, which
Is mainly confined to the southern por-
ton of the Forest. has made accessible
vast areas for fire protection and other
uses in forest management. Altogether
the CCC'c constructed SGT miles of new
roads during the past six years, and
maintained many times that mileage of
existing roads.
Trails and portages serve as the only
means of transportation routes into the
interior wilderness sections of the
forest. The actual mileage of trails
and portages completed amounts to 1853
miles, besides hundreds of miles of
trail and water routes kept in paSSable
condition. The improvement of these
roads and trails has made accessible
many more recreational areas, as well
as the enjoyment afforded in the travel
over these forest ways.
New recreational improvements COM
pleted have provided facilities for pick
nickers and campers along several of
the forest roads. Some of these are
complete with shelter houses, one with
a large community building, in con-
junction with the individual camping
sites. Visitors in the forest this year
will be welcome to enjoy the facilities
of the Sioux River and FenSke Lake
campgrounds on the Ely-Buyck Road;
the South Kawishiwi River campground
Is miles southeast of Ely on the Ely
Finland Road; the Devils Track, Flour
Lake, East BearSkin, and Iron Lake
campgrounds in the Gunflint District;
the Oxbow and Poplar River camp
grounds in the Temperance District,
and the Leander Lake campground in
the Mesaba District.
| Dozens of small canoe campgrounds
are completed on several of the main
lakes and canoe routes. They are much
more simple and appropriate to the
type of use they will receive, consisting
of stone fireplaces, log tables, tent sites,
and sanitation facilities.
The eradication of insects, control
of disease, and forest fires, represents
task with almost unlimited difficulties
to save disastrous losses each year
In the control of forest fires, the
Goes have been of an unreasonable
assistance during the past six years
1t would be difficult to guess how seri-
GUS some of those fires would have
been during the seriously dry summer
season of 1926. The time contributed
by CCC labor amounts to $4,000 man
days spent to assist in the suppression
of over 10000 acres of forest fires and
the upkeep of fire equipment and pre-
vention. The availability of the CCC
organization in forest fire control is
important because it is well trained
and efficient organization ready for
immediate call within the area where
fires occur.
just how much these services and &C
complishments as they have been ex-
pressed for the CCC organization &C
tually impress the average layman is
difficult to know. The tendency may
seem to some that great emphasis has
been placed on visual and physical ac-
compliShmentS while the benefits to the
American human resources have been
minimized. Well enough said, there is
that association of contact with each
and every boy enrolled that lends itself
to self-designed training suiting each
and every one. Life in the barracks
supervised discipline, simple fare,
and low income, gives them an inkling
what there is to sustaining in life
It is the accepted responsibility and de-
sire Of those in charge to be of the
best service to all enrollees under their
jurisdiction. Here young men are
taught the very fundamentals of getting
a job done properly with reasonable
allowances given to the time required
Within very short period, a mutual
interest has grown in those who fin
themselves capable and willing to learn
the technique in performing tasks which
would require years to acquire but are
now being accomplished in very short
time. Hundreds of enrollees have re-
ceived jobs through the training they
have received in the camps.
Each camp is so equipped and handled
among the supervisory personnel tina.
this phase of the enrollee's education
and training is fulfilled in an effective
and organized manner.
This week all of the camps have de-
veloped special program as an in
vitation to the public to acquaint them
selves better with the actual workings
and conditions in the camps. 1t would
be worthwhile opportunity, as well as
a compliment to the organization on
their sixth anniversary, if you could
pay them a visit. A welcome is ex-
tended visitors at all times, and the
| friends or DarentS of the nnvS are