The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-12-26
Forty-nine Years Ago
From the Ely Times
Friday, Dec, "a, 1891,

Friday, Dec. "a, 1891.
The initial step toward the manu-
facture of steel at the head of the
lakes has been taken says the Duluth
News and articles of Incorporation of
the Ironton Structural Steel company
were filed yesterday. This is the new
company organized to replace the Iron
Steel company which collapsed some
time ago. Ever since Mr.. York,
patentee of the structural steel process
was here, the Ironton people have been
at work on the matter and now it is
an accomplished fact. 1t is still un-
decided when the company will begin
operations.
1t is found by Auditor LaVaque's
Office that st. Louis county is larger
by one tier of townships on the eastern
boundary than what the county here
tofore claimed. Since 1873 Lake
county has had the benefit of the
assessments of this land. From this
on st. Louis county will collect taxes
from these townships. BY the dis
covery Lake county is made smaller
and the plat of Sellwood, heretofore
equally in either county is now en-
tirely in St. Louis county.
The formal grand opening of Towers
new hotel, 1.-The Vermilion" will take
place on January l to which the citi-
zens of Ely have been invited. For the
benefit of all that wish to attend
a special train will be run, leaving the
depot at sos and returning after the
ball. 3 The recent developments
on the Mesaba, especially in the vicinity
of the Cincinnati, Biwabik, Hale anc
other properties on the ore body dis.
covered by Jack McGaskell, has giver
an impetus to mining stock operations
which rivals the days of the Gogebit
boom. Many companies are being
formed and the letting of the contrac
for the Duluth, Mesaba & Northern
railroad will stimulate mining ant
stock development on the Mesaba tt
great degree as no one doubts tina
| in few years this will be one of thu
greatest iron ore ranges in the countr.
and will rival any in the amount O.
ore it ships. The road is expected tt
be completed by July of next year
The contracts are Foley Bros. anc
Grant.
Schools closed yesterday for the holi
day vacation to be opened again OF
January 4, 1892. The drama
Down by the Sea" was well rendered
by the Ely Dramatic club Monda.
night. The net proceeds were abou
$45. Postmaster H. G. Kelle!
left this morning for a pleasure tril
! to return after the holidays. Capt
Hunter of the Pioneer mine has gon'
to Crystal Falls, Michigan, for Christ
mas. Miss Glen Camp was tht
recipient of a surprise party Wednes
day morning. Geo. w. Cornell
one of the popular passenger conduc'
tors is away with Mrs. Cornell for {
visit in Michigan. M. F. Harmon sub.
for George during his absence.
Levi H. Wylie and family left Monday
for Beldenville, Wis, for the winter il
the interests of Mr.. Wylie's health. **'
On and after January 1, the Ely post.
Office will be an international money
order office This will give our foreign
citizens a chance to send money tC
any part of the old country from thi:
office
The extravaganza reports coming il
from the extreme western end of the
Mesaba range recalls to mind the in.
cidents following the discovery of iror
down on the st. Croix range in Wis
consin several years ago. The whole
country surrounding was caught in the
excitement. The range was fairly wei
populated by homesteaders who hac
scalped the pine and were trying tc
raise enough grain to winter then
through oblivious of the treasure un-
derfoot. When the rush of prospectors
and Spectators flowed in, they very
prudently sold out for big prices anc
left the range. Then the tall stories
of taller discoveries began to circu-
late as they now come from the dis
coveries on the Mesaba. Every boomer
was shouting "hematite, manganese,
etc., although all knew as little about
them as they did about the Scriptures
The discovery of iron was followed
by gold, silver, Koalin, etc., until the
whole catalogue of minerals had been
unearthed. The climax was reached
when a prospector said he had "struck
a big deposit of putty on one of the
forties and was prospecting on an
other for bladders to pack it in" The
st. Croix range is now a thing of the
past but we trust the MeSaba will
have a great future in the west as
well as the east.
The school board met Saturday eve
ming to consider the question of bor-
rowing enough money from the state
to pay the indebtedness of the district
The same amounts to $4,000 and per
cent interest is being paid. BY getting
the money from the state about per
cent can be saved. The question was
unanimously carried. 3 st. An
thongs church held its first anniver-
sary supper on Tuesday evening in the
Mittenthal building. At nine o'clock,
a cane meerschaum pipe and several
other articles as well as numerous
cakes were voted on or auctioned under
the able direction of H. Van Blarcom.
A gold-headed cane donated by John
G.. Brown was given to the most pop
ular alderman of the city. Alderman
McCurdy won the cane on the last