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Duluth and St. Louis County
Minnesota
Their Story and People
An Authentic Narrative of the Past, with Particular
Attention to the Modern Era in the Commercial,
Industrial, Educational, Civic and
Social Development
Prepared under the Editorial Supervision of
WALTER VAN BRUNT
Assisted by a Board of Advisory Editors
ISSUED IN THREE VOLUMES
VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
TTK AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
CIIICAOO aiul XEW YORK
1921
r\>
41347A
Copyright 1021
THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Chicago and New York
History of
Duluth and St, Louis County
CHAPTER XXII
THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF EVELETH
The city of Eveleth, one of the leading- and most active incorpo-
rated places of the ranges, had its beginning in mining explorations.
Therefore, properly, a historical review of its development should
begin with data regarding its mining. And no more authoritative
information could be obtained than from the man who, above all
others, was chiefly responsible for the founding of the village of
Eveleth.
David T. Adams, a mining explorer of Duluth, U'hose first trip
over the Mesabi range was in 1883, when he "was attracted to the
possibility of the existence of commercial bodies of hematite ore on
the southern slope, or in the lowlands of the Mesaba," was one
of the most successful of the .early explorers of the Mesabi range.
He was the first to discover marketable ore, finding it on the Cin-
cinnati in 1891, Captain Kehoe almost simultaneously finding blue
ore on the Biwabik workings. In the next year Adams, acting for
A. E. Humphreys, George G. Atkins, and others, "had seventeen
camps in operation in township 58-17," mainly in the Virginia district.
In a narrative written specially for the current historical work
Mr. Adams makes the following statements regarding his early opera-
tions in the Eveleth district :
"In, or about, the month of July, 1892, I discovered coloring on
the south line of section 30, 58-17, by means of a spring pole drill,
operated by Hugh McMahon and Noble Beatty — the first operation of
the kind undertaken on the range.
"In the month of September of that year an option was acquired
by the late Peter L. Kimberly from the late Simon J. Murphy, George
O. Robinson, E. M. Fowler and others, on three quarter-sections,
which I had previously selected, in sections 31 and 32 of 58-17, and
were designated as selections Nos. 1, 2 and 3, and the explorations on
these selections were known as Adams Nos. 1, 2 and 3. A little later,
George L. Cheeseborough secured an option from these same parties,
on the sw. qr. of section 31, which I had previously selected and
which was selection No. 4, known as the Cheeseborough explorations.
"On or about the first of October, 1892, I started explorations in
the northern part of section 31 on- the Adams No. 1, and the first ore
discovered in what is now known as the Eveleth Group of Mines,
or anywhere on the southern slope of the hills running down from
Virginia, was discovered there in my first pit. (On this, as on all
former and later explorations I always located my own jnts.) Thomas
Short was in charge of the men, and under him work proceeded rap-
idly. It was not long before a very large body of what is now the
standard ore of the range was discovered.
"Shortly thereafter, I discovered ore in the Cheeseborough.
"My next discovery was on Selection No. 2 of the Adams explora-
tions, but the ore in the discovery pit on this selection was not con-
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DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 513
sidered a commercial ore at the time, and as Kimberly Jones and
myself wanted the land for townsite purposes, the exploration was
abandoned, our option surrendered, and the surface rights finally pur-
chased by us.
"A little ore was found on Selection No. 3 of the Adams explora-
tions, and was finally ^consolidated with Selection No. 1 of the Adams.
"On January 9, 1893, the Adams Mining Company was organized
by Mr. Kimberly, Mr. Jones and myself, on Selection No. 1, in the
northern part of the section.
"Selection No. 4, the Cheeseborough, became known as the
Clocjuet.
"The next deposit of ore to be discovered by me in the vicinity
was on the nw.-nw. of section 5, and the n. half of section 6, township
57-17, in the month of November, 1893, which is now known as the
Fayal No. 1. Fifty-one per cent of the capital stock of the Adams
Mining Company was sold to John D. Rockefeller, for the Lake Su-
perior Consolidated Iron Mines, in the month of July, 1893." (The
cash consideration for the transfer was $410,000.)
"The Fayal No. 1 was explored by the Mclnnis Mining Company,
which was organized by me on the 31st of January, 1894, in honor of
the late Neil Mclnnis, who had been my purchasing agent of goods to
supply the camps, and paymaster during the latter part of my explora-
tions in connection with Humphreys and Atkins, on the Virginia
Group of Mines, and who also acted in the same capacity for the
Adams Mining Company, during their development of the Adams
mine. The late Marvin Van Buskirk was in charge of the men, and
under him the work of development was rapid indeed. The Mclnnis
Mining Company finally sold their lease on the Fayal No. 1 to the
Chicago Minnesota Ore Company on September 6, 1894.
"About two and a half years later, I discovered ore on that part
of section 5, township 57-17, which was known as the South Fayal."
Winchell's Review (1894). — ^Horace V. Winchell, in the winter
of 1894-95, wrote of mining development in the "Eveleth Group
of ]\Iines" as follows :
Adams Mine. — "This property is being developed by the Consoli-
dated Company. The mine is in the north half of section 31, 58-17.
It is operated on a lease from Chicago and Michigan lumberman, who
own the fee. This deposit of ore is supposed to be one of the largest
on the Mesabi range, and to contain ore of more than average value,
because of its granular and shaly nature "" * '^' It is being stripped
at present. Ore was discovered here by Neil Mclnnis and D. T. Adams,
of Duluth, in 1893. The superintendent is ]\Ir. J. H. Hearding.
Vega Mine. — "West of the Adams is the Vega, lying under too
great a burden of glacial till to permit of open cut mining. It pro-
duced 5,628 tons of ore in 1894, and is under the direction of
Mr. Geo. St. Clair.
Fayal Mine. — "This is one of the recent acquisitions of the Min-
nesota Iron Company. It "*' * "•' was first discovered in 1894.
Other properties in this vicinity, and in section 34, 58-17. arc known
to contain more or less ore, but are not being very rapidly developed
at present. This mine is also under the direction of Captain Wallace,
assistant general manager of the Minnesota Iron Company."
The Vega, referred to by Mr. Winchell. was "operated for a time
as the Clocjuet by Josej:)!! Selhvood" stated another writer, adding
that Sellwood "finally turned it over to the Minnesota Iron Com-
pany." It later became part of the Adams-Spruce mine. It included
part of the old townsite of Eveleth. Regarding the .Adams Mine,
514 DULUTH AXD ST. LOUIS COUNTY
the same writer (1906) stated that "Credit for discovery of the first
ore in the Eveleth field '■' * -^ is due to D. T. Adams and Neil
Mclnnis, who commenced explorations on * * * the Adams mine
on October 1, 1892. A lease on all the land in sections 30 and 31 was
taken by D. T. Adams, Neil ]McInnis, P. L. Kimberly and John
T. Jones, from Messrs. Robinson and Flynn, the Detroit lumbermen.
Ore was found in the first test-pit put down under the direction of
Mr. Mclnnis. The writer visited the camp in his company soon after
. the explorations were started."
Neil IMcInnis, in 1906, put into writing his "Recollections of
early mining explorations." After referring to the excitement that
followed the discovery of blue ore on the Biwabik in 1891, stated :
"The winter coming on shortly after this discovery, not very
much was done until the early spring of 1892, when numerous com-
panies were organized, and prospecting commenced in great earnest.
March of that year brought the writer from Tower, and associating
with A. E. Humphreys (one of the chief promoters of that day), had
immediate charge of twelve camps, beginning at the Hale and
Kanawha mines, section 1, town 58, range 16, to town 58, range 19,
the principal camp, known as headquarters, being in section 9, town
58, range 17, near the present city of Virginia. The results of these
explorations amounted to the following: the Kanawha, Cincinnati,
Lincoln, Commodore, Franklin, Lone Jack, Moose, and Auburn mines.
"Mention should be made of David T. Adams, of Duluth, as the
party selected by Mr. Humphreys to go out into the wilderness dur-
ing the severe winter of '91 and '92, and select the land above-stated
for exploration, and who, after severing his connection with
Mr. Humphreys and associating himself with John T. Jones, of Iron
Mountain. Mich., and the late P. L. Kimberly, of Sharon, Pa., secured
option and afterwards leases on land now occupied by the great mines
—the Adams, Spruce and a portion of the Fayal.
"This brought the writer down from the Humphreys camp, and
on the first of October, 1892, began the exploration of lands in section
31, town 58, range 17, and showing up what is now known as the
Adams mine. A camp was established. One or two of the log build-
ings can yet be seen. A force of 45 men was used during the winter
of 1892-93. Buckets and windlass, picks and shovels were the only
tools used to show up the big deposit and in the early summer of
1893 the lease of the Adams mine was turned over to the Consolidated
Mining Company, on the recommendation of their chief and capable
mining expert at that time, Mr. W. J. Olcott.
"With the summer of 1893 came the depression in the iron busi-
ness, and consequently in the prospecting, nothing doing; men we
had paid $40, or more, a month, and their board, now could not get
a day's work anywhere.
A small start was made to establish the town of Eveleth. Hank
Hookwith came in to open a saloon. Archie McComb had a hotel
building (afterwards destroyed by fire), and Jerry Sullivan had a
boarding house on the site of the future town * * * in September,
Mr. Adams, already referred to, and myself, in looking over the pros-
pects around the neighborhood, thought of doing a little work on lands
now covered by the great Fayal mine. I made known to the population
of Eveleth at that time, which consisted of the three named above, that
I was going to start a crew test-pitting, and the result was ]\lcComb,
Tookwith and Sullivan worked six months, sinking pits, at $1.25 a day,
during the fall and winter of 1893, resulting in showing to the world
the beginning of that great mine on section 5, town 57-17."
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 515
A study of the foregoing gives one an idea of the principal mining
operations that were destined to find communal expression in the
estabhshment of Eveleth. And one should not leave the subject of
pioneer mining in the Eveleth Group without making reference to
one worthy pioneer of mining as well as of Eveleth. Marvin Van
Buskirk, first president of the village of Eveleth, was one of the early
lieutenants of David T. Adams. He directed the operations that dis-
covered ore on several valuable properties, although he apparently did
not profit much by his work. David T. Adams, in a letter to his friend,
J. C. Poole, another pioneer of Eveleth, stated, on February 7, 1920:
"The greater part of the explorations are what is now known as
the Adams mine was done by Thomas Short, under my supervision,
until I replaced him by the late Marvin Van Buskirk. The late Xeil
Mclnnis was paymaster for the company, timekeeper and purchasing
agent for the camp."
The subsequent history of these pioneer mines of the Eveleth
group is as follows:
, Adams Mine. — The property, combined with others, was for many
years under the direction of Capt. John H. Hearding, as superintend-
ent, the mining being mostly underground. The mines are now
known as the Adams-Spruce. Captain J. H. Hearding became assist-
ant general manager of the Oliver Iron Mining Company in 1909, and
thereafter had to devote the whole of his time to executive aftairs in
the head offices of the company at Duluth. The present general super-
intendent at Eveleth is Charles Grabowsky. Work has been almost
constant since the beginning at the Adams-Spruce, which has been
one of the principal mainstays of Eveleth. Up to the end of 1919, the
Adams mine had shipped 22,310.351 tons, in some years shipping a
million and a half tons. Included in that total are the outputs of the
Cloquet, or Vega, mine, the Hull 40, and the Nelson, all adjoining
properties and grouped as one. The Spruce gave 11,182,140 tons to
end of 1919.
Fayal Mine. — That also is a combination of several, and, as in
late years constituted, is classed among the great mines of the Mesabi
range. Adams and Mclnnis were interested in the "forty," nw.-nw.
of section 5, 57-17, which "forty" they leased from E. F. Fowler, of
Detroit, Mich., forming the Mclnnis Mining Company to operate it.
Their lease they sold to the Minnesota Iron Company. Louis
Rouchleau purchased 80 acres adjoining the Mclnnis for $50,000,
eventually transferring to the Minnesota Iron Company for $125,000.
The remainder of the Fayal property was leased from Murphy, Dorr
and Flynn by the Minnesota Iron Company direct. Eventually, of
course, the Fayal mines passed to the Oliver Iron Mining Company,
which has since controlled them. Captain Richard R. Trezona was
superintendent for many years. Of late years W'm. F. Pellcnz. Jr.,
has been superintendent of the Fayal mines, of sections 5 and 6, 57-17.
The mines are designated the Fayal Fee, Fayal Xo. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and
No. 4; and to the end of 1919 they had yielded an aggregate of
29,908,246 tons, more than a million tons a year since the beginning.
At first, the mining was by shaft, Init later three dififerent systems
were being operated concurrently. There were two large open pits,
milling being carried on in one and loading direct into cars with
steam shovels in the other, while underground mining was continued.
The Leonidas mine, whicli may be considered to be within the
Eveleth group, is referred to in the Nichols township chapter. And
several of the mines reviewed in the Gilbert chapter may be con-
516
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
sidered as within the sphere of Eveleth. Nevertheless, if Eveleth be
credited with only the Fayal and Adams mines, the available ore de-
posits on these two are sufficient to ensure Eveleth a definite degree
of prosperity, probably irrowth, up to the time when it will have other
interests and assets to supplement or take the place of its present
dependence upon mining activities. The Adams-Spruce mines have
proved deposits of iron ore aggregating to more than fifty-two million
tons, and the five Fayal mines have a reserve of about seventeen
million tons, enough to keep Eveleth in its present degree of pros-
perity for at least a generation. And a generation should see the
development in agriculture of all the outlying land, a development
which will ensure stable and permanent prosperity to Eveleth, assum-
ing it does not in the meantime become a manufacturing city, or that
other large ore deposits are not "shown up," which is always possible.
Eveleth, therefore, is reasonably sure of prosperous continuance as
a city.
AN EVELETH MINE
Platting of Original Townsite. — Again, it is proper to refer to, and
quote, the narrative of David T. Adams, who was the founder, or was
the most active among the founders, of the village of Eveleth. He
writes, under date of December 7, 1920: "I promoted the townsite
of Eveleth in the year 1893. The original plat consisted of the w.
half of the se. quarter of section 31, township 58-17. It was surveyed
by C. E. Bailey, and the plat was filed for record April 22nd of that
year. My associates in the original townsite (project) were Peter
L. Kimberly, John T. Jones and Fred Robinson, the latter of Detroit,
Michigan. Shortly after the plat was filed for record, I bought out
Mr. Kimberly and Mr. Jones. Mr. Robinson held a tenth interest, and
remained in the townsite throughout.
"In finding a suitable name for the town * * * j had my
troubles. I wanted to name it Robinson, that being the name of one
of the fee owners of the Adams mine. Elisha A. Flynn, law-partner
of Mr. Robinson, however, objected. I never knew why, but I always
surmised that he thought that the town would never amount to
anything, and did not want his name attached to it. I then asked
the name of the cruiser who estimated the timber on the land when
they bought it, and they told me his name was Eveleth. I thought
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 517
over the name of Eveleth for some time, comparing it with other
names, such as Iron Point, Iron City, etc., and the more I thought
the name Eveleth over, the better I liked it ; and as it seemed to be
an easy name for the Scandinavian element to pronounce, I decided
on that name. I then wrote to Mr. Eveleth for permission to use
his name. He consented; hence the name 'Eveleth' was adopted."
Neil Mclnnis, who evidently was consulted regarding the nam-
ing of the city-to-be, wrote, in 1906, upon that point : "Many a name
proposed * * * had to be abandoned, because it was already in
existence in some other portion of the state. However, we finally
settled this matter by naming the town after a woodsman from Michi-
gan, sent up here about twenty years ago in the interests of Robinson,
Flinn and Fowler, to pick up pine lands. This man's name was
Eveleth."
Primitive Living. — For a year or more after the platting of the
townsite, life in Eveleth had a spartan aspect and rigor. "On the
slope" Dr. More had "a little red shack," which, because he happened
to be a physician, and a good one, and in emergency could handle
a surgical case in it, was called a hospital ; the company ofifice was a
small log cabin; the men of the camp lived as best they could, some
in "boarding houses," and some under canvas, and worked "for grub
stakes," some, if not all of them, during the peri'od of extreme financial
stringency of 1893, and considered themselves fortunate in having
work at all. It is said that at least two of the pioneers lived "for a
time" on moose meat. The mail came in from Virginia by dog-team
during the winter of 1892-93, and possibly 1893-94; and even well into
1894 there were only four or five buildings on the townsite, according
to one account, so that newcomers had to "make-shift" under canvas,
until a frame building could be put together. Another account states
that "about a dozen buildings were erected in 1894 upon the first site."
Petition to Incorporate. — Seeing that the county commissioners
approved the holding of an election, in August, 1893, to decide whether
Eveleth should be made an incorporated place, or should not, it is
rather surprising that the first election of officials did not take place
until October 18, 1894.
A petition, presented to the county commissioners on June 9,
1893, by Neil Mclnnis. Joseph Elliott and Thomas Short, sought per-
mission to proceed with the legal measures whereby the residents
"upon the western half of the southeast cjuarter of section 31. of
township 58-17 (which lands had been platted, and the plat duly
filed, on April 22, 1893, with the Register of Deeds), might, if the
majority favored it, institute corporate government of the com-
munity under the provisions of chapter 145, Laws of 1885." The
signers of the petition were : Neil Mclnnis, Joseph Elliott, Thomas
Short, Archie McArthur, John Nelson, Rt. Fogarty, Thomas Simpson,
Henry Hookwith, Archer McCombs, John White, Fred Whitney,
Aaron Johnson, John Gray, L. Jacobson, Fred Nelson, John Johnson,
Ole Johnson, John Goodwin, Edward Grayson, John Elfstrom. Peter
Elfstrom, John Hill, Martin Webber, John Morrow, Peter Enright,
John Mullens, Axel Johnson, Martin Erickson, John Graham, and
Fred Reynolds. The three first-named testified to the accuracy of
the statements made in petition, one important statement being that
at the time of the circulation of the paper for signatures (June, 1893),
a census then taken of the residents within the territory for which
incorporation was sought disclosed the fact that there were then
living on it two hundred pers6ns.
518
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Commissioners Approve Petition. — On June 13, 1893, the petition
was considered at the session of the Board of County Commissioners,
and resolution was passed, approving of the proposed incorporation,
as the Village of Eveleth. Consequently, a date was set upon which
legal voters should assemble and cast a vote for, or against, the
sought incorporation. The commissioners ordered "election to be
held on July 25, 1893, at the building of Thomas Short, lot 23, block
8, Eveleth." And they appointed "Neil Mclnnis, Tom Short and
Joe Eliot" to act as inspectors of election at that gathering. Copies
of "Notice of Election" were posted "at AlcComb and ^\'ilson's board-
ing house, at H. Hookwith's store, at Thomas Short's building, at
Jerry Sullivan's boarding house, and at Edward Simpson's place of
business," by Neil Mclnnis.
The voting, apparently, took place, and, presumably, was in favor
of the proposed incorporation, for the county commissioners, on Au-
gust 11, 1893, "gave notice to the legal voters to meet and organize
and elect officers for the ensuing year," on August 26, 1893. No
record of election is on file in the county offices, as is required by
law, and, presumably, the election was not held.
SPRUCE NO. 4 MINE, EVELETH
It is possible that the population so dwindled during the depres-
sion of 1893 that the few remaining decided not to proceed with the
election. Indeed, Neil Mclnnis, in his narrative, before-quoted, stated
that he drew to the Fayal exploratory work in September. 1893, the
whole of the man-power of Eveleth, namely. Hank Hookwith, Archie
McComb, and Jerry Sullivan ; and these men were too busy digging
for their bread, "at $1.25 a day," during that fall and winter, to have
much inclination to pursue matters of town-planning and corporate
government."
Marvin Van Buskirk either had not yet come into the neigh-
borhood, or was subordinate to Thomas Short at the Adams camp.
Soon, however, he was in charge of the mining operations, and during
the next year seems to have become very popular, and much respected,
among his co-workers. So much is evident in the result of the first
election.
First Officials. — On October 5, 1894, the countv commissioners
again "gave notice" to the legal voters of Eveleth "to meet and
organize and elect officers for the ensuing year," on October 18th,
1894, "at the corner store of the Adams Block." Accordingly "a
meeting of voters- of Eveleth" was held on October 18, 1894, states
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 519
the first entry in the minute book of the trustees of the Village of
Eveleth, "at 9:00, a. m., for the purpose of nominating a board of
judges of election." Marvin Van Buskirk was "appointed chairman
of committee on nominations" and Frank Kempffer, secretary. John
Salvo and Frank Kempffer were appointed judges, with Joseph Leach
and Annie Burnett acting as clerks. The voting then proceeded, and
the result was in due course announced by the judges, who found
Marvin Van Buskirk legally elected to the oi^ce of president. Ninety-one
votes were cast in his favor, his candidacy having been unopposed.
The trustees were Henry Hookwith, John Grey and \\\ H. Shea,
having received 60, 91, and 57 votes respectively, the unsuccessful
candidates being Alfred Riff and John Anderson, with 31 and 34
votes respectively. A. S. Erickson was elected recorder, having re-
ceived 57 votes; S. S. Childers became treasurer, receiving 91 votes;
John F. Towell and Chas. Wyman were elected justices of the peace,
and Jerry Sullivan, constable, having received 90 votes.
First Council Meeting. — The first meeting of trustees was held
"in the back room of Stetton's store," on October 25, 1894. Present
at the meeting were: M. Van Buskirk, president; John Grey, Hy.
Hookwith, and \V. H. Shea, trustees; A. S. Erickson, recorder.
Marvin Van Buskirk was "appointed a committee of one, to se-
cure room and furnishing, to be used as a council chamber," which
appointment supports the statement that the first meeting of the
village council was held "in the townsite company's frame building."
Possibly, the "back room of Stetton's store" was the "room and fur-
nishing" secured by President Van Buskirk, after that first meeting
in the townsite company's building. It is known that council meet-
ings in the first year "used to be held" in Stetton's store."
First Village Hall. — After a year or so of the use of a rented
room as council chamber, the village officials moved into a building
of their own. The first village hall was a two-story frame structure,
erected at a cost of $656.69, in 1895. It was built upon lot Xo. 36,
in block 12, of the "old town," the village paying the townsite com-
pany $200 for the lot. Eventually, the hall w^as moved to the new
town, and now stands on Grant Avenue, "next to Max Stipetich's
saloon." Latterly, it has served as a cinema.
First Marshal. — Jerry Sullivan was appointed marshal on Novem-
ber 1, 1894, at $30.00 a m'onth, having secured the office by competitive
sealed bid. The marshal's hours of duty were from 9:00 p. m. to 7:00
a. m. In 1896, the salary of the marshal was $75.00 a month.
First Fire Company. — A volunteer fire company was formed in
June, 1895. It consisted of fifteen members, the compensation to
firemen being fixed at one dollar for each call, with an additional
fifty cents for each hour after the first. One of the first measures insti-
tuted for the purpose of fire protection was the employment, in Jan-
uary, 1895, of "a force of men to cut, ])ilc ami l)urn, for a distance of
250 feet back from the borders of the village."
First Board of Health. — A board of health was organized on
February 4, 1895. Members of the board were Dr. II. L. Darms, John
Grey, and B. J. McCormick. Dr. Darms was also one of the village
trustees in its first vear, taking the ])lace of A\'. H. Sliea. who "moved
away" early in 1895.
First Hotel. — The first hotel was i)rol)ably that l)uilt in 1893 by
Archie McComb. I'.ut it was "not o\ much account." In May, 1895,
owners of lots on Jones Street petitioned the trustees of the village
"to condemn, as a street, the east 120 feet of Jones Street, between
520
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
blocks 10 and 11, and allow some to revert to the townsite owners,"
the Duluth Mining and Investment Company, provided they deed
the land to David T. Adams "for immediate construction of a good
first-class hotel building" thereon. Although that project did not
carry, it is stated that David T. Adams built the first hotel in Eveleth.
It was called the Mclnnis Hotel and was situated on the southeast
corner of Grant Avenue and Jackson Street. Charles Jesmore was the
first manager. The building still stands.
First SchooL— The first school was "in the valley by the creek."
It was opened in 1895, and the first teacher was Florence Kent, who
came from Virginia. The schoolhouse was "a one-story frame shack,"
and its furniture consisted of "two benches and a plank table," with
a small table for the teacher. Some of the pupils enrolled at that
school in 1895 were : Charlie Higgins, Rosie Walker, Fred Chilters,
and several of the children of the Gross, Springer, and Van Buskirk
families. There were five or six of the Gross children, three girls and
two or three boys ; they drove to school each morning from their
homestead, about two or three miles away. There were two Spring-
THE PRESENT MORE HOSriTAL, EVELETH. (THE FIRST MORE
HOSPITAL WAS "ON THE SLOPe" WITH THE PIONEERS ) AND
IT WAS "a LITTLE RED SHACK")
ers, Bert and Otis ; and of the Van Buskirk family, Tony, Mae, and
Anna attended the first school. By the way, Tony Van Buskirk, now
city clerk, was the first boy to come to Eveleth, it has been stated.
He came with his mother and sisters, from Crystal Falls, Michigan,
in 1893, or 1894, to join their father, who had come earlier. They
came by rail as far as Virginia, or rather as far as the Auburn mine,
walking from there into Eveleth. The family had to live in a tent
for a couple of weeks while a house was being built for them.
First Church. — The first church built in Eveleth was in 1896,
for the Methodist Episcopal society, which was organized on Sep-
tember 17. 1895. Services were held in the schoolhouse until March,
1896, when "a neat frame building was dedicated." The Rev. Olin
J. Gary, a local preacher, was the first pastor. He and Russell
and Howard Buokthought were the first trustees, and the church was
built under his supervision. "On February 12, 1896, lots were secured,
as donation, from E. M. Fowler, of Chicago, and a subscription paper
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 521
was then started for the purpose of raising- funds for erection of a
church building." The next pastor was L. F. Merritt (1896-97). He
was succeeded by C. H. Stevenson, and in 1898, Rev. M. O. Stocl^land
was in charge. A new church was built during his pastorate, which
ended in October, 1901, when Rev. R. J. Taylor came.
First Postmaster. — The first postmaster was P. E. Dowling. He
also had the first drug store in Eveleth.
Pay of Pioneer Village Officials. — In 1896, the president received
$10 a month ; the recorder, $25 a month ; the street commissioner, $2.50
a day, "for actual services" ; the marshal, $75, and his deputy, $60 a
month; the waterworks engineer, $75; the janitor at Village Hall,
$30 a month, it being also his duty to light street lamps, without'
extra pay. Unskilled labor was secured at $1.75 a day, and a team at
$4 a day'
First Teamster. — John Morrow was the first teamster in Eveleth.
David T. Adams, in February, 1920, wrote : "John Morrow, who I
believe is now living in the old Adams camp, was teamster for the
company during" the explorations, and is the only one of the old em-
ployees left on the Mesabi range." He lives with his wife in the log
cabin which was originally the office of the Adams Mining Company,
which cabin it was recently stated had "been purchased by the city,
and will be given a permanent place in one of the city parks as a
monument to the early mining industry."
First Storekeeper. — The first storekeeper was Stetton, it has been
stated, so possibly the "store" of Hy. Hookwith, upon which "Notice
of Election" was declared to have been posted in June, 1893, was not
a store at all, but a hotel.
First Sawmill. — The erection of a sawmill was a necessity as soon
as it became evident that a community would develop near the Adams
explorations. One was built by David T. Adams near what is now
No. 5 shaft of the Spruce mine. It was burned down in 1896 or 1897.
First Bond Issue.- — On May 9, 1895, the voters approved the issu-
ance of bonds to the amount of $3,000, "for the construction of a sys-
tem of waterworks." Bond No. 1, of one thousand dollars denomina-
tion, and bearing date June 1, 1895, "payable one year later," was
bought by David T. Adams. The interest was 8 per cent, and Mr.
Adams became "security" for the whole issue. In July, 1895, he took
up the whole issue, "at face value."
Water System. — Thus, the village was enabled to build its first
water plant. It served until 1905, when a new system was installed,
at an expense of $60,000, providing "an excellent supply of water
from St. Mary's lake, two and a half rriiles distant." In 1914, "an en-
tirely new system of waterworks" was completed, at a cost of $65,-
000. The water plant in 1920 comprised two motor-driven centrifugal
])umps, with a capacity of 1.600,000 gallons daily, and two steam
pumps of one million daily capacity. Two mains, one 16-inch and
the other 10-inch, "carry the water from St. Mary's lake to the ele-
vated tank of 300,000 gallons capacity, located at the highest point in
the city." The water is "soft and pure." About fifteen miles of
water mains are in use. In July. 1920, 26,000,000 gallons were pumped
at a cost of 6 cents a thousand gallons. The superintendent is
F. E. Forristel.
Lighting.— On May 28, 1896, Frank McCormick. of Duluth. was
given a franchise, "for ten years," to supply Eveleth with electric
light, the village "contracting for seven arc street lights at ten dollars
each per month," and stipulating that private users be supplied at
522 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
"not to exceed one cent per hour per light of 16 c. p." McCormick
did not complete the installation within the time limit set, but, re-
ceiving an extension of time, he ultimately established a satisfactory-
lighting system. His plant and franchise eventually passed, by sale,
to C. H. Webster, who later met his death at the plant, being instantly
killed when struck by fragments of a flywheel that broke. His widow
sold the plant to Alexander Hughes of Duluth, who, on August 9,
1901, was confirmed in the ownership of the franchise, and also some
time later was granted a franchise to establish a heating system. In
1914, there were, on Eveleth main thoroughfares, fifty-one standards
of five lights each, making a "white way" for seven blocks ; and in
addition, eighty-four arc lights. A public heating system had just
been installed, extending "to most parts of the city." At about that
time the "Home Electric and Heating Company, of Eveleth," offered
to sell its plant to the city, for $134,655.05. The proposed bond issue,
however, did not carry, and the lighting, heating, and power utilities
at Eveleth are still in private ownership. The Minnesota Utilities
Company, of Eveleth, was organized in 1917, with an authorized cap-
ital of $650,000. The first president was Neal Brown, of Wausau,
Wis. He was succeeded by Cyrus C. Yawkey. Mr. R. M. Heskett
is the only officer living at Eveleth ; he has been secretary and treas-
urer since the organization. In addition to the Eveleth service, the
company supplies power to Chisholm, and at various places from
Eveleth to Deer River, and the company maintains local electrical
distributing systems in Kinney, Chisholm, Carson Lake, Kelly Lake,
Stevenson, Nashwauk, Calumet, Marble, Taconite, Bovey, Coleraine,
Grand Rapids, Cohasset and Deer River. It is only at Eveleth, how-
ever, that the company furnishes steam for heating purposes. That
utility is a comprehensive one, "most business places and a considera-
ble number of residences" in Eveleth being connected with the steam
mains.
Moving of Village.— It was evident, even in 1895, that the vil-
lage would soon, or eventually, have to be moved from the original
townsite, because needed iron ore lay underneath. But it was not a
matter that could be disposed of in a short period of time. Indeed,
it seems that the removal was not completely effected until the early
years of the present century. David T. Adams writes :
"In 1895, I re-explored the townsite of Eveleth (which was orig-
inally No. 2 of the Adams selections), for the mineral owners, on
a percentage basis. I developed a large body of ore on the townsite,
and thereafter gave it the name of Spruce mine. It then became
necessary, in order to mine out the ore, to vacate the townsite. To
do so, I withdrew the lots from sale, and in company wath the min-
eral owners, proceeded to lay out the First Addition to Eveleth, on
the east half of the se. quarter of section 31, in the same township.
The plat of the First Addition was filed for record on the 31st day
of August, 1896. The Village of Eveleth then annexed its first addi-
tion, and the moving of the Village of Eveleth, with its twelve or
fifteen hundred inhabitants, on an average of one-fourth of a mile, up
the hill, to the east, ensued, at a cost of about $125,000, for moving
and repairing the buildings alone, and exclusive of the bonuses paid
to each improved-property owner, in the way of an additional lot, or
in cash, according to their discretion."
Municipal action regarding the First Addition to Eveleth did
not come until 1899. A "petition to annex land platted and designated
'The First Addition to Eveleth' was filed with the countv auditor on
DULUTil AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
523
April 4, 1899, and on June 26th, of that year. Village Ordinance No.
22 was passed. Said ordinance ordained that ''the east half of the
southeast quarter of section thirty-one, township fifty eight north, of
range seventeen west.
designated as the 'First Addition to
Eveleth' (be) declared to be an addition to the said X'illage of Eveleth,
and a part of said village, as effectually as if said territorv hereby added
had been originally a part of said \ illage of Eveleth."
At that time, apparently, tlie removal had not been accomplished,
or had not been completed. A 1910 history of the City of Eveleth
states that "manv of the buildings were moved thither (to the First
Addition) in 1900."
Bearing on the good fortune of the early merchants of Eveleth,
Mr. D. T. Adams writes:
'"The opening of the Spruce mine, by Peter L. Kimberly. who
had taken another lease on it after the ore body had been thoroughly
developed, and the additional men employed in the vicinity by the
■I mill jD,
,.„ „., M... . mp^ 1
>-:^
EVEI.KTll AUIJITOKIU.M AND ARMORY
Opening ot the mine>. slinnilatcd the business and growlh of b^veleth.
The property started to rise in value, and it was not long before a
business lot on Crant .\venue. 25x110- feet, would bring from $12,000
to $15,000. or more, ])er lot. according to the location. J-Jut the town-
site people had disposed of all their lots, on the business streets.
in the way of bonuses, and the inhabitants onl\ i)rofited. The result
was that in a few years there were more well-to-do business men
along the l)usiness street of iM-eleth than there were on a like street
of X'irginia or llibbing, the other two i)rincipal cities of the Mesabi
range.
That wa> a gratifying outcome, for in tlu' early days of tin-
village, its slow advancement nnist have caused its pioneers many
regretful moment.^. David T. Adams, writing, on b'ebruar\- 7, 1*)20.
stated :
''!*** had some disapj^ointments with my early townsite
cntcrprisi's. The influence of so many nonbelievers in the existence
of ore in the southern part of township 5S-17. had its efl'ect. and was
plainly revealed when I ])lalte(l your now beautiful Cil\ of Eveleth.
Platting the townsite of X'irginia a few \-ears earlier, and holding it
524 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
up as the coming metropolis of the Range, made it. indeed, hard for
me to induce people to purchase lots and settle in the Town of Eve-
leth; and it was a long time * * * before Eveleth started to grow
as it should have grown, and not until the old town was vacated and
moved to its present location, to gWe room for the mining of the
Spruce mine, did Eveleth come into its own. But now it is a beau-
tiful and proud city, with enough of the best ore on the Range sur-
rounding it on two sides to continue it as the most steady, pros-
perous, and longest lived city on the Range, by a margin of many
years."
Village Presidents. — The succession of presidents of the \ illage
of Eveleth, from 1894 to 1902, in which year Eveleth became a city,
was as follows: 1894-95, Marvin Van Buskirk : 1895-96, H. L. Darm.s ;
1896-97, W. \\ Caldwell: 1897-98. Marvin \'an Buskirk: 1898-99,
Chas. Tesmore: 1899-1900, P. E. Dowling: 1900-02. Chas. Jesmore.
Eveleth Becomes a City. — A petiti(»n was circulated in the vil-
lage in January. 1902. by certain residents, who desired to advance
the status of the place, which had reached a state of development that
entitled it to a place among the cities of the state. The petition was
delivered to the county commissioners on January loth, and sworn
to by Patrick McClory. Eric Gastrin, John A. Healy and Mather
Prettner. Hearing of arguments for and against the chartering of
the village was set for February 7. 1902, by the county commissioners.
On March 4, 1902, they issued a certihcate, ordering election to be
held on April 1st. The voting showed that a majority of the resi-
dents wished the change of status, brought into effect. 98 voting in
favor, and 55 against.
So, Eveleth became a city, Charles Jesmore becoming first mayor.
There was no further change in status until 1913, when, as the result
of an election, held on October 7. 19L3. a new city charter was adopted,
and the city government changed to what is known as the commission
form. The mayor and four commissioners assvniied direction of, and
responsibility for. city aft'airs. The council, in 1920. consisted of :
Victor E. Essling. mayor, with direct responsibility for the depart-
ments of Public Health. Sanitation, Police, and General Welfare :
Robert Meyers, commissioner in charge of the department of Ac-
counts and Finances : \\'illiam Morrey. commissioner in charge of
department of Parks, Public Grounds. Buildings, and hire Protection;
D. A. Murray, commissioner in charge of department of Waterworks
and Sewers; Andrew Anderson, commissioner in charge of Streets and
Alleys. Anthonv \'an Buskirk is city clerk.
Mayoral Succession. — Chas. jesmore. 1902-03; ]vlike Maxwell.
1904-05; Chas. Jesmore. 1906-07; M. B. Maxwell. 1908; W. 1. Smith.
1908 (M. B. Maxwell having died). 1909. 1910; |. S. Saari, "1911-13 ;
T. I. Gleason. for portion of^l914; 1. S. Saari, 1914-17; E. H. Hatch,
19i8-19: V. E. Essling. 1920.
City Hall. — The present city hall has been in use for many years.
It was built in 1906. at a cost of $20,000. The architect was W. T.
Bray, of Duluth, and the contractor, Edward Jackson. The corner-
stone was laid June 16. 1906, and the hall was at first fitted so as to
serve the purpose of police and fire departments on ground floor, and
the second floor was alloted to the several other city purposes. When
the Fire Hall was built, the quarters in City Hall, vacated by that
department, were at once taken over by other departments.
Auditorium. — The Auditorium, wnich also is the armory, is a
comnnmitv building of distinct usefulness. It was erected in 1912.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
525
at a cost of $35,000. The main hall is 68x72 feet, and is provided with
opera chairs for 780 persons. The stage is 50 feet wide. There are
club rooms, shower baths, kitchen and dining room. The building is
open at all times to the free use of all local associations that may
have need of its hall for free gatherings. In the basement is a rifle
range. The auditorium is in keeping with the community-hall spirit
that was engendered by the leveling of class distinctions during the
war, but it gives Eveleth this distinction — that it was projected be-
fore the time when the shock of war demonstrated that currency is
but a symbol ; that the world goes forward only by the good will,
confidence and fellow-feeling of its peoples.
Recreation Building. — The Recreation Building is another indica-
tion of the community spirit that manifests itself in Eveleth. It
was built in 1918, at a cost of $125,000. There are two main floors,
the first being devoted to the winter sport of curling, and the second
to indoor skating in the winter, and to various athletic games at other
times. The institution is a municipal enterprise, and the membershp
CITY HALL, EVELETH
of the Eveleth Curling Club embraces all classes in the city. The
city did its work thoroughly, engaging, as director, Robert Dunbar,
curling champion of the Northwest.
Masonic Temple. — In October, 1920, the Eveleth Masonic bodies
dedicated a new Masonic Temple, having elaborately remodeled a
somewhat historic building for that purpose. The Masonic Temple,
which stands at the north end of Adams Avenue, was until 1910 out-
side the city limits. The building was originally built by the town-
ship administration. W. T. Bray was the architect, and Harry Pear-
son, of Duluth, the contractor. Construction began on August 20,
1906, and the building was ready for occupancy on December 20th
of that year. The cost was $10,000, and, until it came within the city
limits, the building served as the Missabe Mountain Township Hall.
Other quarters were eventually found for the township administration,
and the building passed to the local Masonic fraternity at a satisfac-
tory price. The furnishing of the old township hall, as a Masonic
Temple, has been thoroughly, but tastefully, carried out, the hand-
some furnishings and cxc|uisite interior decorations giving Eveleth
a Masonic Temple of very high grade. One of the most active and
enthusiastic Masons responsible for the housing of the local body
Vol. II — 2
526
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
of that order in this magnificent center, was J. C. Poole, chairman
of the building committee. Others associated closely with him in
that work were W. R. Van Slyke and A. E. Bawdcn.
Transportation. — The city is served by two steam railways, the
Duluth and Iron Range, and the D. M. and N. In early days, the
D. and I. R. station was ''on top of the hill, about three-quarters of a
mile from the village, the D. M. and N. station being nearer the vil-
lage." By the way, Mike ]\Iaxwell operated the first dray line in
the village, and it was well patronized.
On January 4, 1910, the city passed an ordinance granting to
A\'. H. and E. M. Prindle, "the right to maintain and operate motor
railwav lines ^' * * in and over streets and avenues of the City
of Eveleth" for a period of twenty-five years. In due course there-
after, the street railway that connects Eveleth with Gilbert, on the
east, and Hibbing, on the west, came into operation.
GRANT AVENUE, EVELETH. (BUSINESS LOTS ON THIS AVENUE
WERE ORIGINALLY GIVEN AWAY, AS BONUSES, LATER TO BE
WORTH FROM $12,000 TO $15,000 A LOt)
Banking. — Eveleth has three banks, the First National, the Min-
ers National, and the Peoples State. The combined deposits, more*
than two and a half millions, indicates the wealth of the city.
The First National Bank of Eveleth was organized in 1900, with
the following named board of directors : D. H. Bacon, G. W. Wallace,
W. J. Smith, W. E. Harwood, and G. A. Whitman. The original
capital was $25,000, and the first officers were : George A. Whitman,
president; and Walter J. Smith, cashier. In 1901, the private bank-
ing firm of O. D. Kinney and Company was absorbed, E. B. Haw-
kins joining the directorate of the First National. A cash dividend of
100 per cent was declared in 1910, and, by unanimous consent of the
stockholders, was used to increase the capital to $50,000. In 1920,
the bank had a surplus of $25,000, undivided profits of $15,000, and
deposits of about $1,000,000. Present directors are: Geo. A. Whit-
man, R. J. Mitchell, Peter Peterson, Thomas H. Davev, R. N. Corn-
wall, W. P. Chinn, and Dr. C. W. More.
The Miners National Bank of Eveleth was incorporated in 1903.
Its original capital was $25,000, and the following-named people of
Eveleth and vicinity were its principal organizers and first officers :
Walter I. Smith, president; las. A. Robb, vice-president; R. H.
Pearce, cashier; C. W. More, 'F. W. Bullen, N. B. Maxwell, R. R.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
527
Bailey, J. C. McGilvery; Jas. A. Robb, and W. J. Smith, directors.
Its capital is still $25,000, but its development is indicated by its sur-
plus, which now is $36,000, there being also undivided profits amount-
ing to $3,620.66. The present directors and executives are : Chas.
B. Hoel, president; Jas. A. Robb and J. C. McGilvery, vice-presi-
dents; L. E. Johnson, cashier; J. C. Poole, Jas. A. Robb, J. C. AIcGil-
very, Albert Roher, R. M. Heskett, L. E. Johnson, and C. B. Hocl,
directors. The Miners National Bank of Eveleth stands in good
place among national banks of Minnesota, and gets its due proportion
of banking patronage in its sphere.
The Peoples State Bank of Eveleth was organized on July 2, 1918;
with capital of $25,000. The first officers were : J. S. Saari, presi-
dent; C. R. McCann, vice-president; Joseph A. Quinn. These three,
with Sam Seigel, Peter Peterson, J. J. Brince, and E. M. Moline,
RECREATION BUILDING, EVELETH. THE HOME OF CURLING AND INDOOR
ICE SPORTS
formed the original directorate. The only changes since 1918 are:
H. J. Coleman, cashier, in place of J. A. Quinn, taking that gentle-
man's place on the directorate also; and Edward Smith, director, in
place of Peter Peterson. The capital is still the same, but there is
now a surplus of $12,000. The directors of the Peoples State Bank
of Eveleth have good reason to be pleased with the development of
the bank during the few years it has been in existence.
Public Library. — The Eveleth Public Library, one of the city's
most elevating influences, is also one of the citv's most artistic build-
ings. It was built in 1913-14, at a cost of $30,000, half of which
amount was contributed by Andrew Carnegie, of worthy memory.
The library has already outgrown its (juartcrs, and plans have been
passed for its enlargement. The cost of maintenance in the first year
was about $8,500, and its circulati(Mi of books was about 45,000.
When opened, on July 1, 1914, the lil)rary h.->d 1.721 books, but in the
first year of service was increased to 4,387 volumes, "acquired by
528
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
purchase and gift," and an inter-library loan gave Eveleth readers
facility of collections from Duluth, Virginia, Hibbing, Chisholm and
Two Harbors libraries. It was estimated that 43,872 people were
"accommodated in the reading room of the library during the first
305 days of its operation," and that 2,463 men had used the smoking
room. "The Sunday attendance has totaled about 6,784 readers,"
stated the same review, adding that "The juvenile department has
maintained a steady growth, the children having borrowed 26,405
volumes."
According to the "Sixth Annual Report, for the Year Ending
June 30th, 1920," the circulation has increased to 67,970 volumes,
W'ith corresponding increase in other phases of the work. The club-
room, for instance, was used for 226 meetings during the year. The
juvenile department had growMi so much that the number of juvenile
books on the shelves in 1920 far exceeded the total number of books
owned by the library when it first opened.
PUBLIC LIBRARY
Credit for the gratifying growth of the library service has been
earned by the library board, which has proved to be an active, alert
and interested body, and by good direction of the library work by Miss
Margaret Hickman, who has been librarian since the institution op-
ened, in 1914. Mr. D. W. Freeman, who, until recently, was vice-
president, has also given much time to the affairs of the library. The
present library board is as follows : Dr. C. W. More, chairman ; Sol-
omon Sax, George McCormick, Mrs. G. E. Peterson, Miss Hilma
Berg, C. B. Hoel, H. J. Coleman, Peter Peterson, and ^^^ H. Harvey.
Cost of maintenance is about $15,000 a year, the city appropriation for
the year 1919-20 being $15,429.11. Books to the value of $1,792.18 were
purchased in 1920.
Church History. — Eveleth Church history began with the efforts
of local members of the Methodist Episcopal society, which was the
first to erect a church building in the village. The establishing of
that church in the "old town" has been referred to earlier in this
chapter.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was the only one built in "the
old town." In about 1899, or 1900. a new church building was
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 529
erected in the "new town," Rev. R. J. Taylor in charge. The present
Methodist Episcopal Church is at Adams Avenue and Monroe Street,
Rev. I. J. Thorne, present pastor.
The Presbyterians early had a society in Eveleth. It is thought
that the Rev. E. N. Raymond, who, for a few years, from 1893, was
minister at the Virginia Church, held services in Eveleth, in 1895, or
1896, using the schoolhouse for that purpose. The First Presbyte-
rian Church at Eveleth (the new town), was "moved over to Eveleth
on logging sleighs, in 1899," from the Auburn location, where it had
been used as a schoolhouse. It "broke away coming down the hill,
but nothing serious happened," the early account further states : "It
was used for two years at Fayal location, as a school, then moved to
Eveleth for a church." The Presbyterian Church "was organized
November 21, 1900, by Rev. S. A. Jamieson." The first elders were
James May and John Urquhart. Early ministers were J. M. Todd
and S. M. Marsh. Pioneer elders, George Turner and J. E. Rankin.
"The church building near Fayal School was dedicated November 2,
1902." The present Presbyterian Church is situated on McKinley
Avenue, near Monroe. Rev. Wm. Jobush, pastor.
The Catholic Church now has three church buildings in Eveleth :
the Church of the Holy Family, corner Adams Avenue and Pierce
street, Rev. Anton Leskovic ; the Church of the Holy Conception,
corner Jones street and Elba avenue, Reverend Elias, pastor ; and
St. Patrick's, corner Jackson street and Roosevelt avenue. Rev. D. P.
Pratt, pastor. The Church of the Holy Family was built in 1900.
"It stood all alone at that time." The Reverend Father Bilban "came
from Virginia to minister," and later became resident priest. Rev-
erend Father Hogan succeeded him, in 1903. The St. Patrick's Church
was built in 1905, "for English-speaking Catholics." Reverend Father
Floyd was one of the first pastors.
The St. John's Episcopal Church Society was "founded by Mrs.
Caroline Barrett, and a few others of Episcopalian faith." The Rev.
W. E. Morgan, of Virginia, was "instrumental in raising funds for
erection, in 1905, of the first building, corner of B avenue and Pierce
street. The Rev. Albert Carswell was pastor, in 1906. The present
church is on the corner of Pierce and McKinley streets. Rev. James
Ward is pastor.
The Swedish Baptist society built a church in 1900, and in 1906
had a membership of thirty-five. Rev. h- E. Peterson was then pas-
tor. The present pastor is Victor E. Anderson, the church being on
Adams avenue, between Hayes and Garfield streets.
Of the Lutheran churches (which now are the Finnish Lutheran,
Adams avenue, near Monroe, Reverend Merijarki. pastor, and the
Swedish Lutheran, corner Adams avenue and Pierce street. Rev. S. E.
Johnson, pastor), the Finnish Church was the first to be established.
That society "built on Grant avenue, near the M. E. Church, in I'XX),
soon after the town was removed up the hill." There was a Swedish
Mission in 1906, in charge of C. O. L. Peterson.
The residents of Hebraic faith congregate at the Agudath Achim,
situated at the corner of Jackson street and Adams avenue. M.
Cohen is present Cantor.
Fraternal and Benevolent Societies. — There are many strong local
organizations of fraternal orders, among them Masonic, Elks, Eagles,
Moose, Odd-Fellows, Owls, Workmen, and Lady Maccabees; and
many other benevolent societies of Swedish, Italian, Austrian, and
530
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Finnish character. Available space does not permit present compiler
to even briefly review the histories of these societies.
Public Parks. — Eveleth has three public parks, and the people in
general realize the value of them, and appreciate the facility. The
Central Park has an area of 6 acres, North Side Park has 6.5 acres,
and Lake Park consists of about 200 acres, at St. Mary's and Ely
lakes. Central Park is well fitted for such a use. It was purchased
in 1912, and has been well improved under the direction of J. A.
Spurrier, park superintendent, who has made it "one of the finest"
in this part of the state. North Side Park "was donated by the town-
site owners, when Highland Addition was platted, in 1910." This
also is a very beautiful park, and greatly appreciated by the inhab-
itants. Lake Park has been allowed to remain more in its wild
CENTRAL PARK, EVELETH. (PUBLIC LIBRARY ON LEFT)
state, with the virgin timber preserved, where possible. A zoo is
maintained at Lake Park, and the "holding of band concerts in Cen-
tral Park has been a feature for a number of years."
Lakes and Summer Resorts. — AMthin easy reach of Eveleth are
several beautiful sheets of water. Ely Lake is within two miles of the
city. Long Lake and Horseshoe Lake are about five miles distant,
southward. Six miles south is Half Moon Lake. There is good bass
fishing in these waters.
Real Estate. — Eveleth real estate has never "boomed," but the
city's growth since removal from original townsite has been sturdy.
"Ground values on Grant Avenue, the main business street, range from
$2,500 a lot to $5,000 for inside lots, and up to $10,000 for corner lots."
Residence lots range from $350 to $1,000.
Agriculture. — The development of outlying lands within the Eve-
leth sphere of trading is fostered by the city administration, and
business organizations. "Much good land is available at from $15
to $25 an acre, according to location. Close-in wild land has been
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 531
sold at $40 an acre." The land pays well for development from its
"cut-over" state. Potatoes are an excellent crop on new land, then
,a three-year rotation, oats or other grain, timothy or clover, and po-
tatoes is recommended. Clover is practically a weed in St. Louis
County, and in an average season it has been asserted that the yield
is "in round figures .$100 worth of forage from an acre." Cleared
and ploughed land in the vicinity of Evcleth "is worth not less than
$100 an acre." It is excellent sheep land, and the pioneer farmer,
Wm. F. Haenke, has had surprisingly good results in sheep raising.
To Eveleth belongs the distinction of being the first city in the Range
country to establish a Farmers' Market, and "every year Eveleth
holds a' Farmers' Day, at which the products of the surrounding farms
are displayed and prizes awarded." Much of the future prosperity
of Eveleth lies in the proper development of surrounding agricultural
land.
General City Improvements. — "More than 95 per cent of the
streets of Eveleth are paved. Bitulithic pavement is the most com-
mon, with a few blocks of concreted block pavement. The total yard-
age completed with the six years to end of 1919 was 105,256, all of
which is bitulithic on concrete base, excepting 14,241 yards_ of ere-
osoted blocks on concrete base. The sewage-disposal system includes
a septic tank, built in 1916, at a cost of $20,000. There are ten miles
of sanitary sewers and five miles of storm sewers, and the streets
are kept clean by modern motor-driven flushing equipment. There
is a detention hospital, and several other public facilities that indicate
that Eveleth is a good place in which to live. The system of play-
ground activities directed at the public expense is thorough and effec-
tive. The supervisor of playground activities, A. W. Lewis, is paid
$2,280 a year.
Publicity. — The Eveleth Commercial Club leaves no stone un-
turned that might uncover benefit to Eveleth. George A. Perham,
present secretary, is an enterprising, experienced, and alert public
ofiacial, and the club embraces all phases of Eveleth activities and
interests. The present directors are: C. B. Hoel, president; John E.
Manthey, V. E. Essling, vice-presidents: L. E. Johnson, treasurer;
P. J. Boyle, J. C. Poole, E. J. Kane, J. S. Saari, J. G. Saam, and C. R.
McCann, directors.
The local newspaper, of course, is a direct and ever-present
means of publicity. The Eveleth periodical goes by the name of the
"Eveleth News," and is a well-edited newspaper. Its history may
be said to embrace all the newspaper history of Eveleth, for in it have
been merged all the other papers ever published in Eveleth. 1^he
"Star" was the original Eveleth paper, and was published for many
years bv P. E Dowling George A. Perham founded the "Mining
News" in 1903. It later became the "News," and was owned and
edited by Mr. Perham from 1903 to 1909, when ownership and direc-
tion passed to David Yarin, of Mayville, N. D., who, one year later,
sold to A. E. Pfremmer. In 1914 the ownership passed to T. H. Peter-
son and L. O. Magee, who conducted the consolidated papers, "Star"
and "News," under the name of the latter, until 1915. as a private part-
nership. Since that year, the business has had corporate existence,
the newspaper and printing business being incorporated under the
trading name of the Eveleth Printing and Publishing Company.
Mr. Magee was a stockholder and an active associate in the editorial
direction of the ])aper until 1918, when he entered the Ignited States
military forces. In due course he reached France, and met his death
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 533
on the battlefield, at Argonne Forest, on October 1, 1918. (Further
reference to his national service will be found in the World War
chapter of this work.) Since the departure of Mr. Magee from Eveleth
in 1918, Mr. Peterson has been in full charge of the paper, as manager
and supervising editor. The "News" is a seven-column weekly, all
"home print," 8 to 16 pages; its circulation is about 1,350 copies
weekly, and its advertising patronage is good. The company owms a
good printing plant, having the latest typesetting machinery.
Cemetery. — The Eveleth Cemetery was established in 1910-12,
J. H. Hearding and George H. Perham being those chiefly instru-
mental is securing the necessary land for that sacred purpose. In
an ordinary community, such would not be a very difficult matter to
negotiate, but in a mining community w^here all unexplored land is
potentially valuable in mineral deposits, negotiations are more diffi-
cult to carry through.
Taxation. — To indicate the development of Eveleth, the following
comparison is given. The taxable property, real and personal, with-
in the village of Eveleth in 1895 was assessed at $28,571. In 1919 it
was $17,303,737.
Population, — Another comparison, but not so striking, is in the
census statistics. According to the original petition for incorporation
200 persons resided in Eveleth in June, 1893. In 1900, the population
was 2,7S2; in 1910 it was 7,036; and in 1920 residents cognizant with
the growth of the city in most of its phases in the preceding decade,
were somewhat surprised to learn the federal census-taking only re-
corded 7,205 persons as then having residence in Eveleth. A recan-
vassing was suggested, but apparently was not made. However,
with that population, Eveleth takes fifth place among the incorporated
places of St. Louis County.
Old Settlers Association. — Reference to the society which, above
all others, is pledged to devote itself mainly to the preservation of
Mesabi range history, must not be forgotten. The Mesabi Range
Old Settlers Association had its inception at Eveleth in 1919. Charles
Jesmore being the most active promoter. An organization was
affected at the county fair held at Hibbing in that year. First officers
were: Chas. Jesmore, president; W. E. Hannaford, secretary; Frank
Ansley, treasurer. There were several vice presidents, the endeavor
being to elect one pioneer of each town to that office. Those elected
included: Dudley W. Freeman. Eveleth; ^^^ J. Eaton. \^irginia ;
Joseph Haley, Hibbing; Fred Talboys. Aurora: George Smith. ]\Ioun-
tain Iron ; Frank Caldwell, P>iwabik. The first annual meeting was
held at Biwabik in August, 1919. Nearly 600 pioneers of the Mesabi
range have now joined the society.
School History. — Last, but certainly not least in importance,
comes a review of the history of Eveleth schools. Indeed, when a
stranger first enters one of the cities of the Mesabi range, and views
the magnificent school buildings, which are generally the outstanding
landmarks of the place, he is forced to the conclusion that those respon-
sible for the public weal in the Mesabi range have a proper apprecia-
tion to the importance of the community of an adequate system of
education. Certainly, the future prosperity of the city depends in
great measure upon the excellence, or otherwise, of its public schools
of the present. T^vcleth recognizes that ; and so apparently do the
directors of the principal mining companies. They have resisted
increase in municipal taxation on many occasions, but have never
seemed to adopt a niggardly attitude toward a levy for school pur-
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DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 535
poses. The school levy for Independent School District No. 39 (Eve-
leth) in 1919 was $444,981.57, and some school districts have an even
higher levy, the bulk of which is payable by the mining companies ; yet
it seems that the latter have always been ready to co-operate in the
establishment of an even better educational system than can be found
in other communities of even higher social status. To the public
schools of the range go children of very many nationalities (thirty-
nine being represented in the enrollment of one school district), yet
they are afforded as fine schools as can be found almost anywhere
in America. And the standard of education is equally high, the school
districts having the financial means wherewith to attract into service
the best public school educators of the country. Consequently, the
children of the range communities, mostly children of hardworking,
honest, but in many cases illiterate, parents, will be able eventually to
pass out into the world, or into higher schools, well-grounded in
"academics, and possibly in vocational knowledge.
The first school established in Eveleth has been referred to earlier
in this chapter. The little school erected in 1895 was evidently only
for the smaller children. Those of higher grade used to go over to
Virginia to school. And the Eveleth schools up to the year 1903 were
under the direction of the Virginia District (No. 22 School District),
Air. John H. Hearding, of Eveleth, however, being one of the principal
members of that school board. From 1903, Eveleth has been the
administrative center of Independent School District No. 39, and,
fortunately, the school history from that time to 1915 was compiled
for, and published in, the Eveleth High School Annual for 1915. That
review is the basis for the following.
It appears that in 1903, "Virginia had the greater part of popula-
tion, but the southern end of the district (Eveleth) objected to have
part in paying for the new building in Virginia." There was "some
excitement," but eventually Eveleth separated, assuming $13,500 of
current debt, and 69 per cent of bonded debt. Independent School
District No. 39 was then organized, having responsibility for public
education in the whole of Fayal Township and in six sections of
Missabe Mountain Township, a resolution passed March 22, 1903, by
the county commissioners describing the new district as "all of town-
ship T'l n. of range 17 w., and sections 28, 29, 30, 31, Z2 and ZZ, of town-
ship 58 n. of range 17 w."
"The first election brought into office J. H. Hearding, director,
G. H. Dormer, treasurer, and W. J. Smith, clerk. They found them-
selves to be in debt, to the extent of $35,000 to old district," and in
possession of what is now known as the Spruce School, the "first
real school building erected in Eveleth." It has been added to and
repaired, and is still giving good service. They also had at the outset
one other school building, the Fayal, a frame building, "built by
Mr. D. T. Denton in a picturesque country clubhouse style." The
new board found a deplorably overcrowded condition existent in the
t\yo schools, and immediately applied themselves to the task of
remedying that condition. Martin Finucan was given contract to
erect two small school houses. These became known as the Adams
and Fayal kindergartens, and were erected at a cost of nearly $4,000.
They were only intended to serve a temporary need, but have been
in almost constant use ever since, the enrollment increasing more
rapidly than the school accommodation.
The first brick school house built became known as the high
school. Construction began in the fall of 1904, and in the spring
536 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
work was resumed. It cost about $48,000, and served as the high
school until June, 1908, when it was gutted by fire. The present
Junior High School now stands upon its site. The burning of the
Fayal school house, on April 25, 1911, placed the district again in a
very much overcrowded state, notwithstanding that the Adams
school house, now called the Lincoln Annex, was built in 1908, and
a new high school had been built. The Adams School was begun in
October. 1907, when J. A. Roberts, of Duluth, secured the general con-
tract. The building is of red brick, and of eight-room capacity. It
cost about $33,000. Bids for the building of the high school, to re-
place that burned in June, 1908, were opened at the October, 1908,
meeting of the school board. Henry Henricksen secured the general
contract, the total cost being about $73,000, and for many years it
was considered "one of the finest school buildings on the range."
W. T. Bray was the architect.
In June, 1910, the form of organization changed. Mr. Hearding,
who had fathered the school district and had given very much of his
time to school matters since he first settled in Eveleth, removed to
Duluth, and could no longer take part in local school administration.
He was succeeded by T, H. Davey. Members of the new board of
education were Dr. C. W. More, G. H. Dormer, J. J. Murnik, Albert
Rohrer and H. S. Sherman.
A new school was built at Fayal in 1912, to take the place of that
destroyed by fire in 1911, and it was thought that adequate provision
for growth had been provided by making the capacity of the new
school ten rooms, for 420 children. The old school building could only
accommodate 200 children. The contractor was J. Donlin, and the
total cost $60,000.
The Lincoln school building was erected in 1912, bids for its
construction being opened on April 1st of that year. It cost about
$75,000.
Educationally, Eveleth attained an unic|ue distinction in 1914,
when it opened its Manual Training School, "the first school building
in Minnesota devoted entirely to boys' industrial subjects." It cost
about $60,000, and has drafting room, printery, mill shop, elementary
wood-working, and many other industrial departments. The building
is of Menominee pressed brick, and is supposed to be fireproof.
In 1918 another school building was added to the impressive
group on Jones Street. The Senior High School is the third of the
group, beyond the Junior High (wherein are the administrative
offices), and the Manual Training schools. And soon will be added
"another modern building, for use as a Grade and Girls' Vocational
School, on a site to the north of the Senior High School."
"An open-air school has been maintained at Eh' Lake during the
last two summers. This school is composed of one school building
and two sleeping cottages," and is intended for sickly children. There
is a rural school in section 36 of Fayal Township, a rapidly-growing
agricultural center.
Independent School District No. 39 now has eight large school
houses and several smaller. The enrollment for the school-year 1919-
20 was 2,992. Forty-one male and 101 female teachers were employed
in that school-year, the average monthly salary of the former being
$180, and of the women teachers, $146. School property was estimated
to be worth one million dollars in that year. The present Board of
Education is: J. M. Stearns, clerk; T. H. Davey, treasurer; Dr. C. H.
More, chairman; James A. Robb, W. R. Van Slyke and C. B. Hoel,
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 537
directors. J. V. Voorhees, district superintendent of schools, assumed
supervision of Eveleth schools on July 15, 1920. He came from Wi-
nona, Minn., with a good record as an educator, and executive, and
he is maintaining, perhaps advancing, the standard of thoroughness
demanded from principals and teachers of Independent School District
No. 39. Thus will Eveleth schools maintain their good repute among
range schools, which are equal to the best of their kind in the north-
west, perhaps in the whole country.
A review of Eveleth school history would be incomplete and an
injustice would be done, unless it included reference to the excellent
work of Mr. B. O. Greening as school superintendent for more than a
decade. He was appointed superintendent of Eveleth school district
in 1904, and continued in that capacity until 1917, when he entered
upon military service, being one of the first to leave Eveleth after war
was declared. As to his work as superintendent, the following opinion
is given by one who well knew the results obtained :
"Mr. Greening came here in 1904, as school superintendent, and
continued in that capacity until 1917. * * * During the period
in which he was in charge of the schools most of the buildings were
constructed, and he organized, or laid the foundation for the junior
college course we now have in connection with the school system of
Eveleth. As an educator, Mr. Greening stood high among school men
of the state, and much of the credit for the high standing now attained
in our schools is due him ; as an executive Mr. Greening was progres-
sive and thorough, a good citizen always promoting things worth-
while."
CHAPTER XXIII
THE HISTORY OF HIBBING, MINNESOTA
The history of Hibbing, "the Place of Big Things," is a wonder-
ful and holding story, a record of great doings, of wonderful achieve-
ments, and of immense wealth and possibilities — even from the be-
ginning. Everything connected with Hibbing's history has been big.
In the first place, the stand of timber was such that the lumbermen
made money rapidly in logging it. The seekers for iron had a similar
experience. They made great discoveries. Nothing small was pos-
sible in the Hibbing district. The explorers found such deposits that
the mines subsequently developed have been the most wonderful of
the many stupendous mines of the most wonderful iron range of
America. Hibbing proved to be the center of the treasure country,
the richest portion of the Mesabi Range. And, as she grew, she held
to her original status of supremacy. Hibbing has excelled in most
things, as will be appreciated by a reading of her history. She is a
village, it is true^ — the "richest village in the world," by the way, — but
she has forged ahead of all other communities of the Range country,
in population and wealth, and is the richest incorporated place in the
county — exceeding Duluth even in wealth, by almost as much as is
the total wealth of the City of A^irginia. Hibbing's nearest rival on
the range. It can, therefore, be readily understood that her place in
the state is that of a very important, very promising, and very aggres-
sive city.
In the Days of the Timber Barons. — To appreciate the story of
Hibbing fully one must have some knowledge of the earliest activities
of white men in its vicinity. The story has grounding in the opera-
tions of the timber barons, the lumber kings, who became the land
barons, and by sitting still soon had the "grubbing ore men" paying
them fief.
Passing briefly over the earliest pre-settlement history. Northern
Minnesota, until 1855, was the hunting ground of the Indian ; and it
was not until the seventies were almost spent that white men set-
tled far from the shore of Lake Superior, at its western extremity. In
the middle sixties and seventies some had passed over the eastern
end of the Mesabi Range — in great numbers during the "gold rush"
to the Vermilion in the sixties, and spasmodically in the seventies,
hoping against hope that the lean magnetite formations of the Eastern
Mesabi would bring a little money to the well-nigh empty pockets
of Duluthians, after the panic of 1873 had taken away Duluth's first
treasure. Jay Cooke. But very few had been in the middle and west-
ern parts of the Mesabi Range until the eighties ; and those who did
pass along the range, or touched parts of it, were mapmakers, geol-
ogists, or timber cruisers. Geologists, of course, had eyes mainly
for mineral indications, but the cartographers and timber cruisers
might be grouped, the mapmaking being in most cases incidental to
timber cruising. Northern Minnesota was the land of white pine.
St. Louis County had an especially heavy "stand" ; and Stuntz town-
ship was, it seems, among the best areas in that respect. But noth-
ing could be done until the government survey had been made and the
vacant lands had been thrown open to entry, which was done in the
seventies and early eighties. The period 1875-1884 was, perhaps,
538
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 539
the most active in land-office transactions, i. e., in the sale of pine
lands to lumbermen. Pardee writes :
as fast as these vacant lands were thrown open to entry, two or three
townships at a time, the pine-land crowd was waiting at the land office, with
purse and scrip, to take their pick of the pine * * * The explorers, who
had been crossing and recrossing the lands to be offered, came in with their
estimates of standing pine, their rough maps showing what streams could be
used to drive the logs and where the boom should be, and their rumors of iron.
To which, since the cruiser was a bit of a seer and a prophet, the land men
listened indulgently; but when he spoke of pine, they hearkened — for the
cruiser knew. Iron was not in their books; buj'ing land at a dollar and a
quarter an acre, and holding it until the timber fetched fifty dollars an acre was
profit enough for their modest desires * * *
Many of these bewildering prizes that Fortune thrust on the pine-land
men were bunched in two fall openings, in 1875 and in 1882 * * * These
were largely offered lands, sold under a law of 1854 (repealed in 1889) by
which an}' lands that seemed especially choice were to be auctioned off at a
minimum bid of $1.25 an acre. More often than not that was the top price, for
baronial truces were formed from time to time, each land man marking off
his selection. Sometimes, however, there was lively bidding.
At the big sale in Duluth. in 1882, when lumbermen from all over the
country were present * * * some feeling had risen. One group of big
buyers, fearing the price would be run up on them, asked a young cruiser to
put in a bid for a thousand acres they wanted. The lad made his bid. "That
for yourself, George?" asked A. J. Whiteman * * * George gulped hard
and admitted it was. "Then I'll not bid against you." "How many pieces are
on your list?" asked one of the Pillsburys. "Twenty-six" the young man
said, breathing hard. "Looks like a good deal for a cruiser," said the big
lumberman, "but if all the rest will hold off, I will." And so, much to his
confusion, the whole block was knocked down to the young man at his opening
bid. When his principals heard it, they were so delighted that they had half
a notion to give him an interest in the mineral rights — for all the country was
under suspicion of value — but they compromised on a twenty-dollar Ijill. The
same land contained seventy million tons of ore.
The Pillsburys * * * were buying pine lands in the country in 1875,
sometimes at public sale, and often by soldier's additional scrip. An ordinary
citizen who exercises his homestead right thereby exhausts it; but a soldier or
his widow who failed to take all he might claim could have scrip for the
remainder, good anywhere at any time. And it seemed as though every veteran
had been taking up a homestead that left something coming to him. Anyway,
the Pillsburys filed on thousands of acres at a uniform price of $200 a parcel.
Well, years later, H. M. Bennett of Minneapolis came to them, saying
he thought there was iron under some of their lands. Naturally, they were
pleased to hear it, though they did not feel like spending money on an im-
probability. But they would give him a chance to prove it. If he could show
up 100,000 tons of ore, he could have a half-interest in the mineral rights.
With that contract in his pocket, Bennett went to John M. Longyear, of Mar-
quette, an experienced explorer then operating on the Gogebic, offering him
one-half of his half for all the ore he could uncover. They found some
millions of tons, the Monroe, Glen, Pillsbury and a number more. These
mines are paying the Pillsbury estate and the Longyear-Bennett partnership
immense royalties * * * for the husks of a pine-land deal * * *
Likewise acquired by scrip and sagacity, the 50,000 acres of timber land
of the Lorenzo Day estate, and the holdings of T. B. Walker and Pettit and
Robinson and others * * * have turned out a number of good ore
properties.
Fortune played many whimsical tricks. Tames McCahill, a carpenter and
capitalist in a small way, loaned $1,000 on a homestead up in the woods. The
homesteader, tickled to death to get that much out of his claim, hurried away,
thinking what a cute trick he had played, leaving McCahill to bemoan his
folly and worry along under the carrying charges. Last heard from, the
Shenango mine was paying him close to $1(X),(XX) a year royalties on that
abandoned homestead.
But the big prizes fell to a comparatively small group of men. most of
tliem members of the Saginaw crowd. Wellington R. Burt, Ezra T. Rust. El-
bridgc M. Fowler, Clarence M. Hill and Aaron T. Bliss, the Wright and Davis
syncHcate * * * Simon J. Murphy," Morton B. Hull, of Chicago, \yilliam
Boeing and W. C. Yawkcy, nf Detroit, and others, on whom Opportunity lay
in wait, with a richly upliolstcred club.
540 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
In the heart of the Hibbing district is a solid body of ore two miles
long, half a mile wide and a hundred million dollars thick, known as the
Burt-Pool and the Hull-Rust, as the government line crosses it. Burt, former-
governor and otherwise prominent in Michigan, followed the pine bargains
into the new country, buying in the same district from 1883 down to 1888.
His best purchase was in the last year, when George X. Holland bought for
him a few forties from Eaton and Merritt * * * ^^^ about 1,500 acres
from the C. X. Xelson Lumber Compan)-. Xow the Xelson people, who had
a confidence in mineral values that was hardly warranted by the developments
up to that time, were reluctant to let the land go. But they happened to need
the money just then, and so Burt bought the land, timber and all, for $17,000.
That was in 1888. Two years later, the first discoveries (on the Alesabi
range) were made, and inside of five years Burt was leasing his mining prop-
erties at a rate that has paid from the Burt mine alone as high as $250,000
a year.
The Hull and Boeing lands also shared in the capital prizes. In 1882,
Hull and Boeing engaged with Marshall H. Alworth, a reliable Saginaw
cruiser, to look up lands for them in the towns that were about to be opened.
They would furnish the money on his judgment, and after they had been reim-
bursed, with interest, one-third of the profit was to be his, "in consideration
for his services in locating and selecting these lands." He brought them
several good tracts on which the pine yielded a profit, and at the big December
sale they bought 7,500 acres. Their total outlay for the several tracts was
$22,500. Alworth's one-third, which cost him a summer's campaign, through
woods and swamps, fighting mosquitoes * * * has made him a millionaire
a dozen tirnes over. These mines were in the group uncovered by Frank
Hibbing in 1893. In a few months he showed up 10,000,000 tons — not one-
tenth of the deposit — and sold for $250,000 a half-interest in his mines, on
which the lessees reckoned they could net a dollar a ton, on a guaranteed
product of 300,000 tons a year (a million was nearer the actual figure).
Clarence M. Hill and Aaron T. Bliss paid about $50,000 for some 11,000
acres picked up by F. R. Webber in 1887. scattered over a tract sixty miles
one way and thirty-five the other. Most of the land yielded nothing ibut pine,
maybe half a million dollars worth; but in four years they were making leases
at twenty-five cents a ton for the ore in a few of the forties, and after the
known deposits were disposed of they sold the remaining mineral rights, on
a chance, for $150,000.
High and low, the fairies scattered their favors. One poor cobbler
homesteaded a forty, and, as soon as he got his patent, gave an option on it
for $30,000. He died soon after. It was more prosperity than he could endure.
Leonidas Merritt spent exactly $41 in digging a testpit, and turned up a
mine worth a million (Missabe Mountain).
But speaking of fairies whose favors were scattered so widely. The
Wright and Davis syndicate had 25,000 acres near Swan River. In the hard
times of 1894. they would have been glad to sell it for $75,000. They kept it
because nobody wanted it, and in a few^ years the Mahoning had developed on
this land. In 1904. James J. Hill, coming into the ore market bought the
Wright and Davis lands. "The Michigan people had offered it to Weyer-
haeuser for $3 an acre," says Hill. "I paid them $4,000,000: it will yield
$60,000,000." As happy over it as a -boy who has got the best of it, swapping
jack knives.
Which narrative by I\Ir. Pardee gives the reader an intelligent
idea of the fundamentals of Hibbing history. The timber barons were
the land barons, and are the lords of the manor today. They, or
their heirs, are still enjoying the favors of Fortune, without risk or
labor. A feeholder, royalty taker, has an enviable existence. "The
ore is found, and he may, therefore, sit at his ease; the mining com-
pany will mine it for him." If the mining company should fail, the
feeholder need not worry. Another operator will "turn up." Mean-
while, "the ore will keep." As James J. Hill once said: "The ore
won't burn up. and it won't go out of fashion." His treasure is moth
and rust proof.
That was the happy psychology of the land baron, the feeholder.
The tragic failures of Mesabi history have been among the operators,
the mining men ; the great fortunes yielded by the Mesabi have gone
to the land barons, the feeholders, mainly.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 541
Early Explorers. — ^Frank Hibbing was on the range from 1888,
but until the end of 1891, or early in 1892, was to the eastward, it is
believed. Captain LeDuc. a mining man, was in the vicinity of Hib-
bing in 1887, and found "drift ore and quartz on the surface" in many
places, but he passed on to the westward. Other early explorers were
more or less conversant with conditions and prospects along the
range, and the Merritts who, from the early 'eighties, "hovered over
the Range," and seemed to know "every foot of it," may be presumed
to have stood upon the site of Hibbing long before E. J. Longyear
cut his "tote" road through, to Nashwauk, in 1891. But it seems
that the first to engage in actual explorations, that is, to establish
a mining camp, within close proximity to what now is the Village
of Hibbing,. was Frank Hibbing. He was in township 59-14 in 1891,
but several leases of land in the Hibbing district were granted to
him late in that year, or early in 1892, so that the time of his coming
to Hibbing may, with fair assurance, be recorded as 1891.
The first indication, in lease record, that Frank Hibbing had
been in township 58-20, is lease of December 29, 1891, from Welling-
ton R. Burt, of Saginaw to Frank Hibbing, giving the latter right to
mine ore deposits found on "parts of sections 13, 20, 21, 23, 24, 28, 31,
32„ and 34 of township 58-20. This lease was transferred on March
17, 1892, to the Lake Superior Iron Company, and called for a 35-
cent royalty, and $6,000 advance payment. Another lease bears date
of January 1, 1892, and is from George L. Burrows and Ezra Rust, of
Saginaw, and Gilbert B. Goff, of Edenville, Michigan, to Frank Hib-
bing, the leasing being of lands in sections 4 and 5 of 57-21, at 30
cents a ton royalty. Another from Burrows and Rust to Hibbing,
same date, leased seven forties in 58-21 and 57-21. These also were
assigned to the Lake Superior Iron Company, on March 17. 1892.
And at the same time that company received transfer of lease secured
of Alworth and Trimble, from Foster Lumber Company of Milwau-
kee, of lands in 58-20. at the same royalty.
Burt-Poole Mine. — These activities of Frank Hibbing had in-
centive particularly in his discovery of merchantable ore on what was
known at the outset as the Lake Superior mine, but eventually came
into record as the Burt-Poole mine. "To Frank Hibbing," states
an early record, "belongs the honor of discovering the first mer-
chantable body of ore in the Hibbing District." The record continues:
"In 1892, Capt. T. W. Nelson, working for Mr. Hibbing,- discovered
ore on the property known as the Burt-Poole, and the I>urt bears
the reputation of being the first shipping mine" (of the Hibbing Dis-
trict, presumably, seeing that it was not until 1895 that the first ship-
ment was made). Winchell confirms the discovery of ore at the
Lake Superior Mine in 1892.
The Lake Superior Iron Companv was organized on March 15,
1892, by A. J. Trimble and Frank Hibbing, o'f Duhith : \\'. D. Vernam
and William Munro, of Superior, and W. PI. Bufi'uni, of Xew York.
The capital authorized was $5,000,000. in shares of ^25 denomination.
The Lake Superior Iron Company became the oj)erating com-
pany for many holdings of llibbing, Trimble and Alworth. many
leases being transferred to it during the next vear or so. .\mong
them were: Lease October 8, 18'^2. M. II. Mull to A. J. Trimble
and M. H. Alworth, lands in section 2-57-2], in 12 57-21 and 13-57-21 ;
lease February 23, 1892, C. L. Ortman to Frank llibbing and M. H.
Alworth, thirteen forties in 58-20, sections 11. 12, 13, 14 and 15;
October 8. 1892, M. B. Hull to Trimble and Alworth. 11-57-21; .same
Vol. II— 3
542 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
date and lessor, to Hibbing and Alworth, section 14-58-20, and other
leases sections 14, 15, 22 of 58-20. Further leases from Hull to Trim-
ble were filed in 1893. In March, 1893, E. B. Bartlett, of Brooklyn,
and C. W. Wetmore, of New York, come into the record. These pro-
moters, in March, 1893, working with the Merritts, sought to elifect
a consolidation of the more important Mesabi mining companies, and
an arrangement was made by them, on March 6, 1893, with the Lake
Superior Iron Company, by which a one-half interest in the Hibbing
group of mines was to be transferred to the new company, for $100,-
000 cash, and a further $150,000 in deferred payments over eighteen
months, the promoters to guarantee that the Duluth, Missabe and
Northern extension to Hibbing "would be in not later than September
1, 1893." The agreement was assigned by Bartlett and Wetmore
to the ill-fated New York and Missabe Iron Company — the new hold-
ing company organized by these promoters, with the Merritts, — as
was also assigned the Hibbing-Trimble contract of April 11, 1893, to
them, covering seven forties in 31-58-20, leased by Lorenzo D. Day
and J. W. Day to Hibbing and Trimble. The intracacies of the finan-
cial endeavors of \\^etmore are referred to in the chapter that deals
with the general history of the Mesabi Range, and need not be re-
stated here. Suffice it therefore to state that the New York and Mis-
sabe Iron Company's assets eventually (in August, 1893) passed to
John D. Rockefeller, and in November to the Rockefeller subsidiary
formed to operate the mines. The importance of the Hibbing group
is reflected in the name of the new company, the Lake Superior Con-
solidated Iron Mines, by the forming of which and the eventual
merger into the subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation
(in 1901), Hibbing and his associates became millionaires.
The Lake Superior (Burt-Poole) mine development was placed
under the superintendence of Capt. P. Mitchell, in 1893, when the
Rockefeller subsidiary, the Lake Superior Consolidated Iron Mines,
was formed, W. J. Olcott becoming general manager of all the mines.
In 1894 the Lake Superior, or Burt-Poole, mine was being developed
for underground mining, and Winchell stated that the basis of opera-
tions by the Rockefeller Company was "a 30-cent lease, and the
profits * "" * divided between the Consolidated and the Lake
Superior Companies." In other words, Hibbing's original company
still held a one-half interest in the property, or, to be exact, in the
mining lease.
The Duluth, IMissabe and Northern Railway Company reached
Hibbing in the fall of 1893, but although there were several mines
then in process of development, no ore was shipped from the Hib-
bing District until 1895, the Burt-Poole being the first to reach the
shipping stage. Only 201,938 tons were shipped to 1900, but up to the
end of 1919 the Burt is shown as having yielded 16,347,691 tons.
This total covers shipments from the Poole Mine. There are today
several Burt reserve mines, in Stuntz and Balkan townships, all con-
trolled by the Oliver Iron' Mining Company. They show available
deposits of approximately 24,000,000 tons of ore.
Sellers Mine. — The Sellers Mine was opened in the same year
as the Burt. The feeholder, M. B. Hull, in 1893, gave John M. Sellers
mining right to much of section 6 of 57-20, lease of January 17th
covering the n. half of nw. qr., on the basis of a 35-cent royalty,
with $7,000 cash advance ; lease, April 5, 1893, was for n. half of sec-
tion 6, on similar terms ; and another lease of that date and terms
referred to the sw. of ne. and nw. of se. of section 6. The first lease
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 543
was transferred on October 20, 1893, to the Sellers Ore Company,
"a combination of Pittsburg furnace men." C. H. Munger became
superintendent, and shafts were being sunk in 1894. Winchell noted,
in 1895, that the mine then had "an unpleasant amount of water to
contend with."
Up to 1900, the total quantity shipped from the Sellers mine was
188,102 tons, but the mine has been yielding fair quantities ahnost
every year since that time, the total mined to end of 1919 being
8,952,358 tons. The property passed to the Oliver Iron Mining Com-
pany, present operators, and shows an available deposit still of about
thirteen million tons. What is known as the Sellers Townsite mine,
also an Oliver property, has an available deposit of 33.373.500 tons, to
be able to work which is one of the reasons for the recent removal
of part of the Village of Hibbing.
Mahoning Mine. — The Mahoning IMine was purchased from the
Wright and Davis Syndicate, and the great property has been termed
"the largest open-pit iron mine in the world." It probably is, in com-
bination with the other adjoining mines, which, by the ceaseless shov-
elling of the many and tireless steam shovels, have become merged
into one vast gaping chasm. One writer thus describes the chasm,
and the activity:
Stand on an edge of an open pit near Hibbing. One looks across a gulf
a quarter of a mile wide and deep enough to. lose a skyscraper in its huge
trough. As far away as Grace Church from City Hall Square (New York)
in one direction, as far in the other as from City Hall Square to the Battery,
a puffing steam shovel is gnawing at the steep purple bank, perhaps a dozen
of them here and there nipping at the rim of the bowl. Each thrusts its
dipper against the bank, its jaws creak, the derrick groans, and five tons of
ore are swung over the waiting car. As the bucket lets go its burden, one can
hear one dollar and twenty-five cents clink into the feeholder's pocket, while
another dollar and twenty-five cents jingle in the till of the leaseholding com-
pany. Ten of these bucket-loads fill a fifty-ton car that looks, from the brink
of the pit, like a match-ibox on spools, as it crawls on the bottom. Another
car is warped into place and the steam-shovel again groans under its burdening
wealth. AH day long, all through the summer, these shovels are scooping up
six, eight, ten thousand tons a day of fusible wealth.
Such activity has been going on for a generation, not only in
Hibbing, but in all parts of the Mesabi Range, the excavations (of
earth as well as ore) being approximately as much every three or
four busy years as were accomplished in the whole of the work at
Panama Isthmus. But at Hibbing, from the brink of the Mahoning-
Hull-Rust Mine, the result of the ceaseless delving is impressively
evident. The Hull-Rust-Mahoning open-pit alone has yielded more
than eighty million tons of ore up to the present. That means,
roughly, one hundred million yards of excavation, and probably
another forty million yards could be added for original stripping; say,
1 50,(X)0,(X)0 yards of excavation, in all. The Panama excavation repre-
sented only 80,000,000 yards up to July 1, 1909, and it was then esti-
mated than only another 100,000,000 yards would complete the work
of cutting the canal. This com])arison will give the general reader
some indication of the stupendous work daily j^roceeding at Hibbing.
The Mahoning Mine was explored by W. C. Agnew, in 1894.
The Mahoning Ore Company was formed, and the work of stripping
the surface was at once begun. It was the first mine to be strij^ped
in the Hibbing District. The original discovery by Agnew was in
the ne. qr. of section 3, township 57-21. but soon the development
extended to the north half of sections 1 and 2. The mine came into
the shipping list in 1895, the ore going over the W^right and Davis
544 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
logg-ing road, known as the Duluth, Mississippi River and Northern,
to Swan River, where it connectecl with the Duluth and Winnipeg-
line, leading to the ore docks at Superior. By the way, strenuous
objection was made by the Mahoning Ore Company, in 1896, to the
proposed inclusion of township 57-21 in Stuntz township, Mr. Agnew
explaining that township 57-21 "is very rich, if not the richest in
mineral and timber lands in the county/' and, to support his belief
that an injustice would be done the mining company by the pro-
posed annexation which would give the township supervisers right
to tax the company, he instanced the case of the school fund. Large
amounts were drawn from the company, in school levy for the Hib-
bing District, in which the Mahoning location had been placed, not-
withstanding that the children thereof "must walk from one to two
miles to reach the schoolhouse." However, the protest was ignored,
and the Mahoning location, with township 57-21, came within the
jurisdiction of Stuntz, the richest township in the state.
The Mahoning Mine shipped more than two million tons of
ore in the nineties, when A. O. Beardsley was the mining captain,
and up to the end of 1919, had shipped 29,618,759 tons. The mine
is still under the direction of Mr. Agnew, though the Mahoning Ore
Company has given way to the Mahoning Ore and Steel Company.
R. N. Marble is the general superintendent, and the mine still has
an unworked deposit of approximately 75,000,000 tons, including the
several Mahoning reserve properties controlled by the same com-
pany.
Day Mine. — The Day Mine was explored in 1892 or 1893 by Frank
Ribbing. It adjoins the Burt, and passed eventually to the Lake
Superior Consolidated Iron Mines, subsequently coming into the con-
trol of the Oliver Iron Mining Company. It had yielded only 20,626
tons by 1900, and is credited with only 319,453 tons up to the end of
1919, though some ore from it is included in Burt Mine figures.
There is still available a deposit of approximately six million tons.
Hull-Rust Mine. — The Hull and Rust Alines are owned, in fee,
by the Hull and Rust families, the original landowners being M. B.
Hull and Ezra Rust. The mining leases were the Hibbing, Trimble
and Alworth, the mining leases passing to the Lake Superior Iron
Company, and in turn to the Lake Superior Consolidated Iron Mines,
and 'the Oliver Iron Mining Company, present operators. The Hull-
Rust Mines entered the shipping list in 1896, under management of
the Consolidated. It was then an underground mine. The separate
figures for the Hull and Rust Mines are not available, but the com-
bined shipment up to the end of 1919 was 51,848,910 tons. No other
Mesabi mine comes anywhere near the Hull-Rust in tonnage shipped,
or in c]uantity mined in one year. Within recent years the mine has
given more than five million tons a year, the record* being 7,665,611
tons in 1916. The available unworked deposit of the Hull-Rust and
Hull Reserve Mines aggregates to the stupendous total of about
120,000,000 tons.
Penobscot Mine. — The Penobscot Mine was explored in the
middle nineties, by Cheeseboro, of Duluth, and shipments began in
1897, Eddy Brothers and Company being then in control. It was an
underground mine, and very wet. In fact, it had the reputation of
being "the wettest in the Lake Superior Region, the inflow of water
being about 5,000 gallons a minute.'' The superintendent was John
A. Redfern. In 1901, the property passed to the Oliver Iron Mining
Company, previous shipments having been 127,204 tons. Between
1903 and 1918, the mine did not yield a thousand tons, but 32,531
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 545
tons came from it in 1919. There is an available deposit of about
eight million tons.
Agnew Mine. — The Agnew Mine was explored by W. C. Agnew
and associates in 1901. The propeifty was eventually leased to the
Great Northern and passed to the Deering Harvester Company, which
later became the International Harvester Company. That corpora-
tion still operates it, B. W. Batchelder being general superintendent
of its Mesabi properties, and Martin Trewhella, captain at the Agnew.
Shipments began in 1902, 45,582 tons. Total shipments to end of
1919 are 1,907,238 tons. About two and a half million tons are still
available.
There is also the Agnew No. 2 Reserve, and the No. 3 Reserve,
with deposits of about eleven million tons, in all, but these belong
to the Oliver Iron Mining Company.
Albany Mine. — The Albany Mine was explored in 1901 by A. M.
Chisholm, D. C. Rood, and A. Maitland, who leased it to Pickands,
Mather and Company, who have controlled it ever since. It was
operated by two methods, underground and open-pit, and first entered
the shipping list in 1903, with 109,608 tons. Robert ]\Iurray has been
identified, as superintendent and general superintendent, with Pick-
ands, Mather operations in the Hibbing District since the early days.
The Albany to end of 1919 yielded 4,831,974 tons, and there is still
about as much available.
Cyprus Mine. — The Cyprus Mine was one of the discoveries of
W. C. Agnew. He found it in 1901, and soon afterwards leased it to
Joseph Sellwood and Pickands, Mather and Company. First ore
shipped was in 1903, 121.818 tons. Total shipped to end of 1919,
1,780,986 tons. But the statistics show that only a further 50,000
tons are available. The mine was an open-pit from the beginning.
It has reverted to the Sellwood interests again.
Forest. — The Forest was one of the mines of the Hibbing Dis-
trict in the first years of this century. It was explored by M. L.
Fay, in 1902, and developed "as an open-pit milling proposition" by
the Tesora Mining Company. The first shipment was in 1904, and
the last in 1910. Total quantity shipped, 248,540 tons. Fee-owner is
'the Mississippi Land Company.
Laura Mine. — The Laura Mine was explored by the Fay Explora-
tion Company, in 1901. The company sank a shaft, and began to
ship ore in 1902, first year's shipment being 16,453 tons. In 1903
the lease was transferred to the Winifred Iron Mining Company.
Eventually it passed to the Inland Steel Company, which corpora-
tion has operated the mine for many years. \\'illiam W'carnc. gen-
eral superintendent, has been with the company since the beginning
of their operations on the Mesabi Range. The ore from the Laura
Mine, went, mainly, to the company's furnaces and steel mill at In-
diana II arbor, near Chicago. The mine has yielded about an cfpial
<|uantity vearly since 1906, and the total of shipments to end of 1919
is 2,548,300 tons, with about 2,000,000 tons still available.
Leetonia Mine. — The Lcetonia Mine was discovered in VKX), by
George H. Warren and associates. It was devehiped as an open-pit
by Joseph Sellwood, the first shipment coming in 1*'02, 28,784 tons.
There was a heavy overburden, and by \^Kf> more than 2,000.000
vards of overburden had been removed. Indeed, in some parts of
the mine, it seemed more practicable to mine by underground methods.
The property was ac(|uire(l by the Inter-State Iron Company, and,
although latterly it has i)een operated by the Leetonia Mining Com-
l)any, both are subsidiaries of the Jones and Laughlin Steel Com-
546 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
pany, which corporation has controlled the pronerty since 1905. In
the fall of 19C8 a shaft was sunk, and at that time an incline slope
was also in operation. An electric hoist was installed, and the Lee-
tonia was the first Mesabi mine at which that method of mining
was instituted. E. S. Tillinghast has been the superintendent at the
Leetonia since 1905. The total quantity mined to the end of 1919 was
6.924.545 tons, and there is still a deposit of about two million tons
available.
Longyear Mine. — The Longyear is another of the Mesabi prop-
erties of the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company, and Mr. Tillinghast
is superintendent of that mine also. It was discovered in 1901 by
E. J. Longyear. The lease was assigned by him to the Columbia
Mining Company, who transferred it to the Williams Ore Company,
and that company sold it to the Inter-State Iron Company, present
operators. It was developed as an underground mine, and the first
shipment was made in 1902, when 22,788 tons were mined. From 1905
the mine has been dormant, with the exception of the year 1913, when
11,799 tons were shipped. The total cjuantity mined to the present
is only 133,190 tons, but it is a good property, having about 5,218,420
tons available. The Longyear Reserve Mine, from which nothing
has yet been mined, also has about 2,000.000 tons available.
Morris Mine. — There are three Morris Mines. They all belong
to the Oliver Iron Mining Company, and all are in sections 31 and 32
of township 58-20. The Morris Mine was discovered by Duluth min-
ing men in 1902, and soon afterwards leased to the Oliver Company.
From the outset, the Morris was destined to be one of the big mines
of the Mesabi. Its first year's shipment was the record for an open-
ing year, being 1,070,937 tons in 1905. The next two years averaged
almost two million tons, and altogether, the Morris Mines have
yielded, to the end of 1919, 14.949,021 tons, and the available quantity
is still about 20,000.000 tons. There was very little stripping neces-
sary at that mine.
Nassau Mine. — The Nassau Mine was discovered by E. J. Long-
year. It was leased to the Rhodes Mining Company, and later to the
Nassau Ore Company, a subsidiary of the Pittsburg Iron Ore Com-
pany, which was organized in 1905. Capt. Alfred Martin was the
superintendent. A shaft was sunk, and shipments began in 1907.
The mine, however, only yielded 71,563 tons to the end of 1919, though
there is a deposit of more than 3,300,000 tons proved. The property
has passed to the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company.
Pillsbury. — The discovery of the Pillsbury ]\Iine was one of the
first E. J. Longyear made, on behalf of J. S. Pillsbury. The mine
came into the shipping list in 1898. Eventually it passed to the Oliver
Iron ^Mining Company. It had yielded 206,178 tons by 1900, and to
the end of 1908, 1,640.265 tons. Since that year it has been idle.
Scranton Mine. — The Scranton ]\Iine is one of the large mining
properties of the Ribbing District, although, up to the present, it has
only yielded 520,673 tons of its deposit of more than eighteen million
ton's. It was discovered in 1902, by A. M. Chisholm and associates,
and as an underground mine was at first known as the Elizabeth.
It was disposed of to the Lackawanna Steel Companv, under which
company the first shipment was made in 1904, 1.168 tons, the ore
being hauled in wagons to Hibbing and there shipped in that year,
"in order to comply with conditions of state lease." The mine has
remained in the control of the Pickands ]\Iather interests ever since,
although nothing was mined between the years 1904 and 1910, and
nothing has come from it since 1915.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 547
Stevenson Mine. — The Stevenson Mine was discovered by E. J.
Longyear in 1894, and leased eventually to the Stevenson Iron Mining
Company, which seems to have been a company formed by Corrigan
McKinney and Company. It is said that the mine "was named for
Stevenson Burke, who was prominently identified with Corrigan
McKinney and Company." At the outset, mining was by shaft, and
the first year of shipment was in 1901, 56,031 tons. However, it was
soon decided to strip the heavy overburden, and that work was
begun in 1901. A review of Mesabi mining in 1902 stated that the
Stevenson was "the largest thus far opened on the western end of
the Mesabi Range." Mining operations at the Stevenson were then
"carried on with steam shovels, there being three of them on ore
bodies, besides two working on stripping." The property then was
under the supervision of Amos Shephard, and the mining captain
was Frank McCreary. Several million yards of surface were removed,
and "the immense pit opened" was "one of the largest and most note-
worthy of any on the Range, being one mile in length, while the
extreme width is 800 feet." It is now very deep. Water became one
of the main obstacles to mining, and in 1906 and 1907 shafts were
sunk, primarily to drain the water, but incidentally to mine. One
of the features of the mine was a suspension bridge, 815 feet long, to
span the open-pit gully, and to provide means of getting from the
location and offices to the shafts. G. E. Harrison was the superin-
tendent from 1904 until the property passed, a few years ago, to the
McKinney Steel Company, E. D. McNeil being now the general su-
perintendent, and E. L. Cochran, superintendent. Altogether, to the
end of 1919, the Stevenson Mine has given 13,945,402 tons, but its
available deposits seem now to be very little.
Susquehanna Mine. — The first attempt to develop the Susque-
hanna mine was made in 1900 by E. Dessau, of New York. He failed
and abandoned the lease. The property eventually passed to the
Great Northern Railway Company, and was sub-leased by that cor-
poration to the liufifalo and Susquehanna Iron Company. The mine
was opened in 1906, and is one of the "big holes" that hem Hibbing
in. The shipment in 1906 was 20,984 tons. Up to end of 1919 the
mine yielded 6,324,358 tons. But the hole will be much bigger and
deeper before the deposit has been exhausted, for there is still an ore
body of about eighteen million tons to mine. The early superintendent
was Bert Angst, and A. E. W^ilson is now general superintendent.
The pro]:)erty is now in the control of the Rogers-Brown Iron Com-
pany, a Chicago promotion.
Sweeney. — The Sweeney Mine was discovered by E. F. Sweeney
and J. B. Adams. Leased to the Denora ^Mining Company, and later
absorbed by the Oliver Iron Mining Com])any. The property has
a deposit of about 1,800.000 tons, but has only yielded about 8.000
tons. It is interesting in one respect, in that "it has a very light
surface" and should have been one of the first discovered, the ore
being "but a few inches" below the surface in places, and located
"on the old ( Irand Ra])ids road" which was traxclk'd o\-er for years
by mining men without l)fing suspected." It was not discovered
until vm.
Utica Mine. — The I^tica mine is a Pickands Mather property,
and it has yielded, to end of 1<U9, 3,999,524 tons. It was explored in
1900 bv Thomas J- Jones and others, and leased to Pickands Mather.
Under Robert Murray it was develo])ed as an open-pit and as an
underground mine, first shipment being made in PX)2, 9,009 tons.
There is an available deposit of about 2,700,000 tons.
548 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Webb Mine. — The Webb mine was explored by P. H. Nelson in
1901. An underground mine was developed by the Shenango Ore
Company, but shipments did not begin until 1905. D. C. Peacock
was superintendent. Up' to the end of 1919, the total quantity
shipped was 1,524,746 tons. The mine still belongs to the same
people, the Shenango Furnace Co., E. J. Maney being manager, and
H. S. Rankin superintendent. It is a valuable property, having almost
ten million tons of ore still available.
Great Northern Iron Ore Properties. — When the United States
Steel Corporation was organized in 1901, "panic seized owners of
mining property." They felt that they had lost their ore market.
It is said that "one could have bought the whole of the Mesabi range
(that lay outside the Oliver Iron Mining enclosure) for little more
than the Dutch gave for Manhattan Island." But there were some
independent operators and financiers who were more courageous. A
few, who saw further, gathered up handfuls of these begging prop-
erties, and it "was not long before there began the first era of lasting
prosperity the range had known." Independent steel manufacturers
were in the market for ore, and the demand expanded amazingly.
The history of the Mesabi range indicates that "it has alTlicted
with additional wealth men already laboring under great fortunes."
Lumbermen who bought these lands for a trifling price, for the
timber only, found themselves "besieged by promoters who pleaded
for leave to pay them a million or so for their discard. Rockefeller
loaned a million and was recompensed by fifty. Carnegie, yielding to
Oliver's entreaties, to buy something that cost him not a penny, was
thereby master of the situation. James J. Hill bought a second-hand
logging road to oblige a friend, and was introduced to an estate on
which he once placed a value of eight-hundred million dollars."
Hill, it seems, was indifferent to ore until almost forced into it.
by the Wright-Davis logging railroad purchase, by which, figuring
haphazardly, he knew to be worth $60.000;000, in ore values. But
soon he took up the ore matter deliberately, and to the surprise of the
steel men gathered in all the "odds and ends" they had passed by,
and made the "odds and ends" into the "enormous assembly of ore"
the Great Northern properties represent. In a few years, his holdings
became almost as enormous as those of the Steel Corporation, which
could not permit him to have such a weapon of raw material to "hold
over their heads." To keep the supremacy for the Steel Corporation,
to maintain a safe base in raw materials, the United States Steel
Corporation were forced to come to James J. Hill eventually, and pay
him a larger royalty than had ever been paid on Mesabi ore. The
matter is dealt with in the general Mesabi Range chapter, of this
work.
Going back to the beginning, A. W. Wright and C. H. Davis,
of Saginaw, and John Killoren and M. H. Kelly, of Duluth, acquired
at the early land sales about six thousand acres of timber land, much
of it along the Mesabi range. They built a logging road from Swan
River into the heart of their land, which was near Hibbing, and
commenced logging. The Weyerhaeusers were their best customers,
and eventually the Wright and Davis syndicate offered them what
timber they had remaining, with the land as well, for a million and a
half. The Weyerhaeusers thought it better to take the timber for
$1,300,000, and leave the land in the possession of Wright and Davis.
Cut-over land was then worth from $2 to $5 an acre, where settle-
ment was possible. That on 6,000 acres did not represent much, and
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 549
taxes were a small but certain liability. Still, cut-over land "beyond
the pale of civilization" was not worth having. So the great timber
barons took only the timber, forming a company to handle the logs.
Wright and Davis still had the land, which they looked upon as a
"white elephant," and even though there were certain discoveries of
iron made, they could not get anyone to "nibble" at their holding
when offered for $3.00 an acre. So they held it, having no option. A
few years later the Mahoning mine was developed on their land ; then
the Stevenson. In 1899, James J. Hill paid them $4,000,000 for their
land, and their railway.
He was c]uite satisfied with the transaction, knowing its poten-
tialities, yet it does not seem that he was over-anxious to enter into
mining operations himself. And had it not been for the formation of
the huge steel corporation in 1901, and the consequent "flurry" amorjg
independent mining companies of the Mesabi range, it is doubtful
whether he would have invested further in ore lands, even with a
legitimate accessory, a railway. But when the deflation came, he
saw his opportunity and bought Mesabi ore properties courageously,
being quite content to hold them until the great steel corporation
came to him, as has been elsewhere stated. The astounding leasing
contract made by Hill with Judge Gary of the Steel Corporation in
1907, held until 1915, and while he drew enormous royalties during
that period, incidentally, the steel corporation developed some im-
portant properties for Mr. Hill, leaving him much richer in mines
when the contract terminated than he had been when it began.
That is the history of Hibbing mining in general, and it is a
sufficiently sensational story to be fiction instead of fact.
Many of the important mines of the Great Northern have within
recent years been taken over (on a royalty basis of course) by the
Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, which has been operating on the
Mesabi range since 1903, and in recent years has been finding em-
ployment for about 900 men. In 1919, a subsidiary corporation, the
Mesabi Cliffs Iron Mining Company, was organized, to operate the
leases from the Great Northern, the properties including the Boeing
mine at Hibbing, the Hill and Trumbull mines at Marble, and the
North Star at Taconite. The Boeing mine is being opened as an
open-pit and milling proposition, and the Winston Deere Company
began stripping operations in 1920. Previously, in September, 1919,
the Mesaba Cliffs Company had begun to sink a shaft, for under-
ground devclo])ment of the property. The Hill and Trumbull mines,
which adjoin, are to be operated as an open pit, though until taken
over by the Mesaba Iron Mining Company no stripping had been
attempted on the Trumbull. The Hill was one of the properties
developed by the Steel Corporation during the leasing. The North
Star was also opened by the Oliver Com])any. Altogether, James
T. Hill did (|uite well by his introduction to the Mesabi range, through
the initial transaction with the Saginaw lumbermen, Wright and
Davis.
There are one or two other Hibbing properties worthy of men-
tion, among them: the Kerr, which included the Sheridan, discovered
by James Sheridan, in 1894, and now one of the Oliver properties;
the Morton, a I'ickands Mather mine; the Philbin, operated by the
Oliver Company ; and some inactive mines. Hut page space is un-
fortunately not unlimited, and more s])acc has already been given to
the recording of the important Hibbing mining history than had been
originally planned.
550 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Municipal History
When men first were drawn to township 57-20, they were at-
tracted by possibilities in lumber. Some men saw only lun)ber,
nothing else meant "bread and butter" to them. Such a cruiser inust
have been John Day, who, according to a well-authenticated storv,
published in the "St. Paul's Despatch," May 20, 1918, stood upon tlie
site of Hibbing many years before it was settled, and actually knew
that there was iron in the immediate vicinity — knew it without being
in any way excited by the knowledge. The story is :
Twenty-five or more j-ears ago, John Day, a land cruiser for the lum-
• bering interests, stopped one evening, near sundown, to get his bearings. The
country was new to him, and to his companion. Neither had ever been in
that section of Minnesota before.
They decided to take their bearings, and so unslung their compass. But
the instrument was crazy; the needle danced this way and that. It whirled
round and round. It refused to perform its proper duties as a compass.
Wonderstruck, Day and his companion, carefully moved the instrument to
another place. But still it danced and whirled, and whirled and danced.
Never in his long life as a cruiser had old man Day experienced a similai
phenomenon. The two men cast anxious looks at each other, and then at
the sun, which was rapidly sinking in the west. Here they were, lost in the
great north woods, with a crazy compass.
Old man Day cursed softly to himself, and slowly scratching his head
boxed the compass.
"Son" he said, turning a sorrowful face to his companion, "\^'e camp
right here. Build a fire."
He sat down on a log, lit his pipe and smoked for a while in silence.
Then:
"Son, I reckon I've got it. There's iron round about here somewhere,
and some day some tenderfoot is going to find it. But that ain't your business
nor mine just now, and I don't reckon it'll be of any use in your time or mine,
anyhow; so, after we've had a l)ite, we'll turn in and get away from here to-
morrow."
And so they camped that night less than a mile from the mouth of the
great Mahoning open-pit mine, which, until the past few years, was the greatest
ore-producing property in the world.
Today, on the spot where old man Day stood, in impenetrable wilderness,
stands the city of Hibbing.
Day was not the only man who, in the eighties, knew that there
was iron along the Mesabi range. But there was little activity in
logging, or in mining exploration, until Longyear cut a road "west-
ward as far as Nashwauk," in 1891. The Wright and Davis logging
operations had been proceeding since the late eighties slowly north-
ward along their logging railroad, which started "at what was called
Mississippi Landing, across from the old Duluth and Winnipeg rail-
road at Swan River Junction, eight miles east of the Mississippi."
The railroad, however, did not reach the vicinity of Hibbing until
1894, according to Joseph Moran, who was a cruiser for the Wright
and Davis syndicate at the time. And there was probably very little
logging done until the railroad was near, whereas hot-footed on the
heels of Longyear came mining explorers, in 1891. So that after the
"tote" road had been cut through (and one seems to have been cut
through all the way from [Mountain Iron, where mining explorations
were feverishly pursued at that time) there seems little doubt that
logging became of secondary importance, excepting to the lumber-
men. It interested the mining men only so far as logging was
necessary to clear the timber from the land they wished to explore and
develop. Yet, while mining was the direct and lumbering the inci-
dental activity in the first years of Hibbing, the place was to an
extent a lumber camp for some time after Frank Hibbing began "to
explore for iron, late in 1891, or early in 1892. Soon, the Hibbing
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 551
district had many little exploration camps, and with the coming and
going of interested mining men, a central community, not very regu-
larly delineated, came into evidence in the vicinity of the spot later
chosen by the Hibbing townsite projectors. The community, with-
out legal authority, came to be known as "Superior," because of
Frank Hibbing's first find, the Superior mine, presumably.
The original landowners of the site of Hibbing are stated to have
been Martin B. Hull, Rudolph Ostman and Marshall Alworth. All
were purchasers of timber land in the range townships in 1882, al-
though in 1892 Al. H. Alworth was also identified with Frank Hib-
bing and A. J. Trimble in mining explorations. The land had be-
come so potentially valuable in minerals by the time Hibbing and
Trimble thought of platting a townsite that it was impossible for
them to purchase outright the land they wanted for townsite pur-
poses. They had to be content with a leasehold, and so it happened
that the village of Hibbing eventually was termed, "The Town on
Wheels," and ultimately was destined to be actually raised onto
wheels and transported to a new site, two miles or so distant, the
land upon which it had rested and developed for a generation being
especially important to, and needed by, the landlord and mining com-
pany, seeing that for a depth of two or three hundred feet the town-
site was all iron ore, of high grade, probably a hundred million
tons of it.
Platting the Townsite. — The original towmsite of Hibbing was
platted by H. L. Chapin, a civil engineer, in the spring of 1893, for
Frank Hibbing and A. J. Trimble, leaseholders. The original plat
embraced, according to the subsequent petition for incorporation,
"Lot five (5), and the se. qr. of ne. qr. of section 6, in township ^7 n.,
range 20 w." The plat was "designated as the town of Hibbing" and
"on the fifth day of June, 1893, duly approved and certified by the
Plat Commission of * -'= .* St. Louis County," and "on the sixth
day of June, 1893, duly filed in the office of the Register of Deeds
* * * in r.ook F. of plats."
Conditions at that Time. — C. M. Atkinson, editor of the "Mesaba
Ore," wrote in 1902 some interesting "Early Day History of Hib-
bing," gathering his material, in part, from John B. Conner, a pioneer
settler. He begins:
From the time Mr. Longyear completed the connecting link of the road
in from Swan River, there were comings and goings and, with the announce-
ment of the discovery of iron ore, many people came in here with the intention
of remaining with the new camp. New mining camps had sprung up all along
the range, and many of them had been seriously overdone, and the overflow,
looking for a new world to conquer, came here. Some of the early travelers
are here yet, and mighty good citizens they are too. After a time a considerable
"town"' of shacks and tents came up, from no one knew where, and the little
settlement in the wilderness was known as "Superior."
Additions were made to tlTc village from time to time. Hibliing and
. Trimble, of I)uluth, secured interest in iron lands here and nearliy, and
Mr. liil)lMng, having full faith in the future of this end of the range, finally
decided to make a town and call it Hibbing — a name good enough for anybody,
or any town.
.Accordingly, he selected the townsite, started a crew of surveyors at
work, and the announcement <if the birth of a husky robust infant was re-
corded in the court liouse at Duluth in June, 1893.
The struggle for existence was a most fierce one, and that every man in
town was not discouraged and quit the "diggings" is sometliing to be won-
dered at, as one stn])s to look back at the sore trials that lieset the pioneers
of what is now the leading village of the Xorthwest. Virginia was then the
center of attraction of the whole range, and when Hil)liing was announced it
was made the laughing-stock of the wdiole country.
552 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
That conditions were rigorous for the pioneers of Hibbing may-
be well imagined. It was almost inaccessible. The railway had not
reached it in 1892, and the journey along the "tote" road from Mesaba
Station, the nearest railway point, was well-nigh unbearable. The
traffic, along the dirt, and in the worst spots corduroyed, mountain
road to Mesaba Station in 1891 and 1892 was exceptionally heavy,
there being innumerable mining carnps needing supplies, with mining
equipment as well as provender, and the road was at time almost im-
passable. The further to the westward the mining camp lay the
harder the conditions, and Hibbing at that time was almost the
farthest westward. During those first years of the nineties, Captain"
A. H. Stevens, who later joined Oliver in mining work, had about
thirty horses employed constantly in hauling supplies westward from
Mesaba Station, and to make a "round trip'' between that point and
Hibbing seven days were needed. Today, the distance could be
covered, by auto, in a few hours at most. The freight rate from
Mesaba Station to Hibbing was six cents a pound, and mining com-
panies had the preference. Frank Hibbing paid $100 a ton for hay.
The hardships were made even harder in 1893 by the almost
universal depression. As the year advanced, money actually was not
to be had, and what work was not absolutely urgent was postponed.
Where work was found, payment was usually "in kind," food being
the most acceptable. Much of the exploration work was continued
on "grub-stakes," and one of the modes of payment in currency was
in "clearing house certificates." That state of aft'airs prevailed not-
withstanding that, from August of 1893, the great John D. Rocke-
feller, was in command, to all intents, of the mining activities of Frank
Hibbing and his associates. What would have happened in Hibbing
had the great financier not taken hold at that time is hard to con-
jecture. It is quite certain however that at that time Hibbing, Trim-
ble, and Alworth had little or no money. Atkinson quotes Conner
as stating that :
The winter of 1893-94 was very dull; there was little or no work of any
kind going on. The "jumping lumberjacks" were paid anywhere from $6 to
$12 a month, and were compelled to accept due bills, payable the following
January. The discount on this paper was from 25 to 50 per cent, and jobs
were exceedingly hard to get even at that figure. Therefore, inducement
was not great to work in the woods, and there was very little exploring going
on. A few men were being employed by W. C. Agnew, for the Mahoning
Company, and it is history that Mr. Agnew created for himself the title of
"The Working Man's Friend." He employed all the men he could make room
for and paid them from $40 to $60 per month. After pay-day, a Mahoning
miner was looked up to with respectful awe in Hibbing, and the less fortunate
ones speculated on whether he could buy a railroad, a line of steamships, or go
to Europe for an extended vacation. Hibbing at that time was a mere handful
of buildings on the townsite proper, but there were all kinds of shacks, pictur-
esque, grotesque, and otherwise, in all directions. They were occupied for the
most part by men who did not know where the next meal was coming from.
In the early morning, a person might stand on the west end of Pine street^
(that being the only street in town) and not see another man. Between 9 and"
10 o'clock the shackers would begin to crawl out, and froni that time on could
be seen a continuous string of men coming in from all directions. That was
the army of "shackers" who lived in the woods on all sides of Hibbing. The
tract of land west of First avenue was then known as Cedar Dale.
First Business Men in Hibbing. — The first boarding house "of
any note" in Hibbing was that established by Patrick Slattery, though,
somewhat earlier, "a mining-camp shanty was run awhile by Joseph
Stewart." "Prior to August, 1893, all there was of Hibbing" stated
Mr. Atkinson, "was what was called the Hay Market, located north
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 553
and northwest of the present power plant." Murphy Brothers, it appears,
"had the first general store established in Hibbing; it was housed in a
tent on the lot where later stood the saloon of Ed. LaChance." James
Gandsey was the second to open business, having a grocery store. He
was a grocery man in Hibbing for very many years. The first to open
an "exclusive dry-goods store" was the firm of O'Leary, Bowser and
Day. In 1920, Air. Day was still conducting the same business at
208 Pine Street. Berdie also was one of the early general-store
dealers of Hibbing. •
Petition to Incorporate. — The petition to incorporate the platted
portion, and also quite a considerable additional acreage, in all about
2,560 acres in townships 57-20 and 57-21, was circulated in June, 1893.
It was signed by 89 persons, the first to sign being John Meehan. The
petition stated that a census had been taken on June 6, 1893, and dis-
closed that there were 326 persons then resident upon the land for
which corporate powers were sought. Petition bore date of July 7,
1893, and it was filed with the county auditor at Duluth without delay.
On July 11, 1893, the county commissioners approved, and ordered
that election to make known the will of the majority of the inhabi-
tants, be held on August 15th next, at the ofiice of the Lake Superior
Mining Company. Dennis Haley, Ed. Champion and Dl. Dugan
were appointed inspectors of election. Frank Hibbing was deputed
to see that election notices were properly posted, and testified soon
afterwards that he had posted notices in five places : at Lake Superior
Iron Company's ofiice ; at the Trumble Sawmill; at the Lake Superior
Iron Co.'s shaft house ; at Brown's hotel ; and at Bradley's store. The
election was duly held, and 106 votes were cast, 105 being for in-
corporation.
First Election. — The way was thus clear, and the commissioners
ordered election of officers to be held on August 30, 1893, at the same
place. The outcome was that J. F. Twitchell, who seems to have been
unopposed, was elected president of the village, receiving 176 of 176
votes cast. The other first officials chosen were also almost unani-
mously elected. They were : John McHale, J. D. Campbell, and
T. N. Nelson, trustees ; C. T. Robinson, recorder ; Dennis Flaley,
treasurer; Ed. Champion and G. L. Robinson, justices of the peace;
John Meehan and Patrick Harrington, constables.
Regarding the first election, and the outcome, Mr. Atkinson
wrote :
The first election of the new village of Hibhin.^ was a special, held
August 8, and J. F. Twitchell was elected president, without opposition.
Mr. Twitchell at that time was timekeeper, storekeeper, and cashier for
Granville and Sullivan, the contractors who were doing construction work on
the extension of the Duluth, Missabe and Northern railway, from Wolf to
Hibbing. The ticket elected however did not suit the fancy of the shackers.
The Shackers' Union. — They decided to organize a "union" for self-pro-
tection. Xo time was lost, and the union was soon organized, with Robert
F. Berdie as president, and J. B. Connor secretary. .Xs there was not thirty
cents in the whole bunch, a treasurer was deemed an unnecessary luxury. The
object of the union was a most worthy one, Iieing to fill the elective oftices of
the village with men who would pledge themselves to have village work done
by the day, instead of by contract (some of the work was done by the year).
Second Election. — Drawing on the time of the regular election, a caucus
was duly called in "Germany Hall," a small doul)le-log cabin, in use by
Mr. Sellers in exploring the land now occupied by the Sellers mine. This
camp was situated near the former otTicc of tlie .Minnesota Iron Company, and
was one of the very first buildings erected in Hibliing. The caucus was called
to order and the man who was not a member of the Shackers Union was hard
554 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
to find * * * There was no opposition to the names presented, and the
following village ticket was speedily placed in nomination: R. F. Berdie, for
village president; J. B. Connor, for recorder; James Geary, D. C. Young and
John McHale, trustees; D. Healy, for treasurer; John F. Meehan and
W. F. Dalton, for constables. The opposition ticket was: J. Fred Twitchell,
for president; C. F. Robinson, for recorder; Burton Hurd, J. D. Campbell, and
James Geary, for trustees; D. Healy, for treasurer; John E. Meehan and
John McHale, for constables. The S:hackers elected their ticket, with the
exception of Mr. Berdie for president and Mr. Dalton for constable.
Mr. Twitchell, however, did not continue in office for long. His
policies probably met with opposition ; at all events, he soon resigned,
and James Gandsey succeeded him as president before 1894 was far
spent.
Pioneer Hotels. — ^Continuing John B. Connor's narrative Air. At-
kinson wrote :
The winter of 1893-4 was very dull * * * There were three hotels
in the town that winter, the Coffinger, the Brown, and the Cosmopolitan, and
James Dillon had a restaurant, located where the New York restaurant now
stands. The Hotel Superior was commenced that winter.
The Cosmopolitan hotel was owned by Dorsey and McKinary. Dorsey
was one of those freehearted fellows who could not see anyone go hungry if
he could help it, and, as a result, his business partner was often taxed to the
limit to keep things going. The dining room of the Cosmopolitan was about
24x40 feet, with three tables extending the full length of the room. Dorsey
would throw open the door, and announce dinner as follows: "Take it" — in
a voice that penetrated the depths of Cedar Vale. That was the signal: and
the jam at the tables made light of the opening of an Indian reservation in
Oklahoma * * * In less than an hour, everything eatable had vanished
from sight, and Dorsey would say confidentially to his partner: "There was
about half-a-dozen money guys in that bunch." _ It was a common occurrence
to see hanging over the Cosmopolitan every Friday or Saturday the following
notice, printed in large letters: "No more stiffs wanted — this place is closed."
The hotel 'had a bar-room in .connection, and Dorsey would take in enough
money over the bar in a few days to buy a ham and a sack of flour, and, re-
ceiving a grape-vine telegram a few days later, announcing the intended visit
of a few strangers, he would promptly declare the Cosmopolitan open for
business again.
Besides the hotels, however, there were eight saloons in Hibbing
in 1893. They were those conducted by Churchill and Sullivan,
Eugene Brown, John Munter, J. D. Campbell, Thomas Shank. John
Bruce and James Geary. One incident of the earliest year is referred
to by Mr. Atkinson thus:
In the "woolly" days of the town "Dufif" Campbell, now of Duluth, occu-
pied a tent on Pig Tail Alley, wherein he conducted a first class sample room.
It is hinted that be manufactured his own hardware and varnish. * * * As
is usual in all new mining camps, there were many "hangers-on," who were
no good to themselves, or anyone else. Duff had a number of these customers,
and one, more aggressive than the others, pestered Mr. Campbell unrelentingly.
After the usual request for "just one more, for a bracer ye know," Mr. Camp-
bell handed the vagabond ten cents and told him to go and buy a rope and
hang himself." He did so. "That was the first suicide in Hibbing."
Another reminiscence repeated by Mr. Atkinson is to the efitect
that:
W. C. Barrett was the first wholesale beer agent. The goods (of Fjt-
ger's celebrated stock) came overland from Mountain Iron, hotter and frothier
than * * * after the long jolt. But we drank it, smacked our lips, and said
it was good; probably because whisky was cheaper at that time.
And yet one more of Mr. Atkinson's reminiscences connects with
"the Trade." He wrote :
There is a difference of opinion as to the first ball held in Hibbing. Sev-
eral of the very old-time swell-set declare that the first dance antedated that
held in the "new bank building" by several months, and that it was held
in a tent, which was located near wbere the Center Street School building
now stands. A keg of beer was on tap for refreshments * * *, and it is
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 555
recorded that tlie weather was so cold that the "snout" of the keg froze up
solid, and about half the fun was spoiled.
First Franchise. — The first franchise granted by the viHage of
Hibbing was to Messrs Hibbing and Trimble, who organized the
Hibbing Light and Water Company. The ordinance under reference
is No. 8, which was adopted on February 27, 1894. When it became
known that Hibbing and Trimble would soon be laying water-mains,
the poverty-stricken and unemployed residents of the village felt that
relief was at hand, in work for the water company. But they were
doomed to disappointment. The contract for the laying of the mains
and erection of supply tank was placed with Fairbanks, Morse and
Company, which company imported men to lay the water-mains on
Pine Street and Third Avenue. As Mr. Connors described the hap-
pening, to Mr. Atkinson :
A long, gimlet-eyed, red-headed, seven-foot gasbag named Hammer, from
St. Paul, was brought in by the construction company to superintend the work.
Mr. Hammer ignored the Shackers by bringing his own crew of workmen
along with him. Hammer was up against no less than a dozen physical en-
counters a day at the start, and he finally armed himself with a two-faced
ax, for protection. However, the work was completed, and was the means
of bringing some money to the famishing town.
First Bond Issue. — Arising out of the first franchise granted came
the first bond issue. Ordinance No. 10, following resolution adopted
by the village council on April 30, 1895, made provision for the issu-
ance of bonds to the extent of $11,400, so that the village might pur-
chase the water plant of the Hibbing Light and Water Company, for
$9,700, and make certain extensions to the service at an expense
of $1,700.
It was therefore not long before that valuable public utility be-
came municipally owned, at little expense. As a matter of fact, Frank
Hibbing had to all interests, loaned the village the sum necessary to
establish the waterworks, having apparently never intended to hold
the franchise for his personal profit.
Improvement in General Conditions. — Although the "Shackers"
were disappointed because of their failure to get work on the water-
works contract, conditions soon began to improve, even though con-
ditions were "dull" throughout the whole of 1894. Mr. Atkinson
wrote :
About tliis time (completion of the waterworks contract in 1894), Frank
Hibl)ing advanced $3,000 to the country, for the purpose of building a road,
from Hibbing to the Mahoning mine. That caused a decided flurry in the
financial circles and every man boasted of the wave of prosperity that had at
last struck the town. Of the construction of the Mahoning road we give the
telling to Mr. Connor, who was there at the time:
"There arc not many of the old-timers who worked on that road now
(1902) with us, altliough I can name a few: Thomas McMillan, J. J. Stuart,
proprietor of the Hibbing Hotel; Dan Murphy, and myself. Poor old Trucky,
who had a ])lacksmith shop at that time also worked on the road, and carried
in five picks daily to be shari)enc(l at night, thus increasing his daily earnings
to $2.00, which was Si) cents more tlian the rest of us made. I remember
Peter ^icl lardy, the lumber dealer, bemoaning his ill-luck, because he was
laid up in bed with a fever, and could not get out to make $1..^0 a day, by
working on the road."
First Barber. — Hibbing was certainly improving, in general tone
and ])r(>si)ccts, and by the summer of 1894 a barber. A. C. Mc.\rthur,
apiK*areil in Ilibl)ing, and resolved to stay. He established his shop
at the s]K)t wluTt- later stood the Crystal restaurant, lie was follmved
bv James \'aii Merc. Maurice Hosteller later "oixmhmI a sho]-) in tlio
556 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Hotel Superior, and in a short time erected the building on Third
Avenue" later occupied by John Orr and Company.
Some of the Original Happenings. — One of the most interesting
"first" happenings, perhaps, was the tax levied, for all purposes, in the
village of Hibbing for its first municipal year, 1893. The total assessed
valuation of taxable property then was $31,318, and total tax was
$963.03. One is able to get a quick appreciation of the enormous
growth of Hibbing since that year by knowing the figures for recent
years. The county "Tax Notice for the Year 1920," shows that the
taxable value of Hibbing property in 1919 was $84,603,682, upon
which the total taxes for that year were $4,670,123, which is more
than one^fifth of the total revenue of the county. Add the Stuntz
township tax, $1,570,510, to that of Hibbing, and it is clear that Hib-
bing district yields more than one-fourth of the revenue of the w^hole
county. And St. Louis county is by far the largest tax-payer in the
state.
Interesting other first happenings are tabulated by Mr. Atkinson.
It appears that :
To Mr. and Mrs. Edw. Champion belong the honor of being the parents
of the first child born in Hibbing. The child was a boy, and was named
Philip. He did not, however, live.
Mrs. York was the first woman to arrive in Hibbing; she afterwards
'became Mrs. William Wills. (By the way, Joseph Moran claims that "Mrs.
Champion, wife of James Champion, engineer, was the first white woman to
reach Hibbing; that she came in on horseback, and that it was hard to state
which was ihorse and which was rider, the mud was so thick over them).
Mrs. Charles Gourdette was the first person who died in Hibbing.
There was no cemetery at that time, and the coffin was carried along a path
connecting the embryo village with Leighton's lumber camps, east of town.
In the woods, about forty rods off the trail, a cemetery was staked off, and
the grave is yet (1902) to be seen at the east end of Superior street. Pills'bury.
The 'first man who died here was James Dixon; he was the father of Miss
Jennie Dixon, of the telephone exchange.
The Hibbing News * * * was the first newspaper of Hibbing.
John Bergman, later a prosperous business man of Duluth. was a mem-
ber of one of the early village boards of trustees, and when a motion to install
an electric lighting plant came before the 'board, Mr. Bergman moved that
the "lection lamps be placed under the table." A motion to "adjoin" was
then made and carried.
D. C. Rood was the first resident physician and surgeon.
Hibbing's first postmaster was John Murphy.
The first depot was a D. M. & X. box-car.
John E. Meehan was the first policeman.
J. Fred Twitchell was the first real-estate agent.
Murphy brothers had the first hardware store.
John Daigle had the first restaurant, and he "made considerable money."
The first religious service was conducted by Reverend Mevel, who found
his way in here from Cloquet.
F. E. Doucher was the first lawyer.
The first drug store was established by J. H. Carlson and J. O. Walker.
Carlson later was the head of the Carlson Mercantile Company, and Walker
went to the county auditor's office in Duluth.
The first man arrested in Hibbing was "Padd}', the Pig"; 'he stole a
ham from Grocer Gandsey, and ham's were worth something in those days.
Ed Lehman was the first contractor and builder.
Mrs. Reynolds, now Mrs. Casey, was the first wash-woman. She made
money later in real estate.
Malcolm Noble was the first miner injured in the district. A bucket
fell fifty feet in the shaft at the Sellers mine, striking him on the head. The
injury was a bad one, but Mr. Noble weathered it.
James Dillon was the first drayman. On his dray was a sign which read:
"Pioneer Drayman." James Dillon is reputed to have moved one Hibbing
family six times in one year "on an advertising contract of $1.00 per." He
did well in business.
The first fire occurred on the morning of February 20, 1894, when the
Coppinger Hotel was burned.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 557
The pioneer ball in Hi'bbing took place on January 24, 1894. The party
was held in the "new bank building" now (1902) occupied iby W. J. Ryder's
furniture store. Tickets were placed on the market at $1.50 each, and it cut
even the pioneer swells to dig up $1.50 in those days. But the dollar-fifties
were forthcoming readily enough, when it was seen that there was no help
for it, and everybody went. And everybody had a jolly time. The floor
managers were J. F. Twitchell, G. G. Robinson, Dan McFadden, Mrs. J. J.
Stuart, and Miss Celia Gandsey.
The first banking institution started in Hibbing was the Bank of Hibbing,
wihich later became the Lumbermen's and Miners' Bank.
Early Mails. — It seems that the mails came in over the trail from
Mountain Iron in the early days before Hibbing was a railroad town.
There was no regular system of mail-carrying, but occasionally a
young man would come through, and for the carrying would be paid
"for the delivery of each letter."
First Post-Office. — The first post-ofBce was established in the
store of Murphy Brothers, said store having a tent for protection
against wind, rain, and yeggs. The tent was on First Avenue, but
before the winter came, the store and post-office were housed in a
stronger shelter, a frame building on Pine Street.
Abundance of Game. — In the hard times of the first year, 1893,
it indeed was fortunate for the "shackers" that there was an abun-
dance of game to be had. R. F. Berdie was responsible for the state-
ment that, at that time, "it was nothing unusual to step out and in
a few minutes kill, with a club, enough partridges to last a family a
day or so." Mr. Berdie also told "of a monster bull moose that he saw
standing in the street, near where the office of the 'Mesaba Ore' was
later located."
The Coming of the Railway. — Hibbing became a railroad station
in the fall of 1893, even though the first depot was only "a D. M. & X.
box-car." All depended on that vital transportation connection, and
had it been a normal year, instead of one in which all industry was
gasping — in all parts of the country — in an endeavor to recover from
the stifling effects of the world-wide money shortage there would
have been great rejoicing in Hibbing when the railway actually came.
There were many perplexing obstacles to overcome before the short
spur of steel track, from Wolf Junction cotild reach Hibbing. L.ack
of money stopped the work for months, and with the financial difii-
culty overcome, in August, 1893, there was still an uncanny natural
obstacle that for a time baffled the engineers. "Work was delayed
considerably by a sink-hole just one "mile east of the present depot.
The sink-hole was the most stubborn ever encountered in road-buikl-
ing in the Mesabi country. The track would be worked up to a level
at night, and in the morning it would be ten feet below." However,
the obstacle was finally overcome, and "Jack Dorsey, landlord of rhc
Cosmopolitan Hotel, drove the last spike that connected Hibbing
with the outside world."
Hibbing Fire Department. — Nibbing organized a fire department
in the summer of 1894. At the outset it was not much more than "'a
bucket brigade," because funds with which e(|ui]iment could be bought
was not to be had. Frank Hibbing, to help on the village, had under-
taken t(^ bear the ct)st of jiutting in a water system, that being an
urgent necessity for reasons of health. And he was approached for
funds to establish the fire brigade, but could not handle that expense
also, until an opportunity came, early in 1895, to acquire cheaply the
fire-fighting a])paratus of a decadent Mesabi place, the village of
Mcrritt, near ISiwabik. Nose cart and hose were purchased, and to
receive it a ]>ole and tackle was erected at the corner of Pine and
Vol. II — I
558 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Second avenue. On the morning of July 4th, 1895, the pole was
struck by lightning, "and shattered to its very foundations."
R. F. Berdie was the first fire chief, and had part thus in the beginning
of a municipal department of which Hibbing is most proud. In 1920,
the total valuation of the Hibbing fire equipment, not including the
water system, hydrants and real estate, but merely the legitimate fire-
fighting equipment, was $165,449.90. Cut ofif the 165 and you prob-
ably have the maximum figure paid to the village of Merritt for the
original second-hand equipment.
Hibbing in 1895. — One writer, who visited Hibbing for the first
time in 1895, described the place as follows :
In those days Hibbing lacked much of being a "right smart place."
* * * It was only a step from hotel to swamp, muskeag, or an outcrop of
rock. Many of those steps, too, had to be taken over a couple of planks,
instead of a cement sidewalk. Archie Chisholm was cashier in a dinky little
bank, limited in personal purse, but with a soul rich in hope. W. P. INIars,
now an official in a wholesale hardware firm of international importance,
then conducted a retail hardware here and did much of the heavy work with
his own hands. On that visit I met John A. Redfern. It was a warm sunny
da}' and he was setting a new boiler at the Penobscot mine, garbed in a red
undershirt that harmonized with his perspiring face and his rather vivid head
of hair.
In those days, Hibbing certainly was an ugly duckling. The U. S.
Steel Corporation had not yet been organized, and \'ictor L. Power was
wearing knee trousers, playing hookey, and thinking over whether he had
better -be a sailor or a soldier.
Notwithstanding appearances, conditions were brightening for
HibbincT in 1895. Atkinson writes :
'&
The coming of the summer of 1895 brought brighter prospects with it.
The D. M. & N., which had established its depot building at what was then
the south end of Third avenue, and did considerable track-laying, which
gave needed employment to the people. The Lake Superior Consolidated
Iron Mines * * * began preparation to open several mines, and that gave
the future a brighter tint than it ever had before. Property along Pine street
began to come up a little, and lots advanced in price from almost nothing to
$300, in some instances. The Itasca Mercantile Company- purchased the lots
it now (1902) occupies, at the corner of Pine street and Third avenue, from
Ole Hagerson. paying $750 therefor. The same lots cannot be had today
(1902) for twenty ttimes that sum. The year 1895 saw the opening of several
iron mines, and the town began to grow.
The City Hall was erected in 1895, and the village became a place
of dignity when in the winter of 1895-96 Frank Hibbing so far showed
his confidence in the future of Hibbing as to build "the first hotel
of first-class character erected on the range."
The Opening of the Hotel Hibbing. — The Hotel Hibbing was
opened on February 22, 1896, and "it was an event that interested
the people of the entire range." Atkinson writes :
The Hotel Hibbing was opened with a grand hall on Saturday, Feb-
ruary 22, 1896. Excursion trains were run from Duluth and all of the range
towns and our good neighbors drove across country from Grand Rapids to
join -in the festivities. The reception committee was: F. Brady, F. H. Dear,
Frank Hibbing, P. F. Eagan, Tames Gandsev, Garry Graham, W. L. Hon-
nold, M. H. Godfrey, James Geary, T. B. Beethold. A. M. Chisholm, Dr. D. C.
Rood, C. H. Munger, Dr. G. X. Burchart, P. Mitchell, and Dr. M. H. Man-
son. The floor committee of the memorable ball was Wm. H. Wright, D.
McEachin, F. E. Halbert, A. H. Sicard, C. F. Sheldon, W. L. Selden, and
Thomas J. Godfrey.
The Hibbing, until quite recently, when it became necessary to
remove the lower end of town to the new townsite at South Hibbing,
was the more exclusive of the two leading hotels of Hibbing. But
it, and the other hotel, the Oliver, would, in any event, be hope-
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 559
lessly outclassed by the four-story fire-proof structure that was in
process of erection in the fall of 1920 at South, or new, Hibbing. The
Androy Hotel, a palatial hostelry of 162 rooms and 100 baths, prom-
ises to excell all hotels in the county, even including the Spaulding of
Duluth.
However, such a structure was not even the subject of the
craziest dream of even the most optimistic Hibbingite, of the '90s.
Hibbing for Long Literally a Mining Village. — As a matter of
fact, Hibbing for very many years was a mining village, a place where-
in mining was supreme, and where all other considerations were sec-
ondary. Hemmed in as she was by mines on three sides of her, and
actually not owning the ground upon which she stood, her position,
as a municipality, and as a place of homes, was not an enviable one.
The attitude of the mining company was that the people were there
because of the mines ; which of course was true. They argued, or
thought, that the people without the mines, without the employment
the mines gave and the money the mines circulated, would starve ;
consequently, the comfort and interests of the people must be sub-
ordinate or secondary to the interests of the mining companies. And
when it became necessary to blast, for instance, within dangerous
proximity to the home of the people, the people must make the best
they could of such conditions, which were unavoidable. One writer,
who may have been perhaps, somewhat too graphic in his description,
pictured the condition in the following words :
You sit with your little family around the tabic, partaking of the humble
repast your daily pittance allows you. Suddenly a mig-htj- roar and blast
shakes everything in view, and a few seconds later there comes crashing
through your roof, or windows, the upheaved rpcks and debris, endangering
your lives and the lives of j^our loved ones. Picture the condition as a daily
occurrence. Likewise imagine yourself walking upon the public streets of
a town and then be suddenly forced to flee for safety into shelter, from sim-
ilar causes.
Put yourself in the place of a merchant, having erected a suitable build-
ing for your use, to wake some day to see the yawning abyss right at your
door, witih the hungry maws of the steam shovel tearing away at your streets.
And this is just what happened here.
Such a condition has been duplicated, in respect to caving, in
quite recent years in the great city of Scranton, Pennsylvania, where
cavings have dropped buildings, or parts of buildings, without warn-
ing, 20, 30 or 40 feet into the bowels of the earth. But at any time
in early, or in modern, times such a state of things is deplorable. It
held llibbing down for many years, just as similar conditions in
Scranton, Pennsylvania, resulted in an increase of only 3 per cent in
its population during the last decade. However, most wrongs are
righted eventually. Unreasonable conditions cannot prevail for long.
But the righting of Ilibbing's wrong came by an unusual se(|uence
of events. The condition at Hibbing in its early years, and the ulti-
mate remedy were referred to in the- "St. Paul Despatch," of Mav
29, 1918, thus:
In the early days, open-pit mining encroached upon the town of Hibbing
from all sides, and the clatter and roar of the steam shovels and the blast
of explosives filled the air day and ni^lit. The din resembled at all hours a
miniature battle (if the .'\isnc.
With each and every blast, the rocks and shale had a most unjilcasant
way of coming down through one's roof, or giving one a sudden attack of
heart failure, by falling in one's immediate neighborhood. Hibbing was being
literally blasted <<(( the ma]). P.ut nobody complaineil. It was expected as a
matter of cnur.-e — an hourly docunrcnce. It was Ir^n, and llii)bing was iron.
The iron and the l)lasting went hand in hand, and there could be no com-
plaint.
560 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
But Fate had written that things were to change. Down near the edge
of Sellers' open-pit mine lived a Swede named Iver Lind.. Lind owned a
span of Kentucky mules. These animals, lean and angular, powerful and
stu'bborn, were Lind's choicest possession. Long ago they had become ac-
customed to the din of the dynamite and the steam shovel.
One morning Lind was harnessing his mules, preparatory to starting his
day's labors. Half harnessed they were, and Lind was sweating and swearing
over their stubbornness, congratulating himself, withal, upon owning such a
perfect span when, suddenly the whistle in the Sellers' mine blew a warn-
ing note.
A blast was due. It was too late for either Iver or his mules to get to
shelter.
Bang. The blast tore loose. It sent a barrage of stones and gravel
high in the air. * * * One of the descending rocks struck one of Lind's
mules.
This was something to which the mule had never become accustomed.
Wit'h a kick and a bray he broke loose. The bray filled the air, whil'e the
kick found lodgment in Lind's anatomy.
Iver rose full of wrath. First, the mules and then the mining company
was to feel the weight of his anger. Into the barn, with accompanying blows
and curses, went the mules. To the office of power went Iver.
At once the Swede wanted to start injunction proceedings against the
Sellers' Mining Company. The ensuing action affected only Lind's property,
but its results were far-reaching.
It started a legal battle in Hibbing which extended over several years,
and attracted and aroused the interest of the entire country.
Here are some of the results of the suit, and the resultant injunction:
a. It cost the mining companies several million dollars, they now
admit.
b. It paved every street in Hibbing.
c. Likewise, in every street it installed a white-way.
d. It woke the people of Hibbing up with a start.
e. It brought them a clearer realization of a number of problems affect-
ing their welfare than they ever had before.
f. It roused the Hi'bbing spirit, and that sustained the people of Hib-
bing through one of the most trying periods in the history of the town.
g. It put thousands of dollars into the pockets of the people, who now
are disposing of their holdings on the "north forty."
It is the best thing all round, that ever happened to Hibbing, and every-
body realizes it now.
And so, with an injunction growing out of a kick of a mule, peace, com-
parative quiet, and much prosperity, came to Hibbing.
The Outstanding Figure. — The outstanding figure in this period
of Hibbing's history, this period of evolution — it has been called
revolution — undoubtedly was Victor L. Power, "who worked his way
through the mines as a blacksmith" and thus knew mining conditions
almost as well as he knew Blackstone and state law, when he took
up the legal fight for the people of Hibbing against the mining com-
panies. He has been termed : "Hibbing's Fighting Mayor," and
again: "Little Grant of the North," and in the years of litigation, so
strenuously prosecuted by the mining companies until they came to
the realization that human rights, the right of life and limb, are pre-
eminent. Attorney Power demonstrated his ability at the legal bar.
He has many enemies — that much may be inferred ; every forceful
successful man is envied ; indeed, the man who never made enemies,
never did anything worth envying — but Victor Power is undoubtedly
the outstanding figure in the municipal history of Hibbing, and Hib-
bing has been wonderfully transformed since he became mayor, in
1913. Quoting from a campaign statement recently issued by the
"Power Administration," it appears that extraordinary development
has come to Hibbing since 1913. The statement reads, in part:
Victor L. Power's first service as a village official began in March,
1912. At that time Hibbing was a ragged village of only 8,250 souls. Today,
the population has incerased to 15,082.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY . 561
When the so-called "Little Giant of the North" first became president
of the Village of Hibbing, there were only one and a half miles of pavement;
today there are fifteen miles. In addition, there are twenty-six miles of
graded and gravelled streets. In 1912 there were not more than seven miles
of concrete sidewalks; today there are twenty-twp miles. Then full account
must be taken of forty miles of water mains and sanitary and storm sewers.
* * * a beautiful park system has been developed. First came
Mesaba Park, in the very heart of the village, with greenhouse, grassy lawns,
shrubbery, flowers, rustic seats and a bandstand. It was a small, but very
attractive, breathing place. * * *
Then came Bennett Park. 61 acres in area and developed at a cost of
$300,000, as artistic as anj^thing ancient Greece ever possessed * * * neat
fences, * * * driveways, * * * bandstand, * * * White-way, * * *
conservatory, * * * refectory, a swimming and wading pool for children,
apparatus * * * for children's games, and fifteen out-of-door picnic stoves
for the use of picnic parties. Athletic Park, embracing 20 acres, improved
at a cost of $20,000 * * * for baseball, basket ball, * * * a warming
house for winter skating, and other features. * * *
* * * a public library building that cost $250,000. * * *
* * * a complete new water system, at a cost of $750,000.
An up-to-date electric power and municipal heating plant * * * the
admiration of engineers of international fame; its cost was $l,3{X),0O0. A mu-
nicipal gas plant * * * $289,000; and a city incinerator, cost $55,000.
* * * a detention hospital, finished in 1920, at a cost of $35,000. * * *
* * * a newer, bigger, and carefully-planned town (on the new town-
site) Sout'h Hibbing.
The most recent aim of the Power administration is to bring into
operation a city form of government, which "will bring in much out-
lying territory, and make a city of about twenty square mil'es." Cer-
tainly, the advance of Hibbing during the years of the Power ad-
ministration has been rapid. And, fundamentally, Victor L. Power
seems to be obsessed by the desire to institute public improvements
which will bring to the realization of the alien people who have been
attracted to the district by the opportunity of work (which it must
be admitted is lucrative) in the mines, that their lot in America is not
merely a day of toil and a night of domestic squalor. The wonderful
schools of Hibbing and other range places, and the parks, libraries,
and suchlike provisions have their effect. Hibbing is no longer a
"mining camp" ; it is a metropolitan, cosmopolitan city, in which the
hornv-handed miner may, and does, hold his head high, and provide
for his family a typical American home. Hibbing has changed. Not
many years ago "Hibbing, as a town, looked little better than some
of the mere mining camps, ramshackle and tough in exterior, and
with housing conditions of a kind that put the blush of shame on the
slums of our biggest cities." Today Hibbing is an object lesson in
what is possible in "the Melting-Pot of the World."
Of course, all the credit is not due to the Power administration ;
the mining companies are deserving of ])art. Without the co-opera-
tion of the mining companies, such advancement would be impossible,
and it will probably be admitted that they have gone "more than
half-way" in recent years — since they reached the point where they
appreciated that the mining company did not have supreme jurisdic-
tion over all the affairs of the miner that life and limb have right of
place even before the vital interests of great industrial enterprises.
New Hibbing is a convincing demonstration of the good that comes by
union of classes, by co-ojjcration of emi)loycr and employee. All
prosper; and accomplish marvels.
There is little more space available, so the remaining historical
records must be brielly stated.
Annexations and Additions. — The l^illsbury addition was the first
made to the boundaries of the village of Hibbing; that comprised forty
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DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 563
acres, adjoining the original townsite on the south. It was platted
in 1896. In 1902 another forty acres, known as the Southern addition,
was brought vyithin village limits ; it lies next south to the Pillsbury
addition. In 1910, Hibbing sought to annex the townsite of Brooklyn,
and election was held on April 19, 1910. Brooklyn was added to the
village, and Ansley's addition came in 1916. Alice came into the vil-
lage in 1913, including Koskiville and Sunnyside, and on September 13,
1919, the se. qr. of ne. qr. of 57-21, adjoining Alice came in to provide
the site for New Hibbing, where the other additions known as Central,
Sargent and Eastern additions, belong to the Oliver Iron Mining
Company.
Village Hall. — The first city hall was built in 1895. It was re-
placed in 1909 by an imposing block of pressed brick, with Bedford
stone trimmings, the three-story structure costing $135,000 and pro-
viding quarters for all municipal departments. New quarters, it
seems, is to be provided in the new Hibbing.
Public Library. — In 1907 Andrew Carnegie was approached and
promised to donate $25,000 toward the cost of establishing a public
library. The building was constructed, and opened in 1908. Its
cost, including site, was $35,000. Improvements since made, in 1917,
at a cost of $100,000, give Hibbing a public library better than any
other on the ranges. The library had about 23,000 volumes to open
its circulation with. In 1920, it had 8,414 active borrowers, and the
circulation for the year was 171,032 books.
The original librarion was Miss Margaret Palrper, who came to
be recognized as the "Dean of the Range Librarians." Latterly, Miss
Dorothy Huilbert has had charge of Hibbing library. Mainly through
the initiative of Captain Wm. H. McCormack, Hibbing soon estab-
lished a unique library service. Its "traveling library," a circulation
of books in outlying locations by means of a bus, was instituted in
1910, and has been the subject of many magazine articles since that
time. The service is a praiseworthy and appreciated one. Miss
Charlotte Clark is the "traveling librarian," and the bus serves 25
mining locations in an area of 160 miles. A gong announces the
arrival of the "Traveling Library," and it is heard in each location
once a week, summer and winter. Hibbing also has two branch
libraries.
Oliver Club. — The Oliver clubhouse was an appreciated com-
munity service . It was built by the Oliver Mining Company, at an
expense of $20,000, for the use of its employees, and their friends,
and was equipped with many of the conveniences of a modern city
clubhouse.
Banking History. — The first bank organized and established in
Hibbing was the Bank of Hibbing. It was merged into the Lumbcr-
mens and Miners Bank, in 1894, A. M. Chisholm being the first
cashier of the latter bank. A bank known as the Security was
founded in the nineties, and conducted business for some time, but
was absorbed by the Lumbermen's and Miners', which remained a
])rivate banking house, owned by A. D. Davidson, A. D. McRac and
A. M. Chisholm. In 1901 the First National Bank of Hibbing was
organized, to succeed the Lumbermen's and Miners'. Its original
capital was $25,000, but it subse(|uently was increased to $50,000. and
it now has a surplus of more than $60,000. The original officers of
the First National were: A. D. Davidson, president; A. D. McRae,
vice: F. S. R. Kirbv. cashier. The present officers are: S. R. Kirby.
president: Dr. D. C. Rood and Pentecost Mitchell, vice presidents;
564 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Lewis C. Newcomb, cashier; L. O. Kirby, John A. Redfern. and
R. L. Griggs, directors.
The Merchants and Miners State Bank was incorporated on De-
cember 31, 1903, and opened for business on February 1, 1904. Its
original capital was $25,000, and its first officers were : J. F. Killorin,
president; A. M. Chisholm, vice president; L. G. Sicard, cashier. It
prospered, and on September 1, 1909, increased its capital to $50,000.
Since 1916, Gust. Carlson has been president, and the present vice
presidents are G. L. Train and B. M. Conklin. The succession of
cashiers of the institution is as follows : L. G. Sicard, A. W. O'Hearn,
J. L. Lewis and A. L. Egge, present cashier. The business of the
bank is, it is stated, about five times more than it was in 1904.
The Security State Bank of Hibbing was organized on February
9, 1911. Its original capital was $25,000, and its first officers: Hans
C. Hansen, president; H. P. Reed, vice president; W. R. Spenceley,
cashier. Mr. Hansen did not qualify and C. A. Remington was
elected as the "first acting president." The capital of the institution
has never changed ; the only change in official roster was the election
of H. C. Hansen, as president, in 1919, and the addition of Emil Sal-
minen, as assistant cashier. Deposits are near $800,000, and there is
now a surplus of $5,000.
There is now a fourth bank, the Hibbing State Bank, which was
organized on November 10, 1919, and serves the people of South
Hibbing. First officers were: H. P. Reed, president: W. J- Ryder,
vice president ; E. G. Hoskins, cashier. The capital is $25,000 with
surplus of $5,000.
Hospitals. — Hibbing has three hospitals. The first to be estab-
lished was the Rood. Dr. D. C. Rood came to Hibbing in 1893-94,
and soon established his hospital which served the village and the
mining companies. In 1898 Dr. H. R. Weirick came to Hibbing, and
ever since has associated with Dr. Rood in the hospital service. In
1920, the new Rood Hospital at South Hibbing was completed at a
cost of $350,000. It is by far the finest hospital on the range, and the
same two physicians, Drs. Rood and Weirick, head the medical staff.
They have had enviable part in the development of the community,
also during the last 20-25 years. '
The Adams Hospital was first opened in June, 1902, by Dr.
B. S. Adams, and provided accommodation for fifteen patients. The
hospital has developed considerably since that time.
Hibbing in addition has a detention hospital owned by the
municipality. It was completed in 1920, at a cost of $35,000, and "is
the only hospital in St. Louis county, if not in all Minnesota, that has
a receiving ward for tubercular patients."
Churches. — The pioneer church activity has already been re-
ferred to. The first church services, it appears, were held in Murphy
Brothers' store. The religious meetings were of union character.
There are ten or more strong church societies in Hibbing today, all
w^ith church buildings, the largest being the Methodist Episcopal.
The Catholic church was early active in the pioneer village.
Fathers Joseph F. Buh and Mathias Bilban were the early attending
priests, being in the village in 1894. The first mass was offered up on
January 27, 1895, by Rev. C. V. Gamache, and for the next three
years mass was held in the city hall. The first Roman Catholic
church was built in 1897, but not completed until 1900, the first resi-
dent pastor being Rev. C. V. Gamache. Unfortunately space in
which to enter into details of church history is not available. The
Church of the Blessed Sacrament, the oldest Catholic church of
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 565
Hibbing-, has the largest membership of any church society of the
village. Rev. James Hogan has been pastor since 1911. The Church
of the Immaculate Conception, of which Catholic church Rev. Raphael
Annechiarico is pastor, is attended by Italians and Southern Euro-
peans, generally.
The Presbyterian church has one of the strong memberships of
Hibbing churches. Present pastor is Robert von Thurn.
The Episcopal church maintains its dignity and service, and its
church building adds to the beauty of modern Hibbing. Present
pastor is R. A. Cowling.
The Grace Lutheran has a substantial church at South Hibbing.
Pastor is Rev. Walter Melahn.
The First Methodist Episcopal church, the largest in Hibbing,
is on Sellers Street, and has a very strong membership. The Metho-
dist church society dates back, in Hibbing history, to the early years
of pioneer struggle. Present pastor is H. W. Bell.
The Swedish Methodist Episcopal church has a strong member-
ship. Its present pastor is Rev. C. M. Carlson.
The Immanuel Swedish Lutheran is in charge of Rev. G. P. Wil-
liams ; and Our Saviour's Lutheran, at South Hibbing", is the pas-
torate of A. E. Baalson. There are also two Finnish Lutheran
churches, which together have a larger membership than any other
Hibbing society. There is also a Norwegian Lutheran.
Then there is the Union church, at Alice, the Christian Science
church, and the Jewish Synagogue." Certainly, in church attendance,
and religious observance, Hibbing has long since passed out of the
category of a "mining camp."' She has, of course, in all things, and
there are just as many devout men in Hibbing as in the average east-
ern city of like size. Possibly the people of Hibbing are even more
liberal and loyal in the support of its church societies than is the
general experience in other places.
The New Power Plant.- — Flibbing has a "million-dollar" power
plant. The magnificent plant built in 1919-20 at new Hibbing was
estimated to cost $900,000. It was decided upon in 1918, when it be-
came evident that the original site of Hibbing would be needed soon
for mining purposes. In any case, a plant would have soon been
Tiecessary, the existing plant having become inadequate. So it was
decided to ])uil(l "for the future," in new Hibbing. Contract was
awarded in Ai)ril, 1919, and the ])lant completed in September, 1920.
Technical description cannot here be given, but it should be stated
that the completed plant as it stands is a credit to its designer, Charles
Foster, who is general superintendent of the Hibbing Water and
Light De])artment. and supervised the construction. There is not a
finer munici])al power planf in St. Louis County, it is claimed.
Parks. — Conrad B. Wolf became superintendent of parks in 1913,
the year in which Victor L. Power became mayor for the first time.
Both made themselves e\ident by accom])lishnient of great tilings.
Wolf has had all he has asked the village administration for, and has
had the hearty co-operation of the mining companies in his plans of
city betterment, and so has been able to establish a system of parks
that must be an inspiration and n jdeasure to the people of the ])lace.
The ])arks have been elsewhere referred to herein, but tribute must be
paid to the planner. By his work in Hibbing, 'Mr. Wolf has come
into good rei)uti' throughout the country among park superintendents,
and landscape architects in general. His task was an exceptionally
difficult one, owing to the severity of the climate, but he has brought
566
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
color, fragrance and beauty to the village, and pleasure to the children.
The people of Hibbing should get good return for all the money in-
vested in the park system.
Commercial Club. — Hibbing is fortunate in having an unusually
alert business body. The Commercial Club is making Hibbing very
evident in other parts of the state, and neighboring states. Its ener-
getic secretary, S. V. Saxby, has the hearty co-operation of almost
all the business people of the place, and especially of the ofificials of
the association. The officials of the Commercial Club are :
R. A\'. Hitchcock, president; C. C. Alexander, E. A. Bergeron,
E. \\\ Coons and John Curran, vice presidents; S. V. Saxby, secre-
tarv ; A. L. Egge, treasurer; C. C. Alexander, E. C. Eckstrom,
C. V. Chance, S. C. Scott, O. G. Lindberg, F A. Wildes and G. H. Alex-
ander, directors.
bird's-eye view of BENNETT PARK, HIBBING, 1915 — AFTER FIRST YEAR OF WORK
UPON IT
Newspapers. — The Hibbing "News" was established in 1899, as
a Hibbing paper, although as a range new^spaper its age can be in-
creased five years, for it was in the spring of 1894 that C. A. Smith
issued his first number of "The Ore," at Mountain Iron. It was
intended to cover the whole ofthe range, and at that time Mountain
Iron was, perhaps, the most important place. But with the great
development of mines at Hibbing the center of activity changed, and
in 1899 the owners of the "Ore" decided to move their office to
Hibbing. There the paper became "The Mesabi Ore and Hibbing
Daily News," and so it remained until 1920, when it became a daily,
a successful morning paper, the only morning paper of the range,
by-the-way, and in consequence enjoying a good circulation through-
out the range. Claude AI. Atkinson, a gifted and original writer,
acquired the paper in May, 1899, and with his son, Alarc M., has
conducted it ever since.
Another early paper was the Hibbing "Sentinel," Will A. Thomas,
editor and proprietor. The paper was in existence in 1899, the "Sen-
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 567
tinel" plant having- been "hauled overland from La Prairie by Wm.
McGrath. Publication of the "Sentinel" was discontinued in the fall
of 1899, but resumed in July, 1902.
The "Tribune," which of late years has been an evening journal,
was founded in June, 1899, and in the early years was a weekly pub-
lication. It was originally owned, it has been stated, "by a stock
company, whose manager was J. Waldo Murphy." Another record is
to the effect that in 1902 the plant was owned by H. C. Garrott, of
Eveleth, and that the editor then w^as Theodore C. Surdson. Early
identified with it as partners were T. C. Congdon, druggist of Hibbing,
and F. G. Jewett, pioneer dentist of the village. A. E. Pfremmer w^as
the sole owner of the paper in 1906, when R. W. Hitchcock, present
editor-owner, acquired a part-interest in the journal. With the re-
tirement of Pfremmer in 1910 Mr. Hitchcock became sole owner. The
"Hibbing Daily Tribune" has a good circulation, and covers the after-
noon field well.
Another local paper of merit established recently is the "Gopher
Labor Journal," a weekly, founded by W. T. and C. J. Lauzon, at
South Hibbing in 1919. W. T. Lauzon became sole owner in March,
1920, Sandford A. Howard, an experienced newspaper man, coming
to Hibbing to assume editorial direction of the paper. Recently from
the Gopher Printing House came a well-written and elaborately-illu^
strated booklet on Hibbing, "The Old and the New."
Transportation. — Hibbing has two railroads, and a wonderfully
efficient motor-bus service along the range. And in addition, an elec-
tric trolley system that brings all the important places of the range
within an hour of tlibbing. The motor-bus service, owned by the
Mesabi Transportation Company, is an instance of how rapidly
worth-while things are developed in that country. The Mesabi Trans-
portation Company was organized on January 1, 1916, to operate a
line of motor buses between Hibbing and Grand Rapids. At the out-
set, the company had five busses, the officers of the company being the
drivers. In 1920 they were building a $75,000 garage at South Hib-
bing to house its twenty-three W^hite and Studebaker buses ; and they
were averaging seven thousand passengers daily, and maintaining a
service "as regular and reliable as a good clock." The officers of the
company are : C. A. Heed, president ; C. E. Wickman, vice president
and manager; E. C. Ekstrom, secretary; A. G. Anderson, treasurer,
and R. L. Bogan, director.
Court House. — The magnificent District Court House at Hibbing
is one of the finest buildings, probably the finest, in old Hibbing;
and it is far enough away from the point of mining to be sure of
its present site for many years. It was built in 1911, so as to give to
the western part of the Mesabi range within St. Louis county a service
equal to that established in Virginia, for that part of the range, in
1910.
Hibbing ere long hopes to have a Federal building.
War Record. — liibbing's war record was a meritorious one. Its
young men went into the fighting forces, as has been recorded else-
where ; its women formed a powerful Red Cross chapter; its miners
put even more "steam" into their work; and its people, rich and poor,
combined to give to the limit of their means tc the \arious war funds.
If the Lake Superior district represents 8-lOths of America's ore sup-
ply, and the Mesabi produces more than all the other ranges com-
bined, then Hibbing's part in the providing of the raw material with
which to make the shells and the ships was by no means insignificant,
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DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 569
when one realizes that from one alone of Ribbing's open-pits, the
Mahoning-Hull-Rust, came about 9,000,000 tons of the 40,0000,000
tons won for the world and the allies from the Mesabi Range in 1917.
. Moving of the Village. — While it is erroneous to state that Rib-
bing as a whole is being removed, it is proper to assert that all build-
ings on the original townsite will have to be removed. The removal
will be undertaken gradually, and even when completed, about two-
thirds of what is known as the "old town" will remain undisturbed,
the Pillsbury and another ''forty" not being needed by the mining com-
pany. The Minneapolis Daily Tribune, of May, 1920, stated :
For twenty years it has been common knowledg'e to the townspeople
that the ore body in the east, west, and north sides of the origfinal townsite
of Hibibing extended under the principal business section. * * *
For the last ten* years the most densely populated district of Hibbing
has been surrounded by open pits, making it impossible for the town to ex-
pand. The northerly extremity extends out thumb-like and somewhat like a
plateau, some of its buildings being perched on the edge of a wild gorge,
hewn deep into the earth. Since the original townsite was laid out, the mines
have steadily encroached on it, the Sellers' from the north and east, and
the Rust from the west.
The Oliver Company * * * h^^j already acquired the right to the
minerals under part of the town by lease, in 1899, and two years ago began
to buy the surface rights. It paid $2,500,000 for them, and today owns the
majority of the lots and buildings in an area of more than eight city blocks.
After these purchases were made, it became necessary to acquire a new
location for that part of the town that had to .be transplanted. One mile
away was the Central Addition, owned by the mining company, and here is
to be the "New Hibbing."
The first buildings moved from the original townsite to the new addi-
tion, in September, 1918. All frame buildings in good condition have been
transferred. * * *
The moving of the buildings had to be done by steam log haulers and
tanks (traction engines) of the caterpiller type.
The Central Addition is growing very rapidly. Since last September
sixty-two buildings, dwellings, and three store buildings have been moved
onto the site, and twenty-four new buildings have been built. * * *
* * * Within another year, the mining company officials say, there
will 'be little left of what was the original business section of Hibbing.
Recently fifteen persons residing in the soutihern end of the business
and residential district, the Pillsbury and Southern Additions, and in the
township of Stuntz, just outside the village, began an action against the
Oliver Company, the Town of Hibbing, and the Mesa'ba Electric Railway
Company, to enjoin the town from disposing of its property in the original
townsite, enjoining the vacation of streets,- enjoining the railways company
from removing its tracks, and enjoining the Oliver Company from doing cer-
tain things which would permit the mining of the northerly forty acres.
They suggested that the Oliver Company purchase their property, but
it has no interest in the ore underlying the Pillsbury or Southern Additions.
The application for a temporary injunction was argued Novemiber 28 and 29,
and was taken under advisement.
An issue of the "St. Paul Dispatch," that of September 8, 1920,
stated that $20,000,000 was being expended in the removal of the
town and the building of the new. Other estimates place it at $18,-
000,000. And the "Ribbing Daily News," of July 4, 1920, thus tabu-
lated the cost incurred in removal and new construction :
New business buildings $3,000,0(X)
New hotel and hospital 1.000,000
New power and cheating plant 1 .(XKI.OOO
New homes, already constructed or under construction 1,000,000
New school buildings 2,600,000
Water and sewer mains 650.()(X)
Street grading 450.000
Recreational building 750,000
City hall 500.000
570 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Depot and railway improvements $ 500,000
\\ arehouses oUU.Uoj
New homes and apartments to be built by the Oliver
Company for its employes 1,800,000
Office buildings, Sargent Land Company, and Meridan
Iron Company 500,000
Interurban line improvements 100,000
County Fair Grounds 250,000
Municipal Athletic Park 25,000
Additional boulevarding 50,000
Other civic improvements 2,500,000
$16,950,000
which is quite a "big construction bill for a little villag-e of fifteen
thousand." It would be "big" in other places than Hibbing, where
dimensions, no matter how "big," bring no surprise to men who know
Hibbing's history. Hibbing started "big," aiid always will be.
Schools. — The biggest, most astounding, fea.ture of Hibbing is
its schools. The new high school at South Hibbing, the cost of which
is expected to pass $2,000,COO will, probably, be the finest high school
in the state, indeed in many states, because not many public school
districts have the means with which to provide such a costly school.
There is no doubt that educators of eastern parts of the country would
look with amazement at the range schools, if they paid a visit to this
part of the country. And they would look with envious amazement
at the salaries drawn by the teaching staff of a range school. The
superintendent of Hibbing District receives a higher salary than any
other public school superintendent in the state, it has been stated.
Hibbing's school history begins with the first school session, held
in the pioneer village in 1893, when Miss Annie McCarthy had the
use of the upper floor of J. H. Carlson's store building, on Pine street.
In 1894, the first school building was built, and at the tim-e it was
thought that they were planning well ahead of requirements in build-
ing a four-roomed schoolhouse. But the building problem has always
been a serious one in Hibbing, where the enrollment outgrows the
schools almost before they are ready for occupation. "A building
that was thought to be ample for several years' growth would be
filled to overflowing almost before it was fully completed." The fol-
lowing grade buildings have been erected within the last nine years : A
twenty-room building, costing, with equipment, $150,000; four four-
room buildings, costing $20,000 each ; one eight-room brick building,
costing $40,000; two four-room frame buildings, built on leased sites
* * * at a cost of $18,000 each ; two two-room frame buildings, cost-
ing $15,000 each, and five one-room buildings. In addition, there is
the large Central high school building, the Lincoln, built in 1912, at a
cost of $350,000. But notwithstanding this costly building program,
there was serious overcrowding in some of the Hibbing schools in
1920. In South Hibbing fourteen classes were held in store buildings,
and the kindergarten in the fire hall. In the main school it was found
necessary to take the enrollment in sections, and to use the basement
rooms.
Relief will come with the completion of the present building
program, which includes a large school and the $2,000,000, or $2,600,-
000 high school and junior college. Hibbing-, by the way, has the
third-largest junior college west of the Alleghenies and east of the
Rockies. The high school growth has been from 73 to 650.
The enrollment for the Hibbing district in 1893, perhaps, reached
the tens, but did not get far into it ; the enrollment for the school-
year 1919-20 was 4.080. The teaching staff grew from one, in 1893,
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
571
to 181, in 1919-20, ninety of the latter being graduates of college or
university. Average salary to male teachers in that year was $244;
to female teachers, $152. School property then included sixteen frame
school houses, and six of brick, the whole valued, in county statistics,
at $1,127,501. In addition there is an enrollment of more than 500
in the parochial schools. The school district has an assessed valua-
tion of $135,000,000, and therefore can always command the funds
needed for its proper administration. The school tax for the year
1919-20, in the Hibbing school district was $1,129,915.96, and for the
year 1920-21 the tax will be more than $1,400,000.
Mr. C. E. Everett, of the Hibbing school board, in his remarks
before the graduating class of 1920, on June 17, 1920, gave an inter-
esting and concise review of educational progress in the district. In
part, he said :
Tihe Hibbing School District, legally called Independent School Dis-
trict No. 27, of St. Louis County, covers six townships and eight sections of
another. It is twenty-four miles long at its extreme length, and twelve miles
wide at its widest point. It consists of such locations as Stevenson, Carson
NEW HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR COLLEGE AT NEW HIBBING, FINEST SCHOOL BUILDING IN NORTHERN
MINNESOTA; COST MORE THAN $2,000,000
Lake, Kelly Lake, Kitzville, Mahoning, Pool, Webb, and Addition of Alice, and
Brooklyn, besides the City of Hibliing. It was organized in 1898 as a common
school district, and in 1908 as an independent district. It comprises 224
square miles.
There are seventeen location schools, having * * * from one to ten
rooms. Two school buildings are under construction at the present time,
the grade school, Cobb-Cook building, consisting of twelve rooms, and one
High school and Junior college.
Buildings, however, do not make a school, and Hibbing is noted for
its corps of instructors. Grade teachers with the same qualifications are paid
the same salary as High school teachers. Many of our grade teachers are
university, as well as normal, graduates. We believe in ol)taining the best
possible (|ualified teachers for every department of our schools.
Every student, beginning with the fourth grade, is taught some form
of manual training, cooking and sewing, physiology, hygiene, and civil gov-
ernment liave been included in the curriculum for next year, beginning with
the seventh grade.
Twelve Iiundrcd and fifty children are transported eacii day into the
town schools. The location scIkkiIs offer work through the third grade.
Above the third grade, the pupils are transported to town schools, where they
enter departmental work. Departmental work gives each pupil an oppor-
tunity to have a special instructor to each subject. The sixty-minute, or
hour i)lan is used. The first thirty minutes is used for recitation, the second
thirty minutes for supervised study. I'upils are put in classes according to the
mentality of the child, so that each child may get character and pace work
wiiicli he is able to do.
572
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Pupils who are transported into the town schools have the privilege of
using the soup kitchen, feeding 250 a day free of charge, or cafeteria for hot
lunches at cost price of food materials.
The school has one teacher giving her entire time to working in the
homes of the non-English-speaking people, doing Americanization work. The
health of the school children is not neglected. Two nurses give their entire
time working with school children, and one doctor has, in the past. The
board recently hired a dentist to give his full time to school work.
The members of the Hibbing school board, the Independent
School District No. 27 of St. Louis County, in 1920, were : C. E.
Everett, Hibbing, clerk; Frank Andley, treasurer; T. J. Godfrey, chair-
man ; Dr. F. W. Bullen, W. F. Kohagan, R. Ray Kreis, directors ;
C. C. Alexander, superintendent. The last named is recognized as
A CONCRETE-FLOORED BUILDING MOVED SUCCESSFULLY TO NEW
HIBBING THE OLD COLONIA HOUSE, ON ITS WAY TO NEW
SITE, THERE TO BE RENOVATED AND RENTED TO SCHOOL
BOARD AT $500 A MONTH, FOR USE AS TEACHERS' APART-
MENT HOUSE
one of the most capable educators of the state, and the Hibbing sys-
tem has been described as "Out-Garying (the famous) Gary."
And the certainty is a good field in the Hibbing district for the
fullest and most capable work of the most able educators. In Hib-
bing school last year thirty-nine nationalities were represented, Amer-
icans predominated of course, but attending school were : 759 chil-
dren of Swedish origin, 393 Clovanian, 257 Servian, 200 Norwegian,
933 Italian, 186 German, 320 French, 918 Finnish, 256 Croatian, 417
Austrian, and smaller numbers of other nationalities. In very many
cases, the children acquire American ways and speech before their
parents. In many cases, the children go to school by day, and the
parents are just as enthusiastic students by night, and while the par-
ents are in school the school administration sees that their children
are cared for in the home. It is a very enlightened system, producing
good results for the town and nation. There was an enrollment of
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 573
more than 600 adults for the night-school sessions in the Hibbing dis-
trict in 1920.
Population. — Hibbing, on June 6, 1893, had a population of 326; in
1900 the federal census figures for Hibbing were 2,481 ; in 1910, 8,832;
in 1920, 15,089. It has passed all the communities of the range ter-
ritory.
Mayoral Succession. — The presidents of the Village of Hibbing
from the beginning have been: J. F. Twitchell, 1893; J. F. Twitchell,
and James Gandsey, 1894; James Gandsey, 1895; R. L. Grififin, 1896;
J. A. Mclntyre, 1897; A. N. Sicard and E. J. Longyear, 1898; T.
Waldo Murphy; 1899; James Gandsey, 1900; John A. Redfern, 1901;
W. J. Power, 1902; Frank H. Dear, 1903; W. J. Power, 1904; Peter
McHardy, 1905; Frank Ansley, 1906; H. R. Weirick, 1907-12, and
Victor L. Power, from 1913 to the present.
Now the historical review must close. Enough has been written
to indicate that Hibbing has had a great past, and promises to have
a great future. Its citizens have the spirit to keep it ever moving
forward ; and they certainly have the money to help them.
Vol. II— 5
CHAPTER XXIV
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF VIRGINIA
"Queen City of the Mesabi"
By reason of its geographical position fundamentally, but for
other reasons also, the city of Virginia rightly is termed the "Queen
City of the Mesabi Iron Range." She has since the 'nineties been the
centre, the metropolis, of the range, one might say of the ranges, for
she is recognized as the business metropolis of the Vermilion as well
as the Mesabi range. Hibbing is becoming increasingly conspicuous,
and is notably aggressive, but the general impression a stranger
in Virginia gets of things municipal, social and civic is that Vir-
ginia is, and long has been, the established leader among the com-
munities of the range territory.
Mining. — As is the case of course vs^ith all communities of the
Mesabi range, the history of Virginia begins with mining explora-
tions, and it is therefore proper to review the history of mining in'
the Virginia district before writing about civic affairs.
Among the early explorers of the Mesabi, those that are known
to have passed over and noted the Virginia "loop" and suspected its
mineral value in the 'eighties, were members of the Merritt fam-
ily, David T. Adams, and John McCaskill. It is hardly possible now
to decide who was the first to begin actual explorations, in the way
of test-pit sinking. One record indicates that "the first exploratory
work (in the Virginia group) was done on the Ohio" by a com-
pany in which Dr. Fred Barrett, of Tower, Thomas H. Pressnell,
of Duluth, and others were interested. Winchell states that "the
first pit in ore in this township, 58-17, was sunk on the southeast
quarter, northeast quarter sec. 8, by Captain Cohoe, and discovered
ore at a depth of thirteen feet. This was in March, 1892, and was
the Missabe ^Mountain mine." It is generally supposed that the
first ore discovered in the Virginia district was at the Missabe
Mountain mine, but David T. Adams writes:
In the winter of 1890-91, I made a trip into township 58-17, in the in-
terests of Humphreys and Atkins and myself, and camped for ten days on
section 4 * * * north and east of the present city of Virginia. During my ten
days' stay in that township I located every deposit of ore in the Virginia hills,
from the Alpena and Sauntry, in section 5, down to the Auburn, in section 20,
and I brought back the minutes with the deposits well marked, including the
minutes of the lands where Virginia stands. All of the lands containing de-
posits that could be acquired in some way were acquired by Humphreys, At-
kins and myself, including the lands upon which stands the city of Virginia.
In the spring of 1891 I engaged the services of John Owens, then of
Tower, to erect exploring camps on the nw, qr. of the nw. qr. of section 9,
now the Commodore, which was the first exploring camp built in township 58,
range 17. Explorations on this property ensued, with Mr. Owens in charge
of the men, and in the second test-pit, of a series which I had located to be
sunk, the first ore in this township was discovered. A little later, I discovered
ore on the s. half of the sw. qr. of section 4, now the Lincoln mine, but the
discovery was in the low lands, and, on account of the water, the work, was
abandoned for the time being.
The next discovery in that township was made by the Merritt Brothers,
on the ne. qr. of section 8, now the Missabe Mountain mine, and the next dis-
covery was by me, on the sw. qr. of the nw. qr. of section 9, now the Lone
Jack. Next following were the Norman mine, by Louis Rouchleau; the Min-
newas, by the Merritts; the Rouchleau Ray. by Louis Rouchleau; the Moose,
by John Weimer; the Shaw, by Gridley and Hale, and the Auburn, by Cap-
574
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 575
tain N. D. Moore. Meantime, Frank Hibbing reported a discovery of ore on
the w. half of the sw. qr. of section 31, of 58-20. These discoveries were made
in rapid succession and furnished undisputed evidence of the existence of
vast deposits of iron ore in the taconite formation, and the great possibilities
of the Mesabi range, and did more to establish the Range solidly in the
minds of the people throughout our country than all that was said and done
previous thereto. It then became everybody's game, and everyone for him-
self, to do the best he, or they, could in acquiring options and raising money
for developments, and explorations along the range became general. In the
meantime Captain Edward Florada, who was left in charge of the explora-
tions on the Cincinnati when I started work at Virginia, took an option on the
Missabe Mountain from the Merritt brothers, and succeeded in interesting
the late Harry Oliver in the option. The entry of Mr. Oliver on the range
further stimulated explorations, and thereafter proved the nucleus of the
Oliver Iron Alining Company.
Another record reads : "The first ore actually discovered in the
district (Virginia) was on the Missabe Mountain mine, now known
as the Oliver, by Captain John G. Cohoe." Supporting- that statement,
Mr. Fred Lerch, who has resided in Virginia since 1892, writes:
"The first ore discovered in the Virginia district was by Capt. John
G. Cohoe. He was conducting exploration work at Biwabik." Cap-
tain Cohoe, by the way, was sent to Biwabik in August, 1891, and in
ten days "had ten pits in ore" at the Biwabik mine. He might possibly
have gone over to the Virginia district soon afterwards.
Captain Florada was a mining man of experience in the Michigan-
ranges at the time ore was discovered on the Mesabi, and presumably
\yas in the Biwabik district in 1891. However, a review written in
1909 of his activities in Minnesota mining includes the following para-
graph regarding his part in pioneer mining in Virginia district:
In 1892 he turned his attention to prospecting on the Mesabi range, where
a few deposits of ore had been recently located. Here he met the late Henry
W. Oliver, by whom he was engaged to locate and open an iron mine._ A
series of brief investigations on the part of Mr. Florada sufficed to convince
him that the property now known as the Missabe Mountain mine was_ what
he was seeking, and he proceeded to strip and develop the same, in which he
retained an interest for several years.
The same 1909 publication makes the statement cjuoted below,
as to the coming of John Owens to Virginia:'
Early in 1892. Mr. Owens went to Virginia, and engaged in exploration
work for Mr. A. E. Humphreys and associates. He took charge of a force,
which by test-pitting located the famous Commodore mine, then known as
the New England.
Another, and an earlier review of Mesa1)i mining states, regarding
the Commodore, or New England, mine :
The Commodore mine * * * has the distinction of being the first
property in the Virginia group On which actual development work was done.
It was explored in 1891-2 by A. E. Humphreys and associates.
So that the records are somewhat conflicting. The fact is, all the
prospectors were more concerned in finding and developing ore prop-
erties than in keeping the historical record correctly, in those exciting
and strenuous early years on the Mesabi. So, we will now pass on to
brief reviews of the individual mines of the Virginia district, beginning
with the .
Missabe Mountain Mine. — This mine is situated on "nidcmnity
school lands belonging to the state." The first pit on the property was
sunk on the se. qr. ne. qr. of section 8, by Captain Cohoe. "and dis-
covered ore at a depth of 13 feet" in March. 18^2. Captain Cohoe was
employed by the Merritt brothers, who had secured the mineral lease
576
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
from the state, on a royalty of 25 cents a ton of quantity mined. Fred
Lerch gives the information that Captain Cohoe "located the southeast
corner of the quarter section * * * took three hundred paces to
the north, three hundred paces to the west, and located his testpit,
which encountered ore at a total expense of ^33, a remarkably cheap
discovery, when one considers that the Missabe Mountain mine
originallv had about sixtv million tons of ore, worth today about
$100,000,000." However, the Merritt brothers "had their hands full ;"
they had more ore "in sight" than they knew what to do with, which
perhaps explains why they were willing to let a proved mine in that
early day of the Mesabi pass to another. ' They leased, or sub-leased,
the property to Henry W. Oliver, through Capt. Ed. Florada, on the
OLIVERS FIRST VENTURE IN MESABI MINING THE MISSABE MOUNTAIN MINE. VIRGINIA,
SOON AFTER STRIPPING OPERATIONS BEGAN
basis of 65 cents a ton royalty, 25 cents of which would have to go to
the state. That transaction was the making of the Mesabi, for Henry
W. 01i\er became interested in Mesabi ore at the opportune moment
— at the time when the peculiarities of the Mesabi ore made it proble-
matic whether it would eventually prove to be worth anything at all
to the finders. Oliver had furnaces of his own, was well known to
steel men, had the co-operation of Prick, and so was able to push past
the obstacles that might have made other steel men become indifferent
to Mesabi ore, and refuse to exert themselves to adapt their furnaces
to the peculiarities of the raw material. Oliver was "in it" and he just
had "to go through with it" : he had to make his mining investment
good. He did so, and incidentally made the Mesabi, becoming by far
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 577
the largest operator oii the range. (See Chapter XVIII, reviewing the
main epochs of Mesabi mining history.)
One record states that the Missabe IMountain mine was found
"a. few months after the Biwabik discovery." The Biwabik mine was
proved in August, 1891, by Captain Cohoe, who also sank the proving
testpit at Missabe Mountain mine. ^Missabe ^Mountain Iron Com-
pany was incorporated by the Merritts on January 27, 1892, the capital
being $3,000,000, and the incorporators Leonidas and John E. Merritt
and K. D. Chase. On March 2, 1892, the company was granted a
state lease. No. 59, on the usual royalty basis presumably. It has been
stated that the Merritts expected "to spend $150,000 in exploration"
on the Missabe Mountain property, but that "they actually spent only
$41." How it happened that Henry W. Oliver, a steel manufacturer
of Pittsburgh, made the journey to the Mesabi range at all, at a time
when only local speculators were "grubbing around," must it seems
be attributed to his interest in national politics. He happened to be
"present at the nomination of Harrison (for the presidency) in 1892,
and as he was in Minneapolis he made a side trip to the new Mesabi
range, the fame of which was being noised among ore men. From
the nearest railroad station on the Duluth and Iron Range it was thirty
miles across country to the new field, a fearful trip, to be made in a
buckboard, through swampy woods, over corduroy roads, churned
liuii-dcc]) with the hauling of many teams. With Mr. Oliver were
George T. Tener and C. D. Fraser, also of Pittsburgh, among the
ablest of his lieutenants whom he was even then gathering about him.
They visited the Cincinnati mine, at that time the nearest to a mine
on the Mesabi. * * * They lodged at the Cincinnati location, and
then Tener and Fraser, in their misery, refused to go another foot.
Oliver went next day to the Missabe Mountain Iron, and was so
impressed with its possibilities that he leased it forthwith on a 65 cent
royalty." The leasing agreement was a good one for the Merritts; it
gave them a little ready cash, with more soon to follow, thejease of
August 1, 1892, calling for an advance cash payment of $75,000 by
Oliver to the ^Missabe Mountain Iron Company, $5,000 upon signing
of lease, $45,000 in equal monthly installments over the next three
months, and the balance before operations began in 1893, in which
year Oliver was to mine 200,000 tons. The lease was to run to
January 1, 1903. Oliver was not a wealthy man, but he "caught the
fever" when he reached the range, and risked the future. He was a
good business man but somewhat speculative. A mutual acquaint-
ance, meeting a friend of his while traveling, once asked : "Is he rich
or poor this vear?" Oliver had. experienced many vicissitudes in the
course of his business career ; "he had made and lost fortunes." When
he invaded the Mesabi, it is said he was "fairly rich." A year later,
when the mine was ship])ing, he was "desperately poor." And in the
"Pittsburgh grou]) are men today who remember how the Missabe
Mountain shipped 300,000 tons in 1893 without a cent." Still in that
year nobody seemed to have money, and men on the mining range con-
sidered themselves f(irtunate if they were "grub-staked."
After securing the Merritt lease to the Missabe Mountain mine,
in August, 1892, Oliver went on quickly with his plans, and on
September'30, 1892, the ()liver Mining Comi)any. with an authorized
capital of $1 200,000, was incori)orated. the princii)al promoters being
11. W. Oliver, 11. R. Rea. C. E. Tener, !•:. D. Rcis. C. D. I'raser and
Edward Florada, the last-named having been given charge of mnimg
operations. How Oliver drew into co-operation with him the most
powerful steel men of America is told in the Mesabi general chapter.
578
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
In 1894, in consideration of "very large output," a minimum of
400,000 tons a year, Oliver was able to get the Lake Superior Con-
solidated Iron Mines, John D. Rockefeller's mining subsidiarv, which
had succeeded to the Merritt interests on the Mesabi. to reduce the
royalty to 25 cents, with, presumably, an additional 25 cents for the
YAWKEY MINE
state treasury. The first year of shipment was 1'893, when 123,015
tons were mined. In 1894 the output was 505,955' tons, the Mountain
Iron and Missabe Mountain mines standing well out from the other
twelve producing Mesabi mines of that time. Regarding the Missabe
Mountain Mine, in early 1895, Winchell wrote :
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 579
Including the 1 cent tax, the income to the state from this mine has
amounted to $163,532.20 in two years. This mine has been developed and its
wonderful record made, under the direction of Capt. Ed. Florada and Capt,
A. J. Carlin. A greater depth of ore has been proven here than at any other
point on the Mesabi, a vertical drill hole 320 feet in ore having failed to pass
through it.
One need not wonder why, with such evidence before them, min-
ing- men were enthusiastic in the early nineties, as to the future of
Mesabi mining.
Captain Florada was not the man who introduced the steam
into Mesabi mining, but it was he who first demonstrated its great
value in Mesabi operations. Bridge's "The Inside History of the
Carnegie Steel Company" makes reference to the astounding work of
the steam shovel at "the first Mesabi mine secured by Mr. Oliver,
pointing out that 5,800 tons of ore were mined and loaded into cars by
one steam shovel in ten hours," and that the output for one month was
164,000 tons. Continuing, he wrote :
This was the work of only eight men. Three such machines * * *
mined from its natural bed 915,000 tons of ore during the season of 1900,
working day-shift only.
Still, notwithstanding that it was the second-largest shipper in the
first year, the Oliver Mining Company had only taken about three
million tons out of Missabe Mountain Mine up to the end of 1917.
The mine resumed its old activity in 1918, however, and by the end of
1919 the total ciuantity mined had reached 5,368,615 tons. Still, the
present rate of production could continue for many years, for there
is about fifty-five million tons still available. F. R. Alott is general
superintendent, and W. A. McCurdy, superintendent.
Commodore Mine. — A. E. Humphreys, and his associates,
including Atkins and Adams, "secured a lease on what were known as
the Nelson lands, belonging to the C. N. Nelson Lumber Company,
of Cloquet." As .before stated, the explorations were directed by
David T. Adams, with whom was Neil Mclnnis, and it is said that
"ore was shown up on the Ohio and the Commodore within a few days
after the first discovery on the Missabe Mountain."
"It was explored in 1891-2, and at that time known as the New
England" Mine, stated one record. Humphrey's company, the New
England Iron Company, subleased the property to James Corrigan on
November 11, 1892, on the basis of 55 cents royalty, with a first year's
minimum of 50,000 tons. The operations were in the hands of
Corrigan, Ives, and Company at the outset, the firm later becoming
Corrigan, McKinney and Company. In June, 1893, the property
passed to the Franklin Iron Company, Franklin Rockefeller being
president of that company, and Thomas Goodwillie of Iron Belt,
Wis., secretary. There being a heavy overburden, the mine was
worked by a shaft, and in 1893 exceeded the minimum, o5,137 tons
being mined. Whether the operation by the Franklin Iron Company
was merely "a working agreement," or not cannot be decided from the
papers now available. The Commodore and Franklin mines, which
adjoined, were both in 18')4 under the sujierintendence of Capt. John
Harris, and Winchell recorded that they .were then •'owned ancl o])er-
ated by Messrs. J. Corrigan, P. ^IcKinney and \\ Rockefeller." The
Franklin jiropertv however "became involved financially." and passed
into the ])()Ssession of John D. Kocket'eller, and was later acquired by
the Republic Iron and Steel Company, which corporation still owns
the h^anklin Mine. The Commodore Mine, hmvever, passed to Cor-
rigan, McKinney and Company, under the superintendence of E. D.
580 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
McNeil, who in 1907 started the heavy task of stripping the over-
burden. The mine is still owned by the McKinney Steel Company,
and E. D. McNeil is still general superintendent.
The Commodore mine has yielded 6,421,911 tons, to end of 1919,
having been consistently operated since it became an open-pit. It is
now, however, near the end of its proved supply.
Franklin Mine. — The Franklin mine was opened in 1893, in which
year 46,617 tons were shipped. The Franklin Iron Company seems
to have been handicapped financially and eventually the property
passed from Franklin Rockefeller to John D., his brother. The former
was so hard-pressed for ready money in 1893 that, according to Fred
Lerch, analytical chemist of Virginia, he could not meet, on due date,
an account of $250 but then had to ask Lerch Brothers to accept a
note, payable in sixty days, for the amount. The Franklin, with other
mines, including the Union, Victoria and Bessemer, passed ultimately
into the operation of the Republic Iron and Steel Company, present
operators. C T. Fairbairn was manager of the mining interests of
the Republic Iron and Steel Company in 1907, and Capt. Wm. White
general superintendent of the Franklin group. In 1919 the Republic
company's mining afifairs, which had reached out to the westward and
now included several important mines of Kinney and Nashwauk dis-
tricts, are directed by Francis J. Webb, with T. A. Flannigan, general
superintendent. The Franklin mine has yielded 2,241, 761 tons, to end
of 1919, but seems to have reached nearly to the end of its available
deposit.
Union Mine. — The Union mine was opened in 1900, and in four
years shipped 296,424 tons. There was idleness for a few years, and
then for some years the output was not appreciable. In 1912, however,
more than 200,000 tons came from the L^nion, which ever since has
maintained that volume of production. To end of 1919 the total of
shipments was 2,278,229 tons. At present rate of production the
proved deposit will be exhausted in a few years.
Victoria Mine.— The Victoria was opened in 1893 by Corrigan
and Rockefeller, passing to the Republic Company eventually. No
ore was shipped from it until 1906. and the total up to end of 1919
was only 637,300 tons, with very little still available. .
Bessemer Mine.— The Bessemer was opened also in 1893 by same
parties. It is not now on the shipping list. The last shipping year
was 1915, when 49,459 tons were mined, the property having yielded
altogether 1,238,540 tons.
Ohio Mine. — The Ohio mine was one of the first to show activity,
if not the first to produce ore. It was probably already certain to the
promoters that ore was in the property when they, on January 7,
1892, formed the Ohio Mining Company, of $1,000,000 capital, to
mine it. Identified with the promotion were : James E. Campbell, of
Columbus; E. D. Sawyer, of Cleveland; W. J. Hilands, of same
place ; C. F. Nestor, of Lancaster, Ohio ; R. S. Munger, M. R. Baldwin,
T. H.' Pressnell and J. K. Persons, of Duluth ; S. R. Ainslee, of Chi-
cago," and Fred Barrett, of Tower. The last-named was the pioneer
newspaper editor of both ranges, having conducted the "Vermilion
Iron Journal" for some years before founding the first Mesabi Range
newspaper. He, however, was enthusiastically prospecting on the
Mesabi range almost from the beginning of mining at Mountain Iron.
Regarding him one writer stated :
Those were the days of many prospective millionaires, and Dr. Barrett
fondly imagined that he was one of them. Although he died without reach-
ing the goal of his ambition, he was richer than any mere money-grubber
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 581
that ever lived, for he possessed a wealth of human kindness, an inexhausti-
ble fund of humor, and one of the noblest hearts that ever beat in sympathy
for others.
The compiler may, perhaps, be pardoned for so diverting. As
to the Ohio mine, Winchell wrote in 1895 : "Leases and sub-leases have
been made and forfeited upon this property, and its exact status at
present is unknown to the writer."
It seems that two parties had a lease to the property, and both
subleased to the Ohio Mining Company. S. R. Ainslee, of Chicago,
leased to the Ohio Company on March 29, 1892, at a royalty of 25
cents. And on June 13th, following, James Sheridan and John B.
Weimer, who seemed to have established some right to the property,
leased it to the Ohio Company at 65 cents, with 150,000 tons minimum,
and $15,000 advance royalties. Trouble seems to have followed the
promoters. On March 31, 1894, the decree of court forfeited interests
of Sheridan and Weimer in Ohio Mining Company's lease, "in default
of lease of June 24, 1892."
Weimer, however, was, from the beginning, involved in the
attempt to exploit the mine. They found the ore, but before mining
decided to strip the property. Before they could complete that work,
the money panic of 1893 set the Ohio Company on the inactive list.
John B. Weimer had undertaken the stripping contract, but he failed —
for a like reason. Then followed the years of deflation, the period in
which Mesabi ore could not be mined at a profit. Eventually, it
became evident that small independent companies could not live, and
the Ohio stock was swept into the Rockefeller holdings, passing
eventually with his other property to the U. S. Steel Corporation's
mining subsidiary, the Oliver Iron Mining Company. The mine has
only been worked spasmodically. Up to 1900, 540,514 tons had been
mined; in 1900 the output was 172,597 tons; but no more was mined
until 1905. Eight hundred thousand tons was worked in 1907, but
since that time the mine has only been worked during one year, 1916,
when the shipment was 23,665 tons. It must therefore be considered
as one of the reserve properties of the Oliver Company, there being
about four million tons still available.
Lone Jack. — The Lone Jack mine adjoins the Ohio. The property
was owned originally by Alonzo J. Whiteman, of Duluth, who seems
to have leased it (or sold it) to John T. Jones and D. T. Adams.
Another account states that it "was owned by A. J. Whiteman, who
sold it before iron was discovered. A lease was taken by David T.
Adams, James Foley and associates, who explored it and soon found
.ore." The Merritts also were interested in it originally, a lease passing
•from them to N. D. Moore and J. F. Foley, thence through Humi)h-
reys to Lone Jack Iron Company. The Lone Jack Iron Company was
formed July 24, 1892; the incorporators were A. 1^. Humphreys,
George E. Milligan and Arthur Howell ; and the capital was $500,000.
Two inclined shafts were sunk preparatory to mining by Captain
Folev, but the properties were brought into the Merritt group to be
consolidated, when the Merritts were struggling to extricate them-
selves from their financial difficulties. They failed and their options
passed to Rockefeller. The properties also eventually became his,
by purchase from D. T. .Xdams and others. I\ventually, the Lone Jack
came under the control of the Oliver Iron Mining Company, present
owners.
Less than 200,000 tons have been mined since IIHX). and there
is still as much in the mine as has been taken from it. The available
deposit is 2,329,356 t<Mis ; the (juantity mined is 2.206,292 tons.
582 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Lincoln and Higgins Mines. — The Wyoming Iron Company was
formed on April 22, 1892, with a capital of $300,000. The organizers
were Frank Cox, S. W . Eckman and ^^^ F. Gore, and the result of their
operations were the Higgins, Tesora and part of the Lincoln. The
company sub-leased the ne. of nw. of sec. 9-58-17 to John T. Jones on
a royalty of 50 cents and 25,000 tons minimum.
John T. Jones and his associates explored the Lincoln, which
adjoined their Commodore property. Later they disposed of their
lease to the Inter-State Iron Company, the mining division of the
Jones and Laughlin Steel Company. The mine, however, did not come
onto the shipping list until 1902, when 87,908 tons were shipped. It
has been continuously operated ever since, averaging about 250,000
tons a year, at which rate there is enough proved ore to last for about
another seven years. C. T. Fairbairn was the mining manager when
shipments first began, Thomas Pellew succeeding him in 1906. They
were working four shafts in 1907, a'nd it was then the best equipped
underground property in the district. The Lincoln still belongs to
the Interstate Iron Company. ]\Iark Elliott being general superinten-
dent and J. H. Mclnnis, assistant general superintendent.
The Higgins mine passed to the Oliver Mining Company in 1897
or 1898, Capt. John Gill becoming superintendent for the Oliver Com-
pany in 1898. The mining was somewhat more difficult than at some
other mines, at the Missabe -Mountain for instance. The first ship-
ment from the Higgins was made in 1904. The surface was stripped
and the mining carried on both by milling a4id by steam shovel,
although owing to the steep grade the ore mined by steam shovel was
not taken direct from the mine but dumped through a chute, and then
hoisted in the shaft. About a million and a half tons have been taken
from the mine, and about eight million tons still remain.
Norman Mine. — The Higgins Land Company was the original
owner, paying $1.25 an acre, in 1887, for 11.661 acres on the range.
The right to explore and mine was sold to Louis Rouchleau, the lease
being of July 11, 1892, from F. \\". Higgins, of Olean, to Louis
Rouchleau, who sub-leased to the Minnesota Iron Company. The
company opened the mine in 1894, and "was the second to adopt the
'milling' method" of open-pit mining, the process being to strip oflf
the overburden and mill the ore down through a winze into cars in the
mine, from which the ore was dumped into skips and hoisted. The first
superintendent was Capt. John Armstrong. By the end of 1898,
421,132 tons had been shipped. Eventually the mine passed, with the
consolidation, into the control of the Oliver Iron Mining Company,
but with the exception of a few thousand tons in 1907, nothing was
mined from the Norman from 1898 until 1908, when the Oliver Com-
pany worked it "in connection with the Lone Jack, Ohio and Oliver
(Missabe ^lountain)." The Norman was a very deep and narrow
mine, and as the open-pit mining proceeded furiously (as it did in
1908, 1909 and 1910, the three years averaging a million tons a year),
the mine developed the appearance of a deep gully. The feeholders
were concerned at the method of mining, and brought suit to set aside
the lease, alleging that the Oliver Company was "wasting the ore,
and hurting the mine." A compromise was efifected, much to the
financial advantage of the feeholders, it is believed. The lease was to
expire on March 31, 1913, and just prior to that time a much richer ore
bed was discovered beneath the other. The total shipment to end of
1919 was 6,481,788 tons.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
50 ">
Rouchleau-Ray Mine. — The Rouchlcau-Ray mine is one of the
great mining properties of the Mesabi. Not a ton has yet been taken
from it, but the proved deposit is 23,953,707 tons. F. T. Higgins and
Giles Gilbert were the feeholders, and mining right was granted to
Rouchleau, of Duluth, the Rouchleau-Ray Iron Land Company being
formed. The deposit was proved, to an extent, but no attempt was
made to mine the deposit, probably because of the money panic of
1893, and the flatulency of market "in 1894 and 1895. On November
20, 1895, however, the Rouchleau-Ray Land Company, together with
feeholders, gave H. V. Winchell an option to purchase the mine for
$1,125,000. For a ninety-day option -$125,000 was paid, and it tran-
AUBUKN MINE, 1902, AS IT APPEARED THEN, AND AS IT STILL IS, NOT A TON OF THE
TWO MILLION TON DEPOSIT HAVING SINCE BEEN MINED
spired that the interested partv wrs the Lake Superior Consolidated
Iron mines, then owned by John D. Rockefeller. "Just before the
(jption expired, the company asked for an extension of time, which
was refused." That meant the saving of a few hundred thousand
dollars to Rockefeller, for about a year later he purch.-.sed the property
for $750,000. The mine, of course, passed with the other mining
property of John 0. Rockefeller, to the Steel Corj)oration in 1901.
It has since lain dormant in the control of the Oliver Iron Minmg
Comi)any.
Auburn Mine. — A mile to the southward of the Normrn is the
Auburn, which was originally known as the Iron King. The prc:p-
erty was explored by Nat Moore, for A. E. Humphreys and otbers.
Soon it was leased bv the Minnesota Iron Comi)any. on a 30-cent basis,
584 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
and "under the direction of Capt. George W. Wallace became an
example of the best results that could be obtained from the milling
process." The Auburn was considered in 1894 to have "one of the
finest plants and locations on the range." In 1894, 110,809 tons were
shipped. Nothing has been mined from the Auburn since 1902, and
up to that time a total of 2,143,028 tons had been shipped, leaving
still available 1,793,917 tons. It is a reserve property of the Oliver
Iron Mining Company.
Other Important Dormant Mines. — The history of several other
important mining properties in the Virginia district is similar to that
of the Norman and Auburn, in that there are enormous deposits
available, but unworked. The Great Western and Great Northern
properties were partly explored by the Alerritts ; the Great Western
Reserve belongs to the Oliver Company and is considerd part of
the Auburn ; not a ton has been mined of 5,108,305 tons available. The
Moose is another Oliver property from which nothing has been taken
of the proved deposit of 8.688.651 tons. From the Shaw, adjoining,
nothing has been mined of 5,703,195 tons available. The Minnewas
mine has given 68,084 tons of its 11,313,710 deposit. The Sauntry has
a deposit of 18,573,108 tons, and not a ton of shipment is listed, while
another undeveloped portion has a reserve of 6,628,395 tons, according
to the Minnesota School of Mines statistics. From the Alpena mine,
classed on the shipping list as the Sauntry-Alpena mine, and including
shipments from the Sauntry mine, 9,193,272 tons have come since the
two mines were first opened, and there is a reserve of about three
million tons. These mines all belong to the Oliver Iron Mining
Company, or are leased to them.
The "Moose was first explored by A. E. Humphreys. Later John
B. Weimcr secured an option on it and made further explorations but
lost it. The property was aftenvards sold for $400,000 and was cheap
at the price."
The Shaw, adjoining the Moose, was one of the earliest exploita-
tions. The Shaw Iron Companv, capitalized at $3,000,000, was organ-
ized on December 19, 1891. by'D. W. Scott, J. E. Da vies and R. H.
Palmer. It was a Merritt promotion, the first officers being: D. W.
Scott, president; A. R. Alerritt, treasurer; A. J. Tallow, secretary;
Alfred, E. T. and C. C. Merritt, and H. T. Hildebrand, directors.
Their operations, however, did not reach the producing stage, and
that has not yet been reached by their successors.
The Minnewas Mine was explored by Louis Rouchleau, and
developed as an underground mine by Captain Cohoe and Capt. Phil
Scaddcn in 1893, in which year 13,858 tons were shipped.
The Sauntry. — The Sauntry property was explored "in the early
days by a man named McDonald, for the Musser-Sauntry Lumber
Company, of Stillwater. It was later sold to the Oliver Iron Mining
Company for $750,000, and in the spring of 1900 stripping operations
began, William Montague being then superintendent, and Otis Was-
son, captain. "After considerable overburden had been moved, the
work was discontinued, and the property has been idle since" stated
a 1907 review.
The Alpena. — The Alpena adjoins the Sauntry. It was explored
by Capt. M. L. Fay, for the Yawkey interests, "who sold it to the Steel
Corporation."
The Minorca. — Captains M. L. Fay, J. H. Pearce and Harry-
Roberts discovered ore on the Minorca in 1900. They afterwards
sold the lease to Pickands Mather and Company, "the first two receiv-
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 585
ing $30,000 each, and the latter $65,000." The mine was opened in
1901, and became a shipper in 1902. Captain Joseph Roskilly was in
charge. The mine was worked steadily until 1915, at the end of which
year there was only an available deposit of 25,000 tons. Nothing has
since been shipped and Pickands Mather and Company have given
up the lease.
Larkin Mine. — This mine, as the Tesora, was explored by Capt.
M. L. Fay, and the Tesora Mining Company was formed to operate
it. Captain Fay and W. H. Yawkey, the fee owner, constituting the
company. They sank a shaft in 1906, with the intention of mining the
ore, but an opportunity came to lease it, which they did to the New
York State Steel Company, the mine then being changed in name to
the Larkin, under which name it has since been known. Mining
began in 1906 and ended in 1913, a total of 204,837 tons being mined.
No further quantity has been proved up.
Onondaga. — The Onondaga mine, a small property, was operated
by the Republic Iron and Steel Company for six years, which ended
in 1913, but only about 200,000 tons have been mined.
Columbia Mine. — The Columbia mine, north of the city of Vir-
ginia, was explored for A. E. Humphreys and his associates in 1900.
They sold the property, or the lease, to the Inter-State Iron Company.
A shaft was then sunk, and shipments began in 1901, but mining had
to be abandoned because of "the great volume of water encountered."
Another attempt was made in 1905, but only 1,500 tons had been mined
when mining ceased. Nothing has since been done with the property
which eventually, presumably, will be made to yield its four million
tons deposit. The Inter-State Iron Company still controls the
property.
Quantity Still Available in the Virginia District. — It has been
stated that there must be at least three hundred million tons of ore
still unworked in the Virginia district, and the probability is that
when that quantity has been mined more will still be available. Min-
ing cannot be claimed to be carried on to the limit of production at
present, but from the Virginia group in 1919 about 2,500,000 tons of
ore were shipped.
Mining is not the only industry of Virginia, by the way, but it
is undoubtedly its mainstay.
Municipal History
Growth of the "Queen City." — Virginia was "nothing but a dense
and untracked forest in 1892"; in 1920 it was the fifth city of the state.
In 1892 its bank deposits were almost nil ; in 1920 they were $4,300,000.
In 1893 it had the use of one room for school purposes; in 1920 the
cost of one school only, of the fourteen owned by the \'irginia school
district, was about $1,500,000. There are as many teachers today in
the Virginia schools as there were pupils in 1893. In 18^)2 there
was one little portable sawmill; in 1920 Virginia could be- proud of
the fact that within the city limits is the largest white pine mill in
the world. In 1893 about 230,000 tons of ore were shii)iK'd : in 1920
about two and a half million tons were mined, at which rate of ship-
ment the ore deposits already proved in the Virginia district will last,
probably, for more than another one hundred years. \'irginia had one
building for public purj)oscs in 1893 — church, lecture hall, concert
room, community center; today there are a dozen substantial church
586 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
buildings, some millions of dollars worth of school structures, a
$275,000 courthouse, a $60,000 library, four theatres, a "sky-scraping"
office building, a $100,000 opera house, and a couple of good hotels.
Virginia hadn't a foot of paved highway in 1893 ; in 1920 she had
more than sixteen miles of paving and twenty-six miles of sidewalk.
In 1892 the total assessed value of Virginia was $4,640, upon which
the total lew was $38.05 ; in 1919 the total valuation of the city of
Virginia was' $16,873,834 and the total taxes $1,525,394.59.
By these outstanding comparisons may be gauged Virginia's
advance to metropolitan status in little more than a generation.
The Beginning. — Mining developments in the "Virginia Loop"
of the Mesabi range during the spring and summer of 1892 made it
quite evident to the mining explorers that a communal centre must
soon develop near the mines. While in the first excitement and uncer-
tainty of mining exploration, little thought was paid to more than
emergency shelter, but with the ever-increasing discovery, and the
rapidly-increasing number of men engaged in the preliminary, the
matter of townsite, and the advantage that would accrue from the
promotion of one, soon demanded consideration and recognition.
Planning the Townsite. — One alert group of explorers and pro-
moters, those associated with A. E. Humphreys, early came to that
opinion, and proceeded to select and to secure the most favorable
site for a village. These men were A. E. Humphreys, David T.
Adams, John Owens, G. W. Milligan, Frank Cox and Xeil Mclnnis.
Several other mining men, among them O. D. Kinney and George W.
Buck, were interested in helping the project forward, but the men
directly concerned in the promotion of the townsite company were
Humphreys, Adams, Milligan, Eckman and Cox. The Virginia Im-
provement Company was organized by these men on July 12, 1892,
the company being capitalized at $50,000.
Finding a Name. — Regarding the early planning of A^irginia
David T. Adams writes :
It would seem to some people an easy matter to arrive at a name for
a townsite in that country, especially at a time when the entire country was
in its natural state and covered with timber, but, foolish as it may look, it
seemed hard for the promoters to decide among themselves. Each proposed
a different name, and insisted that their's was the only one, and before a
name was agreed upon considerable dissension arose among the promoters.
I had previously selected the place for the townsite; the idea was mine from
the first. I engaged the services of M. E. Cook, an engineer of Duluth, to sur-
vey the townsite. I had everything done in my own way, and there was no
complaint from the promoters, and for these reasons I thought I was entitled
to the sole right of giving it a name. I proposed the name "Humphreys." in
honor of A. E. Humphreys, but the name was rejected. I believe Mr. G. E.
Milligan stated that, as the town was in a virgin country, and the first to be
platted on the range with any prospective future, a name at least suggestive
of the virgin country should be found. After two or three days of deliberation,
I believe I suggested the name "Virginia," thinking it an appropriate name that
would answer all purposes, as it would still be in honor of Mr. Humphreys,
as Virginia was his home state, and would also be suggestive of the country.
Hence, the name "Virginia" was finally agreed upon. Thereafter, on July 12,
1892, the Virginia Improvement Company was organized by myself, G. E.
Milligan, A. E. Humphreys, Frank Cox and S. W. Eckman, and the original
plat of Virginia was filed for record, on September 13, 1892. Then the lots
were ready for sale.
Sale of First Lots. — We rented a vacant storeroom in Duluth, hung up
a large plat on the wall, with maps showing the deposits of ore which had
been developed up to that time around Virginia, and where others could be
found, and then advertised the lots to be sold at public auction. The sale
took place, with Captain Carr, of Charleston, West Virginia, as our auctioneer,
and the first lots sold in the townsite of Virginia were sold that way.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 587
The first lots on the townsite were sold at "prices running from
$300 to $400 per lot." The timber "was slashed out along what is now
Chestnut Street * * * and a few rough buildings erected that
fall." The work of clearing the townsite was in charge of John Scott.
At about the same time the Virginia Light and Water Company-
was organized by Messrs. O. D. Kinney, A. E. Humphreys and George
D. Buck, by which early promotion it seems clear that the projectors
believed that the town planned would soon develop into .a place of
importance and of profit to holders of public utilities.
Petition to Incorporate. — In September, 1893, a petition was cir-
culated among the people resident in the district and it was signed
by forty-four men. The petition was addressed to "the County Com-
missioners of the County of St. Louis, State of Minnesota," who were
"prayed" to approve of the necessary legal formalities being taken
to effect the incorporation of land "regularly laid out and platted"
and as shown on the plat filed in the office of the Registrar of Deeds on
the 13th day of September, 1892. The petition stated that census taken
on September 14. 1892, showed that "on said day the resident popula-
tion of said territory so sought to be incorporated was found to be
181 ;" and the petition asked that the proposed village be designated as
the village of "Virginia." The signers were Richard O'Neal, M. J.
Grady, John Hoy, Dougal Johnson, John Byrne, Mike Hines, Geo.
Morris, John Gibbins, Pete Johanson, Ole Sattos, John Nossorn,
Isaac Koski, Frank Neddon, Ole Anderson, George M. Rees, J. R.
Humphrey, H. Vanhorn, Hugh McMahon, P. J. Foley, Chas. Johnson,
Thomas Huartson, William Bradley, James Hill, John Haley, James
Ryan, Alex. Cain, Louis Rood, Fred Rossom, Will A. F. Williams, Joe
Elliott, N. A. Beatty, Tom Short, John Thorsby, John Graham, John
Elfstrom, Peter Elfstrom, G. A. Peterson, James Graham, Peter Berg-
lund, Xupifti Jappila, Wm. Harvey, Chas. French, Robert McGruer,
P. W. Scott.
The regularity of petition, and accuracy of its statements were
vouched for by P. W. Scott, Thomas Short and Robert McGruer, on
September 19, 1892, on which day the paper appears to have been
presented to the county officials.
Petition Granted. — At the October session of the Board of County
Commissioners the petition was considered and approved ; whereupon
the county commissioners ordered election to be held, to ascertain
the will of the residents, on the 12th day of November, 1892, "at the
store building of E. C. Burk, situated upon lots numbered 32 and 33 in
block 21 of the Town of "Virginia," according to the recorded plat
thereof." P. W. Scott, Thomas Short and Robert McGruer were
appointed "to preside as inspectors at such meeting and election."
Notices of Election were posted "at the sawmill and boarding house
of J. E. Sher, situated in block 9 on W^yoming avenue ; * * * at
the ofifice of the X'irginia Improvement Company, on lot 32, in block 19,
on Chestnut Street ; * * * ^^ ^j^g store of E. C. Burk ; * * *
at the Hotel of Nels Anderson, situated on lot 15 in block 26 on Chest-
nut Street ; ''' '^^ * at the office of Nigro and Librock, situated
upon lot 8 in block 24, on Chestnut Street, all in \'irginia." The
meeting, or preliminary election, was duly and regularly held, and
sixty-five ballots were cast, sixty-four being "For incorporation ; yes,"
and one "no."
First Election. — Accordingly, the county commissioners ordered
an carlv meeting of voters, so that village officials might be elected,
and the incorporation completed. The election was held on Tuesday,
588 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
December 6, 1892. The following-named residents were elected to
constitute the first village administration: John Owens, president;
Howard Filegal, George Liebrock and John F. Towell, trustee ; John
F. Burke, recorder, and Neil Mclnnis, treasurer.
Virginia a Railway Station. — One day after the election took
place Virginia was, on December 7, 1892, given the facihty of railway
connection, the spur of the Merritt railway, the Duluth, Missabe and
Northern, being completed from Wolf Junction to Virginia on that
day. Thereafter, the growth of the village was very rapid.
Growth had been almost impossible before, because those who
wished to reach the place "were compelled to travel to the west along
'tote roads' which were almost impassable" all the way from Mesaba
station, a stopping place on the Duluth and Iron Range railroad. It
was the only point on a railroad from which any of the Mesabi expe-
ditions could start, and there was such a tremendous rush of exploring
parties, and such a heavy traffic developed by their operations, that
in the early nineties the only corduroy road became almost impassable.
In the late summer of 1892 the Duluth, Missabe and Northern reached
Mountain Iron, which made the road much shorter for the people of
Virginia ; still that road soon reached the state in which it was a
hardship to have to walk or ride along it, and much traffic was
impossible. So it is possible to "imagine the joy that abounded when
the first sixteen cars of miscellaneous freight reached Virginia on the
afternoon of December 7, 1892. Part of the freight brought in by the
first train was the machinery for the waterworks plant." A little later
the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad also reached the city.
First Frame Store Building. — Tradespeople began to flock in, and
temporary buildings gave place to "some of more substantial char-
acter." "Every line of retail business was soon represented." "One
of the first frame buildings was put up by the Maas Hardware Com-
pany, on the northwest corner of Chestnut street and Central avenue."
First Sawmill. — One of the great inconveniences experienced by
the early settlers was the lack of lumber for building purposes. The
only means by which it was possible to get any lumber at all was by
"importing it from other places," at considerable trouble and ex-
pense. However, this was soon partly remedied, John Owens bring-
ing in a small portable mill, which he placed "on the shore of Vir-
ginia lake," near where the Primary school building later stood. John
Owens had many tasks to do at that time, and in the sawmilling busi-
ness he took into partnership a man named Robert McGruer, who
operated the mill, which was soon working at full capacity. Even
then, it could not cope with the demand for lumber, and when the
place really began its first spurt, in the fall of 1892, the little mill
could not hope to cope with the recjuirement. However, relief was
in sight, for it appears :
The first of October, 1892, the news was heralded throughout Virginia
that Finlayson and Company, of St. Paul, had purchased 50,000,000 feet of
pine in the vicinity, and had decided to erect at once a large sawmill on a site
leased from the Virginia Townsite Compan}^ This meant the employment of
at least 100 men in the sawmill itself.
It does not seem, however, that this larger mill was "at once"
erected, otherwise it probably would have met the same fate as Owens'
mill, which was destroyed in the fire which also destroyed the village
of Virginia, in June, 1893. The Finlayson mill was in existence and
operation in 1900, when it was also burned, at the time of the second
razing of the city. For some years prior to its destruction in 1900,
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY ' 589
however, the Finlayson mill was in the possession of Moon and
Kerr.
A Distinguished Early Visitor. — W. J. Olcott, who later took
over the direction of the mines owned by Rockefeller, and eventually
became president of the Oliver Iron Mining Company stated, in 1908:
I remember my first visit to Virginia, in 1892, when there was only one
small log building there, and that was on the hill near the Missabe Mountain
mine. Some people reported before I made the trip that the ore on the Mesabi
range was no good, and would never be merchantable. However, I went on
horseback from Mesaba station, on the D. & I. R., through to Hibbing, took
my samples from test-pits, and found high-grade ore.
He probably never expected that near the log hut at the Missabe
Mountain mine would grow th? fifth city of the whole state within
a generation. '
First School. — Although School District No. 22 was not organized
until February 1, 1893, there is record that a term of school was held
"in the winter of 1892-93" and that eighteen children attended the
school in that term. The school-house "was a one-roomed frame
building," heated by wood stove, the fuel "to feed it being chopped ofif
the timber on the lot."
A school history, written in 1904, makes the following statement
regarding the first school :
"There had been a school, taught by Sarah Gleason, from March,
1893, to June of the same year, in Herman Niculou's house, which
house was later burned. It was located on lot 7, block 20."
Conditions That Prevailed in Early Virginia. — There was no
church building in Virginia before the fire of 1893, but Crockett's
Opera House, which was one of the first halls to be built on the range,
was available for any public meeting. It went the way of all other
burnable property in Virginia in 1893. In the winter of 1893, a two-
story frame building was built by William Hayes. It became known
as Hayes' Hall, and in it were held all public meetings, and indoor
gatherings, church services, minstrel show, dog fights, socials, bac-
chanalian carousals, and gambling events. On the ground floor of
Hayes' Hall the village barber had his shop, fronting the sidewalk;
the central rooms were used as a saloon ; and in the rear were gambling
dens, it appears, while "back of that was the Enterprise office.''
The upper floor was, seemingly, unfinished, the floor being of loose
boards. Here, the public meetings were held. At one end "was a
platform on trestles" ; the trestles, however, were beer kegs. When
church service was held "beer kegs were rustled together" in suf-
ficient number to provide seating with planks. The first minister
of the Gospel to hold services in that environment was, it is said, a
Presbyterian, who came from Tower, the Rev. E. N. Raymond, a
worthy pioneer minister, who knew the Greek Testament well, but
knew men just as well. The story has it that when he first came in,
on a Saturday evening, he saw several groups of men, all much en-
grossed in games with cards. He stayed with them for an hour or
so, and actually "took a hand." 'Before he left, the men had "warmed"
to him, so that when he invited them "upstairs to church meeting next
day" many promised to come, and it seems "all the men attended."
It was not an unusual occurrence in those early days for a miner
to "ride up to a saloon bar on horseback ;" and when the village
streets were graced with lamp-posts, it was not uncommon to see a
line of drying clothes hanging between posts on Chestnut Street.
That was the pcrirxl in which \'irginia \\as what sotrie people slill
Vol. II — (i
590 • DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
imagine mining villages of the Mesabi range must be. But the pe-
riod, fortunately, was soon over, and the civic dress and social stand-
ard of Virginia of today are as well ordered as an eastern city of
very much longer establishment might expect to prevail.
Fire Department Organized. — Albert E. Bickford was one of the
men who saw \'irginia through her "pioneer stage of crudity," and
helped it through, if one may judge from the fact that he has been
city clerk for twenty-two years. He was not long in recognizing
that the greatest danger was of fire, there being such a stand of resin-
ous timber around the little village. He organized a volunteer fire
company on March 10, 1893. C. W. Musser, in his "Virginia in the
Great State of Minnesota," writes, regarding it :
* * * in March, 1893, * * * nearly ever}- able-bodied man in town
assembled in the rear of William Hayes' saloon, and organized Virginia's tirst
fire-fighting squad.
The first chief was E. W Coons ; the first secretary, P. J. Ryan ;
and the company was no doubt of service in the following June, though
they could not save the village. The Virginia Fire Department Re-
lief Association was organized in May, 1895, and is a strong fraternal
and financial body.
The First Fire. — The first check Virginia was destined to expe-
rience was in June, 1893, when it was "swept off the map," or at
most had no more visible property above the surface than the twisted
and half-molten remains of what hardware their residences, now
ashes, once contained. The "Virginian." industrial edition, of August
30, 1907, reports the catastrophe as follows :
By June 1, 1893, Virginia had become the most important town on the
range. There were over fifteen developed mines in the vicinity of the village,
and the town had a population of almost 5,000 people. But in the midst of
the season of growth and prosperity came a blow which was a severe check
upon the development of the town. On Sunday, June 18, 1893, a terrible bush
fire was raging southwest of the village. It was a very hot day. Everything
was dry and parched as it possibly could be. A strong southwest wind had
begun to blow, and this drove the flames directly towards the town, and forty
minutes after the first shanty in the outskirts of the village had begun to
burn there was nothing left of Virginia, the metropolis of the range. No doubt
this catastrophe discouraged our early citizens and manj- of the faint-hearted
left the town never to return, but there were others who had the bravery, the
pioneer strength, hope and spirit, that caused a larger and more beautiful Vir-
ginia to rise from the ashes of the old.
It was a disaster, a catastrophe, but not a holocaust, as that word
is generally understood ; it was not a calamity like that which came
to Hinckley in the same year, or like that which swept property and
life from many parts of Northern ^Minnesota in 1918. Property was
gone, but Virginians still lived, and it was only a question of time be-
fore she would recover. As a matter of fact, the recovery was quick,
notwithstanding the hard times of that year. And times certainly
were hard.
Depression of 1893. — The depression experienced in \^irginia in
1893 was, by the way, not in the slightest degree caused by the forest
fire, though such incinerating of their possessions inade the hard
times harder to bear. But the money stringency was a national, in-
deed a world-wide, condition. The full force of it was felt about
mid-summer, when the state of things, financial, in Dulutli was tragic.
On the range, there was even less money. Clearing House certificates
were in places the only currency. In Virginia, instancing one case
only, things must have been desperate. The Lerch brothers had come
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 591
to the range, with good connections, in December, 1892, and soon
had as much ore analyses to make as they could handle. But work
did not bring them money. The Oliver Mining Company owed them
about five hundred dollars for chemical analyses made, and had to
confess itself unable to pay until "new blood was injected into the
company." "Times were so hard in the winter of 1893-94" that George
Lerch "accepted a position in St. Paul, making brick for the St. Paul
and Duluth Railroad Company." But even that did not bring the
money he thought he might be able to send to his brother in Vir-
ginia, who had remained there to "hold onto" the business. Indeed,
the railroad company could not pay him at all "until the following
spring." However, through the winter Fred Lerch went on with the
making of analyses, but when he had reached the realization that he
"owed for ten weeks board, and saw no way of paying it," he be-
came ashamed, took an ax, and "went batching" in the woods, staying
there until he had chopped enough to barter for a bushel of potatoes.
Other men had experiences similarly precarious. Common labor
brought only $1.10 at the mines — the few that were being then op-
erated — and payment oftener than not was in kind.
However, as with all things, time brought a change. The national
and local state purse improved, and there was soon a very visible im-
provement in the village of Virginia.
First Telephone Company. — Virginia soon had advanced so far
in metropolitan conveniences as to have telephone service. In 1894,
Messrs. Talboys and Campbell, of Eveleth, strung a wire from their
general store to the home of one of the partners. Soon afterwards,
they opened a branch store in Virginia, and they wanted it con-
nected with Eveleth, so a private wire was run between the two vil-
lages. So many people wanted to use the wire that it occurred to
some alert residents of Virginia that the franchise was worth acquir-
ing. So Kinney and Griggs finally organized a telephone company,
which grew and grew, until it was quite a valuable business when sold
to the present company. The city of Virginia now has about sixteen
hundred telephones.
Leading Hotel. — It was probably in 1894, that the McGarry Hotel
was built. Fred Lerch, writing about the hotel, states:
This was a three-story frame building, located on the site of the present
Lyric Theatre. P. H. McGarry, who is now a state senator, was the pro-
prietor. He was a jolly landlord, and he specified, in placing an order for
the main heating stove, that he wanted one that would heat a forty-acre lot,
when the thermometer was forty below zero. The stove took pieces of cord-
wood four feet long.
Community Building. — Mr. Lerch also makes reference to "a
community building," which perhaps was the same building as that
hereinbefore referred to as Hayes' Hall. The Lerch brothers arrived
in Virginia on December 10, 1892, and Mr. Lerch writes:
We began business as analytical chemists on the second floor of what
may be called today a community building, located in the center of the town,
on the site now occupied by the First State Bank. On the first floor, which
consisted of two rooms, one for office purposes and the other for sleeping
quarters, were located the real estate firm of Kennedy and Gleason, the vil-
lage president, and tlic village marshal. This room was also used on Sun-
days by Reverend Raymond, Presbyterian minister, who came from Tower.
These were the first churcli services held in Virginia.
Virginia Becomes a City. — An attcnqit w.is made in Linuary,
1894, to annex to the village about four hundred acres oi land in sec-
tions 7 and 8, and electioTi was ordered to be held "at the office of the
1 —
.0
• v.*
i^5J*
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 593
New Virginia Hotel" on ]\Iarch 1, 1894. However, the election does
not seem to have supported the wish of the petitioners. Possibly the
election was not held.
However, in the following year the village proceeded to incor-
porate as a city, under the so-called Probate Law of 1895, and in-
cluded then within its limits the western half of southeast quarter
of section 8. One local record reads :
In 1895. the citizens of Virginia demanded a city charter. All the steps
in securing this right were now complete, with the exception of some docu-
ments which had to be made out and signed by Judge Ayers, of Duluth. A
committee, composed of E. S. Smith, M. C. Palmer and Dr. Stuart Bates, was
then sent down to Duluth to see the judge. Mr. Ayers had been ill for some
time, and asked the committee to postpone the matter, but the Virginians
did not take kindly to the hint. Mr. Palmer fixed up the papers himself, and
all the judge had to do was to sign them. Consequently, on the 7th of Feb-
ruary, 1895, Virginia became incorporated as a city. The first city election
was held on the first Tuesday in April. In this election Robert McGruer led
the Citizens-Democratic party, while the Republican forces were led by Dr.
Bates. The Citizens party won a complete victory. Mr. McGruer was elected
rhayor, by a majority of 163, Mr. J. R. James was elected treasurer, and E. S.
Smith recorder. Under the city charter elections were held annually, two
aldermen served each of the four wards. Each served two years, and one
alderman was elected from each ward every year.
A new charter was adopted in 1902, and another mode of gov-
ernment, that known as the "Home Rule" charter, took effect in
June, 1909. The charter was again amended in 1914, and even once
more, final readings of a new charter being made in November, 1920.
"Important features of the new charter are built largely around the
principle that only the mayor and the city council can legislate."
Mayoral Succession. — The chief executive of the village and city
administrations from the beginning of Virginia have been : John
Owens, president of village, December 6, 1892, to April 1, 1894; Stuart
Bates, to April 15, 1895 ; Robert McGruer, first mavor of the citv, to
April 15, 1896; ]. C. Jackson, to 1897; P. W. Scott, to 1899; M. C.
Palmer, to 1901 -A. N. Thompson, to April 15, 1902; Wm. H. Eaton,
from April 15, 1902, to January 1, 1904; M. L. Fay, to January 1. 1906;
Wm. H. Eaton, to January 1, 1908; A. Hawkinson," 1908-12 ; M. A.
Murphy, 1912-14; Michael Boylan, 1914-19; and Wm. M. Empie, 1919.
Second Fire, 1900. — Not many municipalities have to experience
such complete wreck as has come twice to the city of Virginia. The
second fire occurred, and was worse than the first fire, in one respect.
Virginia was more valuable in in 1900 than she was in 1893, although
the people of the healthy young city were probably better able in
1900 to bear the calamity than they had been in the precarious state
in which all things were in 1893. The "Virginian," August, 1907, re-
viewing the second fire, wrote :
From the time when Virginia became incorporated as a city, up to 1900,
the city was enjoying unrivalled prosperity. New mines were constantly be-
ing developed, tDgethcr with the older and larger ones. Two sawmills were in
operation, and many other minor industries had now gained a firm foothold
in the town.
But just at this time, when Virginia's future seemed brighter than it
ever had been before, a second fire destroyed the main business district of the
city, June 7, 1900. Through carelessness in handling the shavings Inirncr at
the old Moon and Kerr mill, a i)laze was started which in a short time had the
whole sawmill in flames. The day was very hot and everything as dry as it
possibly could be. This, together with a strong west wind, carried the flames
directly towards the town, and when one of the many flying sparks fell on the
dry shingles of a building in the very center of the city, the work of de-
struction had begun. At sunset, there was nothing left of it but one vast
space of smouldering ruins. It must have been hard for the citizens of Vir-
594 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
ginia, when thej^ walked up and down the streets of their city that evening.
They were homeless, penniless, with poverty staring them in the face, but
not discouraged. They had the bravery, the strength, and the spirit of '49,
that carries everything before it. And almost before the smoke of the fire
had cleared away the citizens had begun to rebuild a new and greater Vir-
ginia upon the ruins of the old. And today, Virginia stands forth as the best
built and most beautiful city in northern Minnesota.
One advantage — it perhaps may be so termed — came to Vir-
ginia, as the result of the second fire. It was soon afterwards de-
cided that Virginia should forever be spared a repetition of the fire,
at least as far as the more important part of the city was concerned.
It was resolved that nothing inflammable would be permitted to be
erected on Chestnut street, all structures being required to be of brick,
stone, or concrete. As a consequence. Virginia is "today one of the
most substantially built cities in the state."
Lumber Industry. — The lumber industry which was the cause
of the second fire at \'irginia has, notwithstanding that calamity, been
a boon to the city. The first sawmill of W. T. Bailey was erected in
1895, and found employment for thirty-five men. The mill was en-
larged in 1907. John Owens ran the shingle mill of Moon and Kerr's
mill until that was destroyed, and later he had another.
In 1902, Plummer and Ash built "an immense sawmill." Later,
the property was transferred to the Virginia Lumber Company. In
1904 the company erected a large planing mill plant, which found
employment for an additional hundred men. In 1907, a large new
lath mill was erected by the same company. In that year the Vir-
ginia Lumber Company had on its payrolls, in "Virginia and vicinity,"
about 1,500 men.
The company eventually was absorbed by the Virginia and Rainy
Lake Company of recent years, which has been such a factor in the
development of Virginia. The company was mainly responsible for
giving Virginia its fourth railroad, and for the develpment of tribu-
tary territory north of Virginia. The company buift a logging road
to the northward, which eventually passed to the Canadian Northern
Railway Company. The Great Northern Railroad built into Virginia
in 1902', and in that year the first surveying was done on the route
of the logging road, the Duluth, Rainy Lake and Winnipeg Railroad.
The present Virginia and Rainy Lake Company is a merger of the
Weyerhaueser and other large lumber interests. Its sawmills at Vir-
ginia cover 300 acres, and Virginians are probably right in claim-
ing that it is the "largest white pine lumber plant in the world," for
its capacity is 300,000,000 feet a year. Thomas S. Whitten is the gen-
eral manager, and F. H. Gillmor, superintendent of logging. Their
operations are enormous, both in logging and in lumber. In sawmills
i\t Virginia, in full operation "carry 1,500 men and women on their
payrolls," and during the logging season the company finds employ-
ment for another thousand or two men ; in fact, it can generally find
work for all the "lumberjacks" and mill hands that apply.
During the recent readjustment of the lumber market, they had
to reduce operations considerably, but curtailment of operations is
a verv unusual happening with that company.
Church History, — The meeting place of the Reverend Raymond,
pioneer Presbyterian minister, has already been referred to. It seems
that the first service he held in Virginia was in April, 1893. Soon
afterwards he organized a Presbyterian society in Virginia and re-
mained "several years as its pastor."
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 595
The first church meetings were held "in a small building on Wal-
nut street, between Cleveland and Central avenues, which was also
utilized for a time as a schoolhouse, and for holding meetings by other
denominations." The "street leading to this building is described as
having been almost impassable, on account of the mud. at times, and
ladies and children were often in danger of getting mired on the way-
there."
It was not long after the fire of 1893 that the Presbyterians built
a small church near their present place of worship. "This was the
first building constructed expressly for religious purposes."
The First Methodist Church Society was organized in 1893, by
W. H. Easton, then a student at Queens College, Kingston, Canada.
(Think this should be Kingston, Ontario. There is such a college
there, but I never heard of another in Montreal.) During his pastor-
ate, the "old First Methodist Church building of Duluth was secured,"
through the influence of the Merritt family. It was removed to Vir-
ginia, "and set up on the site of the present First Methodist Church,
where it stood until 1907, when it burnt down." • It was soon replaced
by a substantial brick church, which cost about $18,000 to erect, and
at the time was "one of the most conspicuous of many fine churches
in the city." It was dedicated September 27, 1908.
The Catholics were active in Mrginia from the beginning of its
settlement. Previous to the 1893 fire. Father ]Mavelle, who was then
stationed at Cloquet. "began holding occasional services in Vir-
ginia, the first meetings being held in private houses." In 1894. "a
small church was built at the corner of Wyoming Avenue and Poplar
Street, which building later formed part of the Polish Catholic
Church."
In 1895, Archbishop Appleby, of the Episcopal Church, came to
Virginia, and organized an Episcopal Church Society, the members
gathering for the first service at the residence of W. H. Eaton.
Those were the main church activities of the early days of Vir-
ginia, and laid the foundations of many of the strong church organiza-
tions of Virginia of today.
In 1920, Virginia had the following strong church societies, all
with places of meeting and worship, and most of them with resident
pastors: The Finnish Apostolic; the Adventist, Rev. H. Christiansen;
the Swedish Baptist, Rev. Carl Bergstrom ; the Lady of Lourdes,
Catholic, Rev. Father Limmer; St. John the Baptist, Catholic; St.
Paul's, Episcopal, Rev. J. G. Ward ; English-German. Lutheran, Rev.
Walter Melahn ; Finnish Lutheran, Rev. M. E. Mcrijarvi ; Norwegian
Lutheran, Rev. J. E, Reinertsen ; Swedish Lutheran, Rev. Samuel A.
Johnson; First Methodist Episcopal, Rev. A. H. McKee; Norwegian
Methodist. Rev. J. Laurenz; Scandinavian Mission, Rev. F. J. Hjelm ;
Salvation Army ; Scientist ; Jewish B'nai Abraham ; Finnish Unitarian,
Rev. R. Lappalla; First Presbyterian, L. W\ Gade ; People's Church,
Henry Clark.
The Young Men's Christian Association has also since June, 1919,
maintained an establishment in Virginia, and plans to extend to
other parts of the Range territory, erecting huts somewhat similar
to those of the war-service plan. They also hope soon to have
an adequate "city industrial building." General secretary is R. H.
Risdon; president, A. P.. Coates ; vice-president, J. D. Lamont ; sec-
retary, Ralph C. Pickering; treasurer, C. E. llendrick; directors,
Thomas S. Whitton and Alex. Reid.
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DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
597
Banking History.— The First National Bank of Virginia was orig-
inally organized as the Bank of Virginia, in 1892, by O. D. Kinney and
E. Z. Griggs. The pioneer bank was a private banking house, and
was comparatively strong when, in June, 1893, its building was de-
stroyed with the other buildings of the village. Again, in 1900, the
bank property was destroyed by fire, but these losses did not ma-
terially affect the stability of the corporation. In 1903, however, it
was decided to place the banking business under national banking
laws, and with that object the First National Bank of Virginia was
chartered, the original capital being $25,000. On July 25, 1905, this
was increased to $50,000, its present capital. The first officers were
O. D. Kinney, president; E. Z. Griggs, vice-president; B. F. Britts,
cashier; W. H. Cole, R. R. Bailey, E. B. Hawkins, and J. R. James,
CHESTNUT STREET, VIRGINIA, 1909. (TELEPHONE POLES HAVE SINCE
BEEN REMOVED TO ALLEY)
directors. Eventually Pentecost Mitchell became president, and was
still president in 1920, when the other officers were: S. R. Kirby,
Dr. C. B. Lenont and B. F. Britts, vice-presidents, and A. E. Ship-
ley, cashier. In 1913, the present conspicuous bank and office building
was erected. It is a five-story concrete and steel fireproof building.
The ground floor is devoted to banking purposes, and the upper
floors rented for offices. The fine building cbst about $125,000 to
erect.
The State Bank of Virginia was organized in 1911, the capital
being $50,000. First directors were: Douglas Greeley, F. H. \Vcll-
come, C. H. Rogers, C. E. Hendrick. J. E. Ilanson, H. O. Johnson
and C. E. Moore. There has been no change in this directorate. The
first officers were: I^ougias Greeley, president; C. E. Tfenflrick, vice;
Peter Western, cashier. Succession of cashiers is as follows: H. V.
Peterson, J. I. Frasa and H. W. Pribrow, present cashier. The cap-
ital is still the same, but the surplus is $10,000, witli $4,515 undi-
vided profits.
598 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
The American Exchange Bank of Virginia was incorporated in
March, 1904, as a state bank. Its original capital was $25,000, but
this was increased to $50,000 on July 1, 1907. At that time the di-
rectorate was: W. H. Cole, president; J. D. Lamont, vice-president;
D. W. Stebbins, cashier; C. T. Fairbairn, D. B. McDonald, A. Hawk-
inson, Fred Lerch, W. J. Sincock and E. J. Bush. It will thus be
seen that the bank had a strong mining and municipal support, and
was thus destined to grow into the bank it became.
Another bank, the Farmers and Merchants State Bank, was or-
ganized, with good prospects, and a particular field, on January 1,
1917. The bank devoted its efforts mainly to the developing of a
connection among agriculturalists in the Virginia sphere, the land
to the north of Virginia beyond the range, and along the Canadian
Northern system, being rapidly converted into excellent agricultural
properties. Farming, therefore, is becoming increasingly important.
The Farmers and Merchants State Bank began with a capital of $50,-
000, and soon had a surplus of $10,000. On May 30, 1920, its deposits
totalled to $400,000. Directors then were : Andrew Grande, presi-
dent ; B. J. Kelsey, vice-president; C. T. Eckstrand, cashier; Joseph
Christopherson and E. J. Larsen, directors.
The banks of Virginia, in August, 1920, had total deposits of
$4,300,000. which gives indication of their business prosperity.
Light and Water. — The light and water utilities are now mu-
nicipally owned. Originally they belonged to the Virginia Light and
Water Company, which was organized by O. D. Kinney, A. E. Hum-
phreys and others, in 1892. The first installation of water pipes was
done in the spring of 1893, and an electric light plant installed in
1894. The plants grew with the city, and met its requirements fairly
well. Just prior to the reorganization, in 1909, the officers of the com-
pany were: O. D. Kinney, president; B. F. Britts, vice-president;
Geo. W. Buck, secretary; E. Z. Griggs, treasurer; O. H. Griggs, man-
ager. In July, 1909, the company became the Virginia Electric Power
and Water Company, and proposed an issue of $70,000 bonds, to meet
cost of extensive improvements planned. The officers of the new
company were : O. D. Kinney, president ; O. H. Griggs, vice-president
and general manager; E. Z. Griggs, treasurer, and G. W. Buck, sec-
retary.
Virginia "was one of the first towns in Northern Minnesota to
adopt the policy of municipal ownership of public utilities." In 1913
the city purchased the plant of the Virginia Electric Power and Water
Company, and for several years the municipal operation of the plants
showed a net profit of about $80,000 a year. The plants have been
considerably enlarged and include "a. complete heating and extension
system," constructed in 1919, at a cost of $350,000. The "Seventh
Annual Report of the Water and Light Commission" of Virginia,
October 1, 1920, shows that the surplus assets above liabilities of the
city in these public utilities is $729,280.89.
Public Improvements. — In 1894, the "White-Way" of Virginia
consisted of "some fifteen arc lamps," of which possession "the citi-
zens boasted"; in 1920, Virginia had upon its streets 155 white-way
standards, each having five lamps, and about 175 other street lights.
Other comparisons are equally striking. In 1894 there were seventeen
hydrants ; in 1920, the city owned 141. In 1894 there were four blocks
of water mains ; in 1920 there must have been much more than twenty
miles of water mains; its storm sewers alone extended for thirteen
miles, and there were eighten miles of sanitary sewer in 1918, the
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
599
both laid at a cost of $328,000. According to the "Minneapolis Daily
News," October 19, 1918, Virginia had "the biggest sewage purifica-
tion plant in the world," built at a cost of $125,000. It is, without
doubt, the largest in the state. Virginia has sixteen miles of paving
that cost $742,000; twenty-three miles of sidewalk, laid at a cost of
$117,000; there are more than seven miles of bitulithic pavement,
and a greater length of creosoted wood-block pavement, and some
concrete paving. The sidewalks are of cement.
The municipal authorities, at a time when coal was scarce, es-
tablished a municipal wood yard, securing "stumpage at $2.00 actual
cost for wood to be cut in lengths to feed furnaces." There is a fine
municipal band ; the city has seventy-five acres of park land. The
only possession it really lacks, in order to be a well-balanced city
of the highest grade, is an appropriate city hall.
CITY HALL, BUILT 1905
City Hall.— The Virginia City Hall was built in 1904-'O5. Its
site cost $600, and the building was completed in the summer of
1905. There is additional unused ground adjoining and perhaps, some
day, it will be used to give the space necessary for the erection upon
it and the other two lots a city hall commensurate with the standing
of the city. The unused lot was acquired in 1905, at a cost of $700.
It is now worth $10,000. at least. The original cost of the city hall
was $15,lv39.16, and a like amount was spent in remodeling the
structure in 1910.
Parks. — "The city owns 55 acres of part property, in Olccnt and
South Side parks, among the finest in the state." records the "Min-
neai)olis Daily News." "Its [)ark board maintains more than 35 miles
of boulevards and has planted more than 10,000 trees. Olcott Park is
known as one of the play-spots of the range. .Its zoo is a feature
that draws visitors from all sections. * * ^i= ]^ contains elk, deer,
grizzly bear, timber \\()lfs and coyotes; * * * foxes; water fowl,
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DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 601
cavies, and everything to make a complete zoo. All the parks are
equipped with playground apparatus, while a wading pool for the
children is a feature at Olcott Park." OlcottPark was leased from
the Great Northern Mining Company in 1910, for ten years, one of
the conditions of lease being that the land was "to be used strictly
for park purposes," and that no exhibitions for compensation were
to be permitted. Apparently, the lease has been extended, for the
original term has expired, and the city is still in possession. Olcott
Park has cost the city, it is said, about $75,000. The pleasurable serv-
ice it gives is well worth the expense.
Public Library. — Albert E. Bickford, in his "Financial History
of Virginia," 1911, writes:
In 1905, Andrew Carnegie granted the city of Virginia the sum of $10,-
000 for the purpose of constructing a library building in his name in this city,
providing that the city would purchase or provide a suitable site * * *
and levy for the maintenance of the library annually a sum equal to 1 per
cent of the donation * * * . The library was constructed at a cost,
orginally, of the amount of the grant.
The library grew rapidly in service and reciuirement, and in 1911
Andrew Carnegie was asked to grant more money so that the build-
ing might be enlarged, or another built. Another was built in 1912,
out of it, it is said, "city funds," the new building and site costing
$65,000. It gives a valued service, having about 20,000 volumes, with
an annual circulation of about 90,000. There is also now a branch li-
brary on the north side of Virginia. The first library building is now
used as a freight office by the Canadian Northern Railway Company
at Virginia.
The first library was opened in 1907 ; the first librarian was Miss
Dunnigan. The City Public Library building, opened in 1912, had
as its first librarian Miss Newhard, present librarian is Miss Grace
Stevens. In addition, two men's reading rooms are maintained by the
library board, on Chestnut street.
Fire Department. — The volunteer company, formed in 1893, was
disbanded in 1908, when the city organized a salaried Fire Depart-
ment, with A. F. Thayer, chief. A new fire-hall was built at a
cost of $16,000 at that time. It was enlarged in 1914. During
about fifteen years of its existence, the volunteer company consisted
of from twelve to twenty men, and a chief, the firemen receiving $5
a month for their services, and the chief proportionately low.
Court House. — One of the magnificent buildings of Virginia is
the District Court House, which was erected in 1910, at a cost of
$275,000, and is now to be doubled in capacity, a much needed en-
largement.
Virginia was the first city on the range to have a county court
house, and it was established, it is believed, mainly through the initi-
ative of Judge Bliss, who was then superintendent of the \^irginia
Public schools. He noted that all juvenile ofifendcrs had to be tried
in the Juvenile court at Duluth, and the contact that necessarily came
between the erring juveniles and older, more hardened, offenders was,
he thought, not conducive to improvement of normal conduct of the
juveniles. He called a pul)lic meeting. It was held in the auditorium
of Roosevelt school. Virginia, and eventually brought action by the
state legislature, with the consequent establishment of the district
court houses. Judge Martin Hughes was the first to hold district
court in Virginia. He held his first session in the Municipal Court
602 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
room, but in the following year the present Court House building
was erected .
Post Office. — Virginia has a very fine Federal building, erected
recently, the first on the ranges.
Cemeteries. — There are two beautifully-kept cemeteries, the
Greenwood and Calvary, the latter being the Catholic place of burial.
They embrace forty acres.
War Record. — Virginia has an enviable and worthy war record.
She sent more than fifteen hundred of her young men into the na-
tional service when the call came in 1917 and 1918, and many of
them made the Supreme Sacrifice. (Reference to their individual
records is made in another chapter.) And when the pressure was
greatest, the people in the home sector, the residents of Virginia in
general, indeed in whole, to-ordinated their efiforts in war work. The
local Red Cross Chapter had more than 5,000 members, and under
the "chairmen" of the various departments, Mesdames West, Kimball,
Lerch, Hultquist, Alalmberg, Colgrove, and others, accomplished very
much. Douglas Greely gave much of his time to the direction of Red
Cross work, and Virginia's contributions to the various Liberty Loans
aggregated to well over $5,000,000. The issues for welfare service
were also liberally subscribed, to. It was a period in which Virginia,
like most other patriotic communities, strove to outdo its neighbor
in national service. That spirit, in the aggregate, brought the over-
whelming of the German resistance eventually, and Virginia might
well be proud of its record of personal service, during the national
period of stress.
Population. — The population of Mrginia in September, 1892, was
not more than 181. By June, 1893, it is said, the population was about
5,000. The blotting out of the village by fire then reduced the popu-
lation, by exodus, very considerably. It had not recovered even by
1900, when the federal census figures credited the city with only
2,962 inhabitants. In 1910, the population had increased to 10,473 ;
and the last census, 1920, disclosed that Virginia then had 14,022
residents.
Its trading, however, is with much larger population, Virginia
being the "shopping-centre" of both the Mesabi and V^ermilion ranges.
Publicity.- — The city is well served by two good daily journals,
the "Daily Virginian," and the "Enterprise." The latter is the older
paper, having been founded in 1893, before the fire, by F. B. Hand and
W. E. Hannaford. The "Enterprise" is the oldest of existing range
newspapers, and from the time of the fire, in 1893, until 1908, its
quarters were in what became knowm as "the Tar Paper Shack,"
which of course it was. The owners lost a printing plant worth
about $10,000 in the first fire. A. E. Bickford, city clerk, was on the
stafif of the "Enterprise" in the early days. The other paper, the
"Virginian," dates from May, 1895. It was founded by Wm. R. Mc-
Garry, who published the paper for the first four or five months. Since
October, 1895, the paper has been owned by the Cuppernull family,
David E. Cuppernull, who was "one of the best-known journalists on
the range," holding the direction for the greater part of the time.
Ransom Metcalfe was at one time part-owner of the paper. The
"Virginian," too, lost its plant in one of the big fires of the city,
that of 1900. Both newspapers have up-to-date plants today, and
are well edited.
Hospitals. — Virginia has five hospitals. The Virginia Hospital,
conducted by Dr. C. W. IMiller, was established by him in 1893 on
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 603
Wyoming- Avenue, and then had accommodations for forty patients.
It was a private enterprise. The Lenont Hospital was built in 1903,
by Dr. Charles B, Lenont. It was modernly equipped and could ac-
commodate thirty patients.
It became necessary for the city to have a "pest-house," or de-
tention hospital, soon after the twentieth century came in. The first
attempt made was the renting of the "old David Kelly house in block
53," in 1901. A year later, the city bought the house, paying $700
for it, and the rental of $300 for the previous year was taken in part
payment. It continued as the "pest-house" until 1909, when the De-
tention Hospital was erected on leased land in section 18. The build-
ing cost the city $2,495.45, and the furnishing only $357, and the
nurse-caretaker, "a man of considerable age, and who wants a home,"
being paid $2.00 a day when he only occupied the place, and an addi-
tional dollar a day when he had patients to nurse and cook for. So
that city funds were not extravagantly used for that purpose. As a
matter of fact, the public funds of Virginia have been carefully hus-
banded one must acknowledge, when comparison is made with use of
public funds in other range municipalities. And during the last ad-
ministration, Virginia has shown an even greater inclination to "re-
trench."
The one great expense is for schools, and, having regard to the
bearing education will have upon the Virginia of the next generation,
the school authorities are justified in endeavoring to provide the high-
est standard of public education possible.
Educational Progress. — The first school has been already re-
ferred to. The enrollment was eighteen, and there was one teacher.
In the 1919-20 school year the enrollment was 3,653, and there were
148 teachers. The expense incurred in the first term of school did not
exceed, probably, $100, whereas the school levy for the purpose of
Independent School District No. 22, which is the Virginia district,
was $619,839.40 for the year 1919-20. So that the progress made has
certainly been substantial.
School District No. 22 was organized on February 1, 1893. The
first directors were : John F. Gleason, Neil Mclnnis and Jared D.
Taylor, Mclnnis being treasurer and Taylor clerk. One early re-
view reads :
The district, when first organized and which until 1903, included Eveleth,
found it quite difficult to float a loan of $10,000 with which to begin business.
Many moneyed men did not have the faith in the Mesabi Range iron prospects
that they now have. Many men of wealth, who looked over the country at
that time, shook their heads and said that the whole northeastern part of the
state was not worth $10,()()0. Through the faith and efforts of Mr. E. Z. Griggs
the district secured the loan of $10,CXX), and thus struck its natural pace, which
has been a lively one up to the present.
As there was difficulty in raising the fund, it seems probable
that it was not available before the fire of June, 1893, occurred. After
the fire, there was no school until November of 1893. and school
was then opened in the Methodist Church, the one brought from Du-
luth through the munificence or interest of the Merritt family. It
was a trying emergency arrangement for the teachers. Thomas Row-
ley, principal, taught in the main building. Miss Mac Gill taught
a hundred pupils in the Sunday School room, in the spring of 1894.
There were no books or blackboards, and the room was so small
that she had to "take the childrt'ti in lialf-day sessions." Thomas
Rowley was succeeded by ( lodrgc RaynK^nd. while the school was
still conducted in the Methodist Church. However, better conditions
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
605
came eventually, the Central School being built in 1894, at a cost of
$14,000. In 1896, another was built, the Franklin, at a cost of $1,500.
It was enlarged in 1904, at a cost of $1,000. The Primary building
was erected in 1898, and the Homestead in 1903 ; the former cost
$7,000, and the latter only $500. The Homestead School was of logs,
and was built in an outlying agricultural section. Finnish farmers
constituted that small sub-district, but their children had to be pro-
vided with the means of education, and it was quite impossible
to transport them to the Virginia schools. There were no roads,
and when Judge Bliss, then district superintendent, visited the
school, he had to go on horseback, or on a sled. By the way, the
first teacherage put into operation on the range was at the Homestead
School, the teacher finding it just as difficult to get to and from Vir-
ginia as other people, of course, and therefore, having no option but
to remain near her school. But that little school ultimately gave a
VIRGINIA TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. (aN IMMENSE VOCATIONAL
SCHOOL BUILDING HAS SINCE BEEN BUILT IN REAR, ADJOINING)
good demonstration of the value of the public schools in the Ameri-
canizing of the alien population. Nine out of ten of the pupils, prob-
ably, spoke only Finnish when they first entered the. log schoolhouse ;
in eight years, it had a class ready for high school — a class of bright,
apt and promising Americans. Judge Bliss, who never took a vaca-
tion while he was superintendent, was especially interested in the
evolution of the foreign element into citizens of good American spirit,
and instituted several unicjue ways of efifecting that purpose through
the pupils of the Virginia schools, and by the establishment of night
schools. Virginia was the first to start such work on the range.
In 1904 the Roosevelt School building was erected, at a cost of
$65,000, and it became the High school. Then came the Johnson and
Farmstead schools in 1907, and the Higgins in 1908; the Technical
High, Northside and Southside schools, in 1909. A larger school
became necessary on the Southside in 1915, and was then built, at a
cost of $55,000. An appraisal of the school property of the Virginia
district, made in 1914, showed the total valuation of real estate to
be $167,200; of buildings, $468,000; of eciuii.mcnt, $89,244; of text
Vol. IT-
606 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
books, $10,000; of supplies and library, $5,000. The last official ap-
praisal, made for the county board of education, school-year 1919-20,
showed school property of Independent School District No. 22 to be
$1,590,562. That includes the first section of the Technical High
School, $250,000, but not all of the expense incurred in constructing
the recent additions to that imposing block of school buildings. The
enlargements were begun in 1917, and were not completed until 1921.
It was estimated that the total cost, when complete, would be about
$1,500,000. The Vocational, or Technical High, is a marvel of school
architecture, and its scope and efficient direction enable Virginia to
maintain its proper place educationally among the wonderful school
districts of the Mesabi range. The main Virginia School is so vast
in its equipment, scope, departments, and possibilities, that the com-
piler of this record would not attempt a detailed description. It could
not be properly given in the space he has available. However, it
should be recorded that "the master mind of this advanced system
of education was P. P. Colgrove," the school superintendent. The
architect was Carl E. Nystrom, of Duluth.
In all, there are fourteen schoolhouses in Independent School Dis-
trict No. 22, five of brick and nine of wood. The present superin-
tendent is E. T. Duffield, a capable educator and an efficient well-
paid executive. All salaries are high ; the male teachers of the dis-
trict during the school-year 1919-20 received an average salary of
$197 a month, and the women teachers $147.
District No. 22 is responsible for public school-work in town-
ship 59-17 and part of 58-17. Until 1904, District No. 22 had au-
thority over the Eveleth schools also, but it was rather an unsatis-
factory arrangement. Virginia, the richer place, and consequently
a heavier taxpayer, did not feel that it was getting a proper share
of the school levy. There were other reasons also, and in the last
years of the undivided district, when J. H. Hearding. a man of strong
personality, was school director, Virginians were especially uneasy,
believing that Eveleth had a stronger representation on the school
board. However, with the organization of Independent School Dis-
trict No. 39. and the separation of Eveleth from Virginia, the latter
had what she wanted, and with the election of Joseph Roskilly, di-
rector, Robert E. Bailie, and Chas. C. Butler clerk, Virginia held
full sway over her own schools, and over the whole of her school-
levy. Many able men have served on the Virginia school board
since that time, but space is not here available to name them. But
the Board of Education, in 1920, consisted of: R. J. McGhee, clerk;
W. T. Irwin, treasurer: C. R. Johnson, chairman; A. E. McKenzie,
H. A. Ebmer and A. Hawkinson, directors; E. T. Duffield, super-
intendent.
The superintendents from the beginning have been : Thomas
Rowlev, 1893-94; George Raymond, 1894; Bert N. Wheeler, 1894-98;
William Park. 1898-1901; S. W. Gilpin, 1901-04; Lafayette Bliss,
1904-1914; P. P. Colgrove, 1914-20; E. T. Duffield, 1920.
The Mrginia school system is in keeping with its buildings,
which probably, as a group, cannot be excelled by those of any other
place of like size in the country, off the Mesabi range. Hibbing has
a more expensive high school building, it must be admitted, but if
one groups the schools of St. Louis County, there is not much doubt
that they will favorably compare with those of any county of any
state of the Union. The finest educators of the country are attracted
to the range schools, which offer far better salaries than universities
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 607
can offer its professors ; and, consequently, the standard of education
is excellent.
Virginia's Advantages. — Albert E. Bickford tersely described
some of the outstanding features of Virginia, in 1920. His summary
reads, in part :
The taxable valuation of Virginia * * * is $17,000,000 * * * .
The city has * * * 26 miles of cement sidewalks * * * ; 8,000 hand-
planted trees, * * * about fifty acres of parkland ******
the largest white pine sawmill in the world; the best automobile roads in
the northwest; * * * the finest line (trolley) in the states * * * ;
many dependable iron ore mines; a large farmers' market place; aviation
f^gjj * * * . ^yg hospitals; eighty acres of experimental school farm; the
purest and coldest water in the state * * * ; a new and up-to-date deten-
tion hospital: a most improved incinerator plant; an $8,000 band stand * * *
the best band in the state; twelve miles of sanitary sewer, and absolutely
the largest sewage disposal plant in the state; four miles of storm sewer
* * * ; four strong banks; two daily papers * * * ; all of the fraternal
lodges of modern times; eighteen churches * * * ; the finest grade
schools and vocational schools in the United States * * * ; one large
flour mill; three creameries * * * ; a splendid class of merchants; four
railroads * * * ; four * * * theatres, and a $100,000 opera house
* * * and * * * the Best People on Earth.
Virginia certainly had a definite and conspicuous place in the
county and state.
CHAPTER XXV
THE CIVIL AND SPANISH WARS
Men of St. Louis County have participated in all the wars in
which this nation has engaged, i.e., in those of their time. The
War of the Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Mexican War were
all before the time of the pioneers of St. Louis County ; and while
many of the pioneer families of the county were of colonial descent,
and in consequence probably contributed to the strength of Washing-
ton's forces, it hardly seems possible that any soldier of the Revolu-
tion lived within the borders of St. Louis County. Some soldiers
of the War of 1812 may have, but they are not of record. It is possi-
ble that some of the early settlers were veterans of the Mexican
campaign, but of them even there is no authentic record. St. Louis
County, as a white settlement, was still in its infancy, and very
sparsely populated in the early '60s ; nevertheless, to the limit of
its strength, it gave of its best to the Federal cause, and shares with
Minnesota a glorious Civil war record, men of St. Louis County rally-
ing to the first regiment ofifered to Lincoln — the first in the whole
country. That distinction, that unique honor, will be referred to
later in this chapter.
When the call to arms came in 1861, only the fringe of St. Louis
County had been settled, and the inhabitants of the few little hamlets
of the North Shore were denied the partiotic urge that in later wars
swept most of the full-blooded and right-minded young men into
the military forces. There was no chance of organizing a Duluth
battalion in 1861 ; nor even a company. The patriots of that outpost
of civilization who felt the military "urge," who felt a patriotic desire
to strike with the federal forces at the section which refused govern-
ance by the principles of liberty to all, had to warm their patriotism
by stern and long-sustained resolution. They had to depart singly, at
their own expense, and in some cases go long distances before they
could reach the place where they could enlist. And then, to an
extent, they were among strangers. The young men of later wars
had a different experience ; they rallied in their home town to the
colors ; they had their schoolmates as comrades ; and they left their
home town cheered by the handgrips of friends, and the expressions
of love and admiration from their own relatives. It was different in
1861. For instance, consider the case of Robert Emmit Jefferson.
He had married in 1859, and, says Carey :
After the breaking out of the Civil war, Mr. Jefferson and his wife and baby girl
left Duluth for his old home in St. Anthony Falls, going back by way of the
grand portage of the Fond du Lac, up the St. Louis and Savannah rivers,
down Prairie and Tamarac rivers into Sandy Lake, and down the Mississippi
to St. Anthony. Before starting on their trip Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson stopped
with the writer at Oneota, while preparing for the journey. It was considered
by all that their journey would be extremely tedious and a dangerous one for
Mrs. Jefferson and the baby; yet theredid not seem to be any other way for
them to get out of the country. In that year, while there were not many people
at the Head of the Lakes, those that remained had very little left after the year
of the panic (1857). There was no money in the country, nor any employment
that could afford a living. It was one of those "fish and potato" years, when
the people had to resort, in part at least, to the Indian style of living.
Mr. Jefferson was without money and therefore could not go around by lake,
nor could he pay $35 fare for stage by way of the military road to St. Paul.
608
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 609
He was not so well prepared for the trip as Duluth was 200 years before,
yet he concluded to face the perils. * * * After a perilous * * * trip
he reached his old home.
Jefferson enlisted, and within a year had given up his life, his
wife dying- soon afterwards. However, the little girl, who by the way
was the first white child born within the original village of Duluth,
lived to reach maturity and a happy marital state. Yet, their parents
entered upon their patriotic purpose in '61 with a firm resolution and
devotion to country. Many others left Duluth and the Head of the
Lakes in much the same unostentatious way during the dark years
of the early 'COs. No draft was demanded of Duluth until the war
was far spent, and then it was disclosed that Duluth had practically
fulfilled her moral liability by the call of the heart. Her sons had
already gone into the thick of the struggle, fearlessly and by their
own election ; they had volunteered, many of them in the first year.
Doras Martin's case is another instance of grim determination
to fight for his country, no matter what obstacles came to prevent it.
He was well over sixty years old, had no money, but he borrowed
$25 to go to St. Paul to enlist. There he was rejected, his gray hair
and whiskers belieing his statement of age. But he dyed his hair, and
crossed into Wisconsin, where he was admitted into the 30th Wis-
consin Regiment as a man of forty years. He served until June 15,
1865, then being discharged at Louisville, Kentucky, for physical
disability.
He returned to Duluth, proud of his military record, and proud
of his uniform, as every war veteran has a right to be. ^o proud
indeed of it that he had resolved to die in the national uniform.
And as he was then "nearing seventy years," and had many pre-
monitions of death, he was wont, it is said, to dress often in his
regimentals. One morning, in 1867, he was found motionless, seated
in his chair near the open door of his cottage, in full uniform, even
to his hat. He was dead. But the sturdy old patriot, quadroon
though he was supposed to be, was reverently given the last rites of a
soldier of the nation. Dressed in "Blue,'' the uniform of honor, he
was given full military honors, and buried in Franklin Square, Minne-
sota Point. Later his body was removed to the Soldiers' Rest, in
Forest Hill Cemetery, his grave being No. 7, of Tier No. 1.
Judge Carey writes as follows regarding the part taken by
St. Louis County in the Civil war:
In 1861, when the southern states rebelled, and the Civil war in all of
its sad and sorrowful features had become an accomplished fact, the Head of
the Lakes had not recovered from the (money) panic and depression of 1857.
During the summer of 1861, many of those that yet remained departed, some
with the patriotic spirit to enlist in the Union army, some went to St. Paul,
others to their homes in other states, and others to their old homes in Canada
(not being citizens). * * *
In 1860 the total population of St. Louis County was given as 406. * * *
In 1862, the total enrollment of ablebodied men in St. Louis County subject
to draft was only 46. * * * This shows a remarkalile thinning out in two
years. There was no call for a draft of recruits for the army until 1864; in
that year there were three calls — on February 1, March 14 and July 2. There
were required from St. Louis County under the three calls a total of 23, and
a total credit of 21, as furnished up to October 31, 1864. * * * Sixteen
were volunteers, and five received bounties of pul)lic money voted by the
county commissioners. During the si.x months in which those draft calls
were made active steps were taken by interested citizens through the adjutant-
general of the state and all other available sources, to obtain credit for all the
volunteers from St. Louis County that had been enlisted since the beginning
of the war, whether they enlisted in Minnesota, or in any other state; and in
610 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
this way the credit of sixteen volunteers was obtained up to the last call of
President Lincoln, in July, 1864, for 500,000 more men; then St. Louis County
lacked seven more men to fill her quota.
On September 12, 1864, an appropriation of $1,500 was made by the board
of county commissioners for bounties for volunteers, and at the same session
a levy of 8 mills on the dollar was made on the property of the county,
to make good that amount.
A few individuals that were anxious to avoid draft raised some "green-
backs," which they contributed to the county fund. This bounty had the
effect of inducing five more men to enlist before October 31.
Judge Carey could not recall the names of many of the sixteen
volunteers, but remembered that among them were : Col. J. B. Culver,
Freeman Keene. John G. Rakowsky, Julius Gogarn, Robert P. Miller,
\\'illiam C. Bailey, and Alonzo Wilson, also of course Robert E.
Jefferson. The names of the other pioneer residents of St. Louis
County who served will probably be found included in the roster
painstakingly prepared for this compilation by the late Asa Dailey,
of Duluth.
Considering the Civil war record of St. Louis County as it now is,
i.e.. including in the record those of the residents of St. Louis County
who served in the Civil war and afterwards took up abode within the
county, as well as those who enlisted from St. Louis County, the
roster is a large one, and connects the county with many distinguished
regiments. As will be seen by referring to the list, men who then or
later were of St. Louis County, were found upon the rosters of many
regiments of many states. It would not be possible to here review
the records of all the regiments in which men of the county served,
but brief reference might be appropriately made to the distinguished
records of Minnesota regiments. In every one of the famous Minne-
sota regiments from the First to the Eleventh were men who are
registered as of St. Louis County. The lists before the writer of
this review give the names of 581 soldiers of Civil war service claimed
to be of St. Louis County; and among them are fifty-eight who served
in Minnesota military units.
Regimental Records. — The State of Minnesota was not four years
old when, on April 13, 1861, Fort Sumter, Charleston, South Carolina,
surrendered to the forces of secession. Washington officials and
President Lincoln knew of it that night, but the country in general
knew nothing of it, and not many of the people of Washington sensed
its real significance. There was one man in the Federal capital,
however, who immediately grasped the dire portent of the message
from Sumter; he was a sturdy pioneer of the Territory of Minne-
sota. Alexander Ramsey, then governor of the state. He was in
Washington on state business at that time, and with the characteris-
tic quickness of action and thought had resolved that Minnesota
should be one of the first states to prove its loyalty to the principles
for which Lincoln and the Republic stood. Impatiently he waited
for night to pass. With daylight he took action. It is said that
"early on the morning of the 14th, Alexander Ramsey, governor of
Minnesota, * * * presented in person to President Lincoln his
written offer of 1,000 men for the suppression of the rebellion. It
was then stated by the president, and the fact has never been con-
troverted, that this tender was the first response to the President's
call for 75,000 men." Thirty years later, ex-Governor Ramsey, in
a public address, stated:
In the month of April, 1860, upon official business as governor of Minne-
sota, I was called to the City of Washington. * * * Qn Saturday night,
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 611
April 13, * * * Washington was deeply moved by the intelligence that
Fort Sumter * * * had been attacked * * * and * * * had sur-
rendered. Early Sunday morning, accompanied by two citizens of Minnesota,
I visited the War Department and found the secretary (Cameron) vnth his hat
on and papers in his hand, about to leave his office. I said: "My business is
simply, as governor of Minnesota, to tender a thousand men to defend the
Government." "Sit down immediately," he replied, "and write the^ tender you
have made, as I am now on my way to the President's mansion." This was
quickly done, and thus Minnesota became the first to cheer the President by
offers of assistance in the crisis which had arrived.
Surely a proud distinction for a region then in its first decade of
statehood. The offer was accepted, and enlistments began next
day, April 15th, at St. Paul and other places.
Probably Governor Ramsey had reckoned that one thousand
men would more than meet the quota expected of the young state,
which when created in 1857 had a population of only 150,000, many
thousands of whom were of the red race. Yet, before the four years
of war were over Minnesota had "furnished 25,053 Union soldiers,"
or "72 per cent of her presidential vote in 1860, and 14 per cent of
her entire population in that year." Ten per cent, or twenty-five
hundred men gave their lives to the nation, "and probably as many
more died after their discharge as the direct result of wounds received
or disease contracted" during military service.
Major Battles. — The mortality among men of Minnesota was
deplorable, yet the fame of Minnesota regiments of the Civil war is
immortal. "Official reports show that Minnesota regiments were
engaged in all the sixteen leading battles of the war. * * *
Gettysburg, Spottsylvania, Wilderness, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Cold
Harbor, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga,
Petersburg, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Nashville, and Atlanta. =f= * *
The First Minnesota at Gettysburg, the Second Minnesota at Chicka-
mauga, the Third Minnesota at Fitzhugh's Wood, the Fourth Minne-
sota at Vicksburg, the Fifth Minnesota at Corinth and Nashville left
much conclusive evidence of their prowess that no story of either
battle is complete which does not make acknowledgment of their
effective participation."
And through the greater part of the national strife, when Minne-
sota was stripped almost bare of its man-power to keep the Union
flag in the van, the few that remained in the home sector had to be
almost constantly on guard lest the restless and cruel Indian at
their very frontier, in fact within their borders, might get beyond
control and manifest their traditional hatred of white people by bloody
massacres in outlying settlements. Once they did get beyond control,
as has been elsewhere narrated. It was a trying time, yet those who
lived through the Civil war period look back in reminiscence to that
period as "glad grand days," as they really were, for in that period,
as during the periods of other serious wars, the Revolution, the Span-
ish and \\'orkl wars, men and women, young and old, were enthused
by a spirit of unselfishness, of loyalty to and consideration for others, of
patriotism to the nation ; they were filled with that exaltation of
service in a righteous cause which makes sacrifice glorious, and hard-
ship a privilege. The soldiers that went to war left the capital of
Minnesota thrilled by the enthusiasm and courage displayed by every-
one. The First Regiment left St. Paul (Fort Snelling) on June 22,
ISGl, at 5 o'clock in the morning; yet the "town was out." a vast
crowd to "see them off" at the lower levee, and at H:'M) A. M., the
line of boats cast off, "the band playing a lively air, the crowd on the
612 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
shore and the soldiers cheering lustily." all proud to enter upon per-
sonal sacrifices for the nation, and thinking it "a glorious day" even
though tears came to the eyes of some at the same time.
Now to review briefly the records of the regiments in which men
of St. Louis County served. The review begins with :
First Minnesota Infantry. — The First Regiment of Minnesota
volunteers, which became an infantry unit, was organized in April,
1861, and originally commanded by Col. Willis A. Gorman, former
territorial governor of Minnesota. Ordered to Washington, District
of Columbia. June 14, 1861 ; embarked, June 2*1. Participated in the
following marches, battles, sieges and skirmishes : Bull Run and
Edward's Ferry, 1861 ; Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Peach Orchard, Savage
Station, Glendale and Nelson's Farm, Malvern Hill, Vienna, Antietam,
Charleston, first Fredericksburg, 1862; second Fredericksburg, Gettys-
burg, and Bristow Station, 1863. Discharged at Fort Snelling, Minne-
sota, May 5, 1864. At Gettysburg, out of 252 men engaged, the First
lost 205. "the greatest relative casualty list suffered by any command
during the war."
The following named men of St. Louis County were upon the
rosters of the First Regiment: E. A. Austin, W. H. Bassett, G. H.
Durphin, J. J. Egan, E. H. Foster, W. H. Johnson, E. R. Jefferson,
R. E. Jefferson, J. O. Milne, Thos. H. Pressnell, Franklin Paine, and
John Young.
Second Minnesota Infantry. — The organization of the Second
Regiment of Minnesota volunteers was entered upon even before the
first had left St. Paul. Officially, the .Second Regiment was recorded
as having been organized in July, 1861. It was originally commanded
by H. P. Van Cleve, a. West point graduate, a veteran of the Black
Hawk war. He became a brigadier-general in 1862. The Second
Regiment was ordered to Louisville, Kentucky, in October, 1861, and
became part of the Army of the Ohio. Engaged in the following
campaigns, battles, and sieges: Mill Spring, siege of Corinth, Braggs
Raid, Perryville, 1862 ; skirmishes of the Tullahoma campaign, Chicka-
mauga, and Mission Ridge. 1863. The regiment was veteranized in
January, 1864, and joined Sherman's forces for the Atlanta campaign,
taking part in the following engagements : Resaca, Kenesaw Moun-
tain, 1864; Jonesboro ; Sherman's march through Georgia and the
Carolinas ; Bentonville, 1865. Discharged at Fort Snelling, July 11,
1865. The regiment "covered itself with laurels" in the battle of
Chickamauga, and "few Minnesota regiments, if any, performed more
long and laborious marches."
St. Louis County men of the Second Regiment were : J. N. Barn-
card, A. C. Bentley, Thomas Bowen, J. W. Burbank, M. C. Russell,
and R. W. Sanburn.
Third Minnesota Infantry. — The Third Regiment was organized
in October. 1861, and originally commanded by Col. Henry C. Lester,
of Winona. Ordered to Nashville. Tennessee, in March, 1862; thence
to St. Louis, Missouri, and to Minnesota. Engaged in Indian expedi-
tion of 1862. Participated in battle of Little Rock, Arkansas, Novem-
ber, 1863. Veteranized in January. 1864. Engaged at Fitzhugh's
Woods, March 30, 1864; ordered to Vine Bluff, Arkansas, April, 1864;
mustered out Devall's Bluff, September 2, 1865; discharged Fort
Snelling. Regiment was conspicuous at Fitzhugh's Woods.
St. Louis County men in Third Regiment : Andrew Brink, H. J.
Eaton, Hans Eustrom, E. L. Woodward, and E. S. Woodsworth.
Fourth Minnesota Infantry. — Organized December, 1861, Col.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 613
John B. Sanborn. Ordered to Benton Barracks, Missouri, April 19,
1862. Participated in: Siege of Corinth, April 1, 1863; luka, Sep-
tember, 1863; Battle of Corinth, October, 1863; Siege of Vicksburg,
Raymond. Jackson, Champion Hills, assault on Vicksburg and cap-
ture of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863; Mission Ridge, November, 1863.
Veteranized January, 1864. Allatoona, October, 1864; Sherman's
march through Georgia and Carolinas ; Bentonville, March 30, 1865 ;
Raleigh, 1865. Mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, July 19, 1865.
Discharged at Fort Snelling.
St. Louis County men on rosters of Fourth Regiment : U. S.
Ayers, Brady Johnson, W. B. Patton, Charles Stewart, Fred Stauff,
E. A. Tyler, and W. H. Van Valkenberg.
Fifth Minnesota Infantry. — Organized May, 1863, Col. Rudolph
Borges'rode of Shakopee. Col. Lvicius F. Hubbard of Red Wing later
in command. Ordered to Pittsburg Landing, May 9, 1863. Left
three companies in Minnesota for garrison duty. Regiment in many
battles in 1863', including Siege of Corinth, April-May; Battle of luka,
September, 1863; Corinth, October, 1863. Minnesota detachment
engaged with Indians at Redwood, Minnesota, August 18, 1862 ; Siege
of Fort Ridgely, August 30-23, 1863 ; Fort Abercrombie, D. T.,
August, 1863. Regiment with Sixteenth Army Corps saw heavy
fighting in 1863, including: Jackson, Siege of Vicksburg, Assault of
Vicksburg, Mechanicsburg, Richmond, 1863. The regiment was at
Fort DeRussey, Louisiana, in March, 1864; then followed the Red
River fighting, March-May ; Lake Chicot, June, and Tupelo. July,
1864. In that month the regiment was veteranized. In August it
engaged in the Battle of Abbeyville. Ordered to Nashville, Tennes-
see, in November, 1864, it took part in battle of Nashville, Decem-
ber 15-16. In April, 1865, it was at Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely,
and finally, on September 6, 1865, was mustered out in Demopolis,
Alabama.
M. Bruletti, James Farrell, N. Hettinger, W. G. Huston, and
J. McGraw were the St. Louis County men of the Fifth Regiment.
Sixth Minnesota Infantry. — Organized August, 1863. Ordered to
participate in Indian expedition forthwith. In liattle with Indians at
Birch Coulee, September 3, and Wood Lake, September 22, 1863.
Garrison duty, frontier posts, next eight months, then actively in
field against Indians. Three engagements. Similar garrison duty
September, 1863 to June, 1864, then leaving for Helena, .Arkansas.
Ordered to St. Louis, Missouri, November, 1864, thence to New
Orleans, January, 1865. With Sixteenth Army Corps engaged at
Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely. April, 1865. Col. A. D. Nelson,
original commander, was ordered to frontier before the organization
was completed but he soon resigned and Col. Wm. Crooks appointed.
James H. La Fans seems to have been the only St. Louis County
man in that regiment.
Seventh Minnesota Infantry. — Organized in August. 1863*. Col.
Stephen Miller, of St. Cloud, commanding. Participated Indian expe-
dition, 1862; battle Wood Lake, Minnesota, September 22. Garrison
duty frontier until May, 1863. Actively in field against Indians that
summer; engagements July 24, 36 and 38. Ordered St. Louis, Mis-
souri, Octol)er 27, 186:); thence to Paducah, Kentucky, April. 1864;
thence to Memphis. Tennessee. Assigned to Sixteenth Army Corps,
June, participating in: T.attle of Tupelo, July; Tallahatchie. August;
pursuit of Price from .Arkansas to Missouri; Battle of Xashvillc, Ten-
nessee, December. 1S64. Last engagements Spanish Fort and Fort
614 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Blakely, Alabama, April, 18G5. Discharged at Fort Snelling, Minne-
sota, Aug-ust 16, 1865.
Lt.-Col. Wm. R. Marshall, later governor of state, may be
claimed as St. Louis County man, being one of pioneer townsite
owners on the North Shore in the '50s ; but the men of the Seventh
Regiment shown on St. Louis County rosters are Frank Burke, John
Hagadon, McNeil, and Thos. Stokes.
Eighth Minnesota Infantry. — Organized August, 1862, Col. Minor
T. Thomas, of Stillwater, commanding. At frontier posts until May,
1864, when regiment took field against Indians. Distinguished itself
at Tah-cha-o-ku-tu, July 28, 1864, Little Missouri River, that engage-
ment being only one against Indians commemorated in oils, the
famous picture now hanging in the Minnesota State Capitol.
Other engagements of Eighth Infantry include battles against Con-
federate troops, the record including Battle of the Cedars, Wilkin-
son's Pike, Tenn., December, 1864, and near Murfreesboro same
month. Regiment took part in battles of Kingston, March, 1865, and
was mustered out at Charlotte, North Carolina, July 11, 1865.
H. C. Helm and J. F. Russell, of St. Louis County, were of the
Eighth Regiment.
Ninth Minnesota Infantry. — Organized August, 1862, Col. Alex.
Wilkins, of St. Paul, commanding. At frontier posts until Septem-
ber, 1863, then ordered to St. Louis, Mo.; Garrison duty, Missouri,
until May, 1864, then going to Memphis. Later engagements: Gun-
town expedition, June, 1864; Oxford expedition, August, 1864; Talla-
hatchie, August, 1864; pursuit of Price, Arkansas to Missouri; battles
of Nashville, Tennessee, December, 1864; Spanish Fort and Fort
Blakely, April, 1865. Discharged at Fort Snelling, August 24, 1865.
G. K. Barncard was the only known man of St. Louis County
who served with the Ninth Regiment.
Tenth Minnesota Infantry. — Organized August, 1862, Col. James
H. Baker, of Mankato. commanding. Frontier duty until June, 1863.
In field against Indians during summer; engaged July 24, 26 and 28th.
At St. Louis, ^Missouri, October, 1863 ; Columbus, Kentucky, April,
1864; Memphis, Tennessee, June, 1864. With Sixteenth Army Corps
at Battle of Tupelo, July; Oxford expedition in August; Price pursuit;
battles in Nashville, December, and in April of next year, 1865, at
Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, Alabama. Discharged Fort Snelling,
August 19, 1865.
There were at least four St. Louis County men in the Tenth
Regiment ; they were : James J. Barns, Hugh A. Cox, Amos Franken-
field and Henry Wellgarde.
Eleventh Minnesota Infantry. — The Eleventh Regiment was not
organized until August, 1864, under command of Col. James Gilfillan.
It left for field of bitterest warfare, Tennessee, but was not destined
to take part in actual fighting, being detailed to guard railroad
between Nashville and St. Louis. It was mustered out in June, 1865.
H. F. Johnson, of St. Louis County, was in that unit.
First Regiment Heavy Artillery, — It was not until April, 1865,
that the first Minnesota regiment of heavy artillery was organized.
The first battery of light artillery had been organized in October, 1861,
and the second and third batteries in December, 1861, and February,
1863, respectively, but there seemed to be no call for heavy artillery
until 1865, when Col. Wm. Colville, of Red Wing, organized the First
Regiment. It was ordered to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and there
remained until September, 1865, when it was mustered out.
DULUTH AXD ST. LOUIS COUNTY 615
On the rolls of the regiment were John Saxton, Conrad Schoffer,
and Albert Woolson, of St. Louis County.
Second Company, Sharpshooters was mustered until the Federal
service for three years, in March, 1862, under command of Capt.
Wm. F. Russell. It was part of a corps of picked men, known as
"Berdan's Sharpshooters," recruited for special service. Its record is
practically the record of the First Minnesota Infantry, for it was
assigned to duty with that regiment in June, 1862, and remained
attached until mustered out.
W. H. Smith, of St. Louis County, was of the Sharpshooters.
First Mounted Rangers was organized in March, 1863, by Col.
Samuel McPhail, of Houston. It took part in the Indian expedition of
that year, and was mustered out before the end of that year.
The St. Louis County men among the Mounted Rangers were
Geo. R. Page, Nelson Hooper, Geo. N. LaVaque and John H. LaVaque.
Brackett's Battalion Cavalry. — Major Alfred B. Brackctt, of
St. Paul, organized the battalion of cavalry known by his name in
October and November, 1861. The three companies soon left for
Benton Barracks, Missouri, and in December, 1861, the battalion was
assigned to " 'Curtis' Horse," and in February. 1862, left for Fort
Henry, Tennessee. In the following April the regiment became the
"Fifth Iowa Cavalry," and as such took part in siege of Corinth,
April, 1862. Ordered to Fort Heiman, Tennessee, August, 1862;
veteranized February, 1864 ; ordered to Department of Northwest in
1864, Indian warfare, engagements July and August. Mustered out
by companies May and June, 1866.
Charles Cotter and Leonidas Merritt were of Brackett's Cavalry,
and another St. Louis County man. H. H. Hawkins, who is listed as of
Second Minnesota Cavalry, may have belonged to the second com-
pany of Brackett's battalion.
Hatch's Battalion, Cavalry. — Hiatch's Battalion, otherwise known
as the Independent Battalion of Minnesota Cavalry, was organized in
July, 1863, by Major E. A. C. Hatch. It was formed for service
against the Indians, and although a Federal unit, it was permitted
to operate independently of General Pope, then in command of the
department, reporting direct to the War Department, \\^ashington.
The battalion was order to Pembina, D. T., October, 1863, and to Fort
Abercrombie, D. T., May 1864, and there remained until mustered
out by companies April to June, 1866.
S. L. Bohanan seems to have been the only St. Louis County
man in Hatch's Battalion.
The Late Asa Dailey. — The foregoing review covers the records
of Minnesota regiments in which St. Louis County men served,
but as will be seen by the following list, men of the North Shore
were in very many other regiments, many of them of very distin-
guished record. But obviously this review must confine itself to
Minnesota regiments. However, so that a complete roster might
be preserved in an authentic county history, the compiler of this
work approached Mr. Asa Dailey, of Dulutli, in November, 1!»20,
knowing him to be the man best fitted for the preparation of such
a roster. Mr. Dailey, a worthy loyal comrade, readily entered upon
the work, having during the latter part of his life devoted himself
exclusively to Grand Army affairs. It is thought that he was loyally
engaged in such work of compilation when stricken in the spring
of this year. He never recovered, death coming on June 19, 1921.
Among his papers were later found the pencilled lists containing
616 DtJLUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
the Civil war information that follows this chapter. Whether the
list is complete, or not, the compiler of this county work is unable to
state, but the information is given so that the worthy patriots who are
of record in St. Louis County, e.g., who were of local residence either
before or since the Civil war, and gave the nation personal service
during that long and terrible struggle, might feel that the editors of
this work desire to honor them, or their memory, in acknowledging
their war service.
The lists prepared by the late Asa Dailey, and here given, include
only men of St. Louis County, it is presumed. The branch of service
is given where possible. The list begins : Anderson, Charles U. S. N. ;
Austin, E. A., 1st Minn. ; A. O. Ayers, 8Gth Ohio ; S. C. Aldrich, 65th
Ohio; Charles Arnold, 142nd N. Y. ; Samuel Anderson, 11th Pa.;
Henry Alger, 1st Conn.. Charles N. Ashford, 10th N. Y.; U. S. Ayres,
4th Minn, Martin Anderson, 33rd Wis.; John Abair, 153 N. Y. ;
R. W. Abbott, 9th Maine ; J. J. Ash, 2nd N. J. Charles Archer, 14th
N. Y. ; Martin Anderson, 53rd Wis.; J. N. Albertson, 11th N. Y.
S. F. Boyer, 104th Ohio ; C. N. Bonnell, 5th Wis. ; W. H. Black,
23rd 111.; John Butler, 6th N. Y. ; John O. Benson, 4th 111.; T. B.
Bedell, 1st Cal. ; William Ball, 45th Wis. ; Thomas S. Brown, 5th N. H. ;
J. H. Baker, 31st Iowa; B. H. Brown, 5th N. H.; John Burns, 15th
U. S.; Frank E. Birdsell, 7th Mich.; C. B. Bjmark, 7th Mich.; James
J. Barns, 10th Minn. ; Lucien J. Barnes, 1st Mo. ; Myron C. Bunnell,
10th Mich.; Wm. G. Benson, 12th Mich. Inf.; A. E. Briggs, 110th Pa.;
G. Bywater, 3rd Mo.; Fred D. Barnett, 84th Pa.; Geo. C. Blackwood,
177th Ohio; U. A. Burnham, 76th N. Y. ; Milton Buell, 48th Wis.;
E. L. Barber, 10th N. Y. ; M. Bruletti, 5th Minn.; W. H. Bassett, 1st
Minn.; John Bucha, 12th Wis.; Frank Burke, 7th Minn.; Daniel L.
Bishop, 13th Me.; Chas. E. Budden, 1st Mich.; Hiram E. Barker, 2'nd
Wis. ; Samuel Barge, 13th Wis. ; Andrew Brink, 3rd Minn. ; S. H.
Brinn, 7th N. J.; John R. Balsh, 141st N. Y. ; H. G. Blackmor, 56th
111. ; A. C. Blackman, 28th Ind. ; Alfred Baker, 65th N. Y. ; C. P. Bragg,
N. S. N.; G. H. Barncard, 9th Minn.; Daniel Bigber, 1st Wis.; M. W.
Bates, 21st Mich.; J. W. Butt, 46th Iowa; A. H. Burke, 75th Ind.;
F. H. Barnard, 44th Mass.; R. S. Barker, 31st Me.; Henry Brown, 26th
Mass. ; W. F. Bailey, 12th Iowa; S. E. Burnham, 1st Me.; L.J. Butter-
field, 6th Wis.; D. J. Budd, Wis.; Thomas Brooke, 76th Ohio; S. L.
Bohanan ; John T. Bright, 13th Pa.; Lewis Barrett, 28th Ohio; Ardin
H. Bowen, 54th 111.; J. M. Burbank, 5th Wis.; J. M. Barr, 9th Iowa;
W. J. Baker, 3rd Wis.; Jas. S. Bush, U. S. N.; Thomas Burns, 29th
Mich.; John Barton, 43rd Wis.; Henry Brown, 26th Mass. ; Edwin
Barnham, 1st U. S. Engrs. ; M. R. Baldwin, 2nd Wis.; Thomas Bart-
lett; S. S. Barnett; G. H. Brown, 5th N. H.; A. C. Bentley ; Thomas
Bowen; J. N. Barncard, 2nd Minn.; Chas E. Bostwick, 128th N. Y. ;
J. Brierly, 3rd Mass.; T. O. Brown, 18th 111.; J. W. Burbank, 2nd
Minn.; F. H. Brassett, 12th Wis.; Wm. F. Butters, 1st Me.; W. T.
Bailey.
C. J. Crassett, 10th Wis.; P. O. Carr, U. S. N. ; Miles Colson,
U. S. N. ; Thomas Cantwell. 143rd N. Y. ; D. G. Cash, 27th Mich. ; J. H.
Cole, 12th Mich. ; Cunningham, 73rd Pa. ; E. M. Crassett, 18th Wis. ;
J. H. Cramer, 13th N. Y. ; Chamberlain, 4th Wis. ; A. Caisse, 3rd Mich. ;
Hugh A. Cox, 10th Minn.; R. S. Cowden, 7th Ohio; R. Cavanaugh,
U. S. N.; Henry Champlin, 30th Wis.; M. J. Crothers, 6th Mich.;
H. H. Covert, 148th N. Y. ; Orson Coon, 49th Wis.; Chas. W. Gate,
8th Mich.; Ira Coburn. 950th Pa.; M. M. Clark, 5th Iowa; Henry
Cleveland, 5th N. Y. ; Chas. Cotter, Minn.; Dd. Crowley, 30th Wis.;
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 617
Chas. Caya, 45th Wis. ; A. M. Cox, 2nd 111. ; E. G. Chapman, 8th Iowa ;
S. W. Clark, 4th Mass. ; Chas. F. Clement, 10th Ind. ; Elkin Corbett,
1st N. Y. ; James G. Clark, 30th Ohio ; Osgood Churchill, 13th Me. ;
J. B. Culver, 13th Mich.; H. W. Coppernall ; C. D. Campbell, 27th
Mich.; Anthony Cloud, 44th Ind.; R. B. Campbell, U. S. N. ; W. L.
Carey, 29th Ohio; J. C. Cook, 8th Mich.; L. G. Colman, 30th Mich.;
R. J. Clemon, 8th N. Y.; Arthur B. Chapin, 1st Ohio; N. B. Church;
Michael Casey, L. U. Case, 1st Mich. ; W. C. Corey, 18th Wis. ; C. Car-
gall, 2'nd N. Y.; D. S. Cole, 3rd Mich.; E. B. Christie, 8th 111.; A. W.
Clark, 5th Mich.; Walter M. Clark, 2?th Wis.; Louis B. Coffey, 2nd
Wis. ; Wm. Carnethan.
Marion Daniel, 3rd Wis.; A. S. Daniel, 11th Conn.; J. S. Daniels,
2nd Wis.; Asa Dailey, 30th Wis.; W. F. Davey, 97th N. Y. ; John
Donovan, 145th N. Y. ; E. S. Dodd, 14th Ohio ; Job P. Dodge, 11th 111.;
Richard Dodge, 27th Wis.; Wm. Doudanow, 27th Mich.; Nelson
Drake, 5th N. Y. ; Cornelius Donohue, 4th Mich. ; Geo. W. Donaldson,
27th Mich.; John Dimond, 1st N. Y. ; Don A. Dodge, 101st N. Y. ;
James L. Dow, 49th Wis.; H. A. Douglas, 2nd Wis.; T. F. Dean, 9th
Ind.; Darius Dexter, 7th 111.; Sylvanus Doris, 2nd N. Y. ; G. H.
Durphin, 1st Minn.
Chas. Emrick, 21st N. Y. ; H. Evans, 9th Mich.; Clark Esmond,
7th Mich.; Durgan Evans, 1st N. H.; R. P. Edson, 144th N. Y. ; J. P.
Easton, 14th 111.; Wm. Elswick, 5th Vir. ; N. T. Esty, 3rd R. I.; H. J.
Eaton; Hans Eustrom, 3rd Minn.; J. J. Egan, 1st Minn.; H. E.
Emmerson, 2nd Wis. ; Cook Ely, 41st Wis.
J. S. Forward, 28th Wis. ; James Finley, 9th Pa. ; J. W. Frazer,
15th N. Y.; J. C. Ferguson, 1st Del.; E. P. FoUett, 8th N. Y. ; Chas.
Falkenstein, 35th W^is. ; John E. Fassett, 3rd Me. ; H. R. Fish, 35th Pa. ;
C. F. Foster, 9th Ind.; J. S. Featherley, 20th Wis.; E. H. Foster, 1st
Minn. ; J. B. Flack, 1st Ky. ; John Finlayson, 18th N. Y. ; E. S. Fletcher,
23rd Wis. ; Amos Frankenfield, 10th Minn. ; John Frazier, 142nd N. Y. ;
James Farrell, 5th Minn.; M. Fitzpatrick, 3rd N. Y.; F. W. Flint, 7th
Mich.; Edward Florada, 16th Wis.; John Finnigan, 3rd Wis.; Chas.
W. Farrington, 135th Ohio; Lewis Franklin, 45th Wis.; A. H. Fish,
3rd Mich. ; James H. Flint, 15th Iowa ; Ed. Flannagan, 20th 111. ; Fred
Fisher, 6th N. Y.; H. W. Ford, 29th Wis.; M. Fitzgerald, 16th 111.;
James H. Felt, 32nd Iowa.
R. A. Gray, 21st Me.; A. W. Gillett, 37th N. Y.; C. F. Griffin,
47th Wis.; Joseph Glockle, 9th N. Y. ; Giles Gilbert, 7th N. Y. ; J. B.
Geggie, 105th Pa.; E. Gouser, 192nd Ohio; Peter C. Gilley, 1st N. Y. ;
E. L. Gregg, 2nd Iowa; T. F. Grav, 1st N. J.; John Gates, 9th Mich.;
John Grace, 7th Mich. ; W. H. Gorndell, 93rd 111.; H. Green, 6th Mich. ;
Chandler Gross, 8th N. Y. ; Gilpatrick, 6th Me.; N. A. Gearhart, 104th
N. Y.; E. Gleason, 22nd Wis.; M. W. Goodrich, 187th Pa.; John A.
Gray, 8th Pa.; John A. Goss, 6th U. S. Cav. ; Wm. Gutt. 74th 111.;
Carl Grieve, 8th N. Y. ; C. H. Graves, 40th N. Y. ; R. G. Geusse, 12th
Ris. Carp. ; John D. Gunn, 27th N. Y. ; James R. Glass, 125th Pa. ; S. L.
Gage, 8th Pa.; James E. Goodman, 12th Mich.
C. W. Harvey, 74th 111.; G. H. Holden, 179th N. Y. ; G. Hamilton.
9th 111.; S. W. Higgin, 69th Ohio; D. W. Hayden, 1st Me.; C. L.
Hooker, 5th Wis. ; Hy. Hingson, 130th Ind. ; A. E. Haughton, 2nd Me. ;
N. Hettinger. 5th Minn.; F. C. Hazelton, 10th Wis.; D. B. Heacock.
14th Ohio; I'. W. Hunt, 11th Wis.; A. J. Herring, 195th Ohio; John
Hagadon, 7th Minn. ; E. J. ilcath, 3rd Mich. ; F. W. Harris, 21st Mich. ;
E. C. House. 5th U. S. ; B. F. Howland. 7th Wis.; W. H. Harrison,
3rd Wis.; G. Harding. 3rd Wis.; David Hood, 5th Mich.; II. C. Helm,
618 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
8th Minn.; Harrison, 2nd Wis.; W. H. Helm, 48th Mo.; N. F.
Howe, 22'nd Wis.; E. D. Hadley, 14th N. H.; F. B. Hizar, 1st Del.; F.
Halladayce. 18;5rd Ind. ; C. E. Holt, 6th Ohio; H. H. Hawkins, 2nd
Minn.; James Hooker, 150th 111.; A. N. Hopkins, 2nd Mich.; J. D.
Holmes, 5th Mich.; W. P. Haines, 3rd Mo.; Benj. Hogan, ;3rd N. Y. ;
H. J. Henderson, 15th Wis. ; John Harrington, 24th Mich.; W. C. Hill,
2nd Pa.; Wm. F. Hyde, 1st Wis.; R. J. Hogan, 50th Wis.; Chas.
Hamstead, 29th Mich.; Albert Huber, 72nd 111.; Wm. G Huston, 5th
Minn; James B. Hughes, 49th N. Y. ; Robert P. House, 11th Wis.;
Frank K. Hill, 3rd Miss.; Nelson Hooper, 1st Minn.
Jerome B. Inman, 2nd. Mich. Cav. ; John Irvin, 1st Ohio Lt. Art.;
Daniel Ivery, 44th Wis.
E. F. Johnson, N. Y. ; W. H. Johnson, 1st Minn.; H. F. Johnson,
11th Minn.; Rufus Johnson, 1st Del.; Leslie Johnson, 1st Neb.; Brady
Johnson, 4th Minn.; E. R. Jefferson, 1st Minn.; R. H. Jefiferson, 1st
Minn. ; Porter M. Jones, 12th Wis. ; A. Jacobs, 1st Mich. Engrs.
H. A. Kiihli, 27th Mich.; Freeman Keene, 1st Mich.; R. C. Ken-
nedy, 89th N. Y.; E. F. Kingler, 55th N. Y. ; J. A. King, 4th Wis.;
K. Leiler, 2nd Ohio; John Krackenberger, 27th Wis.; D'avid Kimball,
27th Mich.; H. C. Kendall, 135th Ind.; — Kennedy, 137th Ind.; Frank
Kirky, 6th N. Y. ; Joshua Klein, 199th Pa.; J. W. Kilgow. 9th Ind.;
M. F. Kalenbach, 32nd Wis.; Fred Knowlton, 8th Me.; O. D. Kinney,
6th Pa.: S. M. Keiller, 8th Wis.; Jeremiah Kimball, 1st N. ; R. F.
Kegg, 152nd Ind.; Geo. W. Keys, 150th Ohio.
C. A. Loundsbury, 21st Mich.; Jacob Laux, 27th Ohio; A. M.
Longstreet, 20th Pa.; L. M. Leiman, 13th Me.; E. E. Lloyd, 12th
Vermont; Alex Longmieur, 1st Mich.; Levi le Due, 39th Wis.; J. A.
Lathrop. 57th N. Y. ; William Little, 17th Wis.; Geo. N. LaCaque. 1st
Minn.; John H. LaVaque, 1st Minn.; Chas. Laurel, 14th Conn.; R. S.
Lench, 2nd Pa. ; Warren Lucom, 39th Wis. ; O. H. Lucken, 15th Wis.;
John Lake, 192nd N. Y. ; Wm. H. Long, 11th Ind.; W. J. Long, 50th
Ind. ; James H. La Fins, 6th Minn. ; Thos. Lanigan, 8th Pa. ; C. LaBel ;
James LaGott, 16th Mich.; Joseph Laundrie, 5th Wis.; Leonard
DeWitt, 27th Mich.
F. M. Meyers, 2nd Mich.; James K. Magie, 78th III.; S. C. Max-
well, 76th Ind. ; J. F. Moody, 2nd Mass. ; T. J. Mitchell, 3rd Mo. ; Chas.
Miner. 19th Mass.; B. Minor, 22nd N. Y. ; Doras Martin, 30th Wis.;
John Monson; Joseph Moran. 12th Wis.; H. B. Moore, 1st Brig., 2nd
Div. ; C. F. J. Meyer, 16th N. Y. ; A. H. Merriman, 22nd Wis. ; W. H.
Miller, 21st Pa.; J. S. Merrill, 1st Wis.; J. H. Miller, 74th Ind; E. P.
Martin, 5th 111.; A. McComber, 1st N. Y. ; T. F. McGowan, 78th U. S.
Cav.; J. McCrum, 5th U. S. Art.; P. McKane, 184th N. Y. ; Chas.
McNamara, 12th Mo.; S. C. McQuade, 27th Mich.; J. F. McLaren,
10th Pa.; W. A. McDonald, 41st Wis.; Leonidas Merritt; John Mall-
man, 27th Mich.; Frank E. Miller, Cogwell's Bn. ; Jewett McPherson,
1st U. S. Inf.; F. M. Meyers, 2nd Mich.; W. D. Mair, 30th Inf.; J. O.
Milne, 1st Minn.; R. W. Mars, U. S. N.; J. E. L. Miller, U. S. N. ;
S. C. McCormick, 134th Pa.; E. W. McClure. 61st 111.; John B.
Mussett, 87th 111.; Austin Morden, 61st Mass.; Leonard Madden, 1st
Iowa; Thomas McGill, 91st N. Y. ; J. McGraw, 5th Minn.; R.
McKinley, 14th Iowa ; — McNeil, 7th Minn. ; J. W. Morgan. 21st Wis. ;
James Meyers, 134th N. Y.; W. H. McCullum, 1st Ohio; Luther
Mendenhall. 1st Pa. Res.
Chas. Nelson. 2'7th Mich.; C. A. Nichols, 27th Mich.; Sherman
Norris, 7th Ohio; W. A. Noble, 13th Mich.; W. L. Nichols, 17th 111.;
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 619
Peter Needam, 40th Ind. ; A. D. L. Newman, 50th Wis.; J. H. Niel,
14th Mo.
R. H. O'Neale, 2nd U. S. ; F. A. Olmstead, 27th Iowa; Chris.
Ottinger, 5th Ohio; H. C. Osterhout, 101st Ohio; John Orr, 107th
N. Y.; J. G. Osborne, 92nd Ohio; Robert Oliver, 55th 111.
Geo. R. Page, 1st Minn. Rang; Wm. Phalen, 27th Wis.; A. G.
Peabody, 51st Wis. ; J. H. Porter, 38th Wis. ; L. W. Palmer, 59th Ind. ;
W. H. Pierce, U. S. N.; W. G. Peek, 12th Ind.; Edward Payne, 198th
Ohio; S. E. Philhps, 50th Wis.; J. E. Patten, 10th N. Y. ; Hiram
Parsons, 7th Ohio; Thos. H. Pressnell, 1st Minn.; August Polman,
35th Mass.; S. M. Pellow, 3rd Mich.; Franklin Paine, 1st Minn.; R.
Patton, 13th Pa.; E. D. Paxon, 10th Mich.; Chas. C. Plummer, 44th
Ohio; W. B. Patton, 4th Minn.; W. H. Pride; E. M. Pope, 8th N. Y.;
Alfred Parker. 3rd Iowa ; F. E. Phillips, 22nd Me.
G. V. Quillard, 7th N. Y. Inf.
Wm. Ross, 18th Mich.; J. M. Riley, 108th Ind.; G. A. Robinson,
100th U. S. Cav. ; J. F. Russell. 8th Minn. ; J. G. Rakowsky, 58th Ohio ;
G. E. Ramsey, N. S. N.; Asa Rockwell. 5th Iowa; H. T. Robbins. 7th
N. H.; H A. Robbins, 16th Wis.; C. W. Rossiter, 7th Ohio; G. J.
Ruddy, 5th Conn. ; N. O. Roswell, 12th Iowa.; J. G. Robinson. 1st
Mich.; Andrew Riefer. 16th Mich.; M. C. Russell, 2nd Minn.; Edward
Rice. 2nd Wis. ; J. R. Randall, 18th Mich. ; G. W. Ryan, 50th Pa. ; John
M. Rich, 7th Pa.; Richard Redman, 15th N. Y. ; James Riddle, 66th
Ohio; E. R. Rockwell, 3rd Md. Cav.; E. B. Ryan, 21st Wis.; F. Ris-
land, 48th Wis.; Ira J. Richardson, 68th N. Y. ; Warren Rice, 60th
N. Y. ; Lafayette Robinson. 52nd 111.; Chas. H. Reid, 2nd Vt. ; Arthur
W. Ridd, 2nd Mich.; James B. Rice, 29th Wis.; W. H. Reeves, 35th
Mass.
William Shaw, 13th Iowa; Asa Shepherd, 62nd 111.; E. Slaughter,
3rd Wis.; W. H. Smith, 2nd Minn.; P. W. Smith, 59th N. Y. ; F. M.
Smith. 46th Ind.; L. C. Smith, 4th Wis.; L. J. Smith, 2'Oth Pa. Cav.;
Wm. Schmidt. 37th Ohio; P. P. Stewart. 1st Me.; D. S. Scott. 16th
111.; D. W. Scott, 23rd U. S. Cav.; W. W. Scott. 1st Me.; C. Stoots,
118th Ind.; J. D. Sourwinn, 14th Pa.; R. W. Sanburn, 2nd Minn.';
Chas. Stewart, 4th Minn.; Thomas Stokes, 7th Minn.; R. B. Stone, 1st
Mich.; S. W. Sherman, 55th 111.; Rudolph Segar, 1st Mich.; J. W.
Spohn, 50th Wis.; F. W. Spear, 8th Mich.; Joseph Stickney. 18th
Mich.; Chas. Simson, 10th N. Y. ; John Saxton, 1st Minn.; W. D.
Sharp, U. S. N. ; Chas. E. Salter, 14th Conn.; G. K. Swan, 2nd Cal. ;
C. H. Stockin, 105th Ohio; Franklin P. Simpson, 2nd N. Y. ; Fred
Staufif, 4th Minn.; James Stratton, 3rd Mich.; J. S. Stewart, V. R. C. ;
Frank Shepard. 5th N. Y. ; John Shaw, 14th Wis.; O. P. Stearns. 39th
U. S. Cav. ; Conrad Schofifer, 1st Minn. ; Karl Stackmusser, 45th Wis. ;
R. L. Scoville, 14th N. Y. ; H. S. Sawyer, 17th N. Y. ; Jonas Strauss,
56th N. Y. ; Joseph Seruna, 27th Mich. ; Peter St. George, 1st Ohio ;
Joseph St. George, 17th Ohio; Aaron Springstead, 102nd N. Y. ; A. O.
Strickland, 194th N. Y. ; T. W. Streeter, 17th Wis.; Geo. Skelton. 38th
Iowa; B. H. Smith, 47th Wis.; McKeon Smith, 137th Pa.; David S.
Scott ; J. W. Stewart ; W. R. Schendel, 7th Ind. ; H. E. Skelton, 90th
N. Y. ; Geo. Singleton, 1st Ind.; Louis Sandion. 6th Mich. Cav.;
William Simpler, '76th Pa.; W. H. Smallwood, 76th U. S. Cav.; W. P.
Strickland, 121st N. Y.
Charles F. Todd. 140th 111.; Samuel Thompson. S5th N. Y. ; J. E.
Teft, 12th U. S.; John A. Trow, 13th Mass.; J. H. Triggs. 7th Iowa;
J. B. Thomas, 1st Mich.; W. G. Ten Brook, 107th N. Y. ; E. A. Tyler,
- DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 621
4th Minn.; J. W. Thompson, 142nd Ohio; Frank Telford, 74th Ohio;
J. J. Tanner, 1st Mich.; C. Thompson, 5th Wis.
John H. Upham, 149th N. Y. ; N. L. Upham, 35th N. J.
W. H. Van Valkenberg, 4th Minn.; W. F. Verrill, 13th Me.; John
Van Allen.
Geo. Wiseman, 14th Ohio; Thomas A. Whittaker, 131st Ohio;
S. F. White, 28th Mich.; V. S. Wilkinson, 9th 111.; Louis Wolfrom,
16th N. Y.; J. N. Weldon, 5th Conn.; Andrew Wilson, U. S. N.; J. E.
West, 3rd N. J. ; Theophilus Wilson, 85th Pa. ; W. J. Wallace, 188th
Pa.; J. R. Wagner, 40th Wis.; Albert Woolson. 1st Minn.; Hiram
Whire, 25th U. S. Col. Inf. ; W. W. Wood, U. S. N. ; William Williams,
79th U.S . Col. Inf. ; Jacob Wood, 18th Ind. ; C. G. Wilson, 198th Ohio ;
J. R. Ward, 155th N. Y.; J. H. Woon, U. S. N. ; Geo. W. West, 8th
Me.; S. M. Wessenberg, 11th Ohio; Geo. E. Wells, 60th Ohio; John
Wadleigh, 18th Wis.; James Wallace, 14th U. S. Inf.; Henry Wickey,
16th Ohio ; J. W. Western, 16th N. Y. ; Zavier Wehrli, 10th 111. ; Henry
Wellgarde, 10th Minn.; Alvin White, 1st N. Y. ; Chas. S. Weaver, 3rd
Mass.; Hampton Wade, 2nd 111.; Patrick Walsh, 7th Ind.; E. L.
Woodward, 3rd Minn.; C. M. Wilson, 175th Ohio; G. M. Wilson, 24th
N. Y.; W. S. Woodbridge, 1st Kans. Cav. ; C. H. Wilcox, 75th N. Y. ;
E. S. Woodworth, 3rd Minn. ; — Wright.
John Young, 1st Minn.
The last word Mr. Dailey seems to have written was "Wright."
No initial or regiment are shown opposite the name, but underneath
is an address, indicating perhaps that he intended communicating with
that address. Unfortunately he was not able to go further. Still, Asa
Dailey's is by far the most complete list of Civil War soldiers of St.
Louis County ever compiled.
May he rest in peace, knowing that he has well served his
comrades.
Grand Army Activities. — Since the mustering out of the surviv-
ing patriots in 1865, and their entry then into civil life, the histories of
villages, cities, towns, states, and of the nation make it clear that the
strongest force in American life has been that which shouldered the
gun during the war. In various walks of civil life the men who proved
their strength of character and purpose during the trying years of
civil war took a prominent part. They and their sons' and daughters
have held the nation's helm in all that has since threatened ; and some
have lived long enough to see that their grandchildren were destined
to be the backbone which would not bend to the pressure of the mighty
German military force in the most recent of the nation's wars. The
work of the men of Civil War record has been especially evident
through the activities of the Grand Army of the Republic once so
strong but, alas, now faltering in old age, and unable now to carry
on its purpose with the virility and vigor of the latter decades of the
nineteenth century. St. Louis County, in common with other districts
throughout the country, has had the good fortune to have had a strong
and active grand-army force; and it must be said that the county, as a
whole, have sought to show the Grand Army posts tiiat it appreciated
the service of its members, both in military and in civil activities. One
of the finest meeting places for a Grand Army post is that set apart
and dedicated to their use in the Court House at Duluth.
And one of the most recent and gratifying indications that the
Grand Army posts of St. Louis County are still usefully functioning
is seen in the recent installation of an inspiring statue, entitled
"Patriotism," on Court House S(|uare. Duluth. placed there as a gift
Vol. 11—8
622 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
to the city of Duluth from the J. B. Culver post of the Grand Army of
the RepubHc to commemorate the service of soldiers and sailors to
the nation in time of war.
The cornerstone of the statue was laid on Memorial Day of 1918,
and on that day of 1919, it was dedicated by Dr. J. D'. Budd, com-
mander of the J. B. Culver post. The invocation and benediction were
given by Rev. H. A. Ingham.
The statue stands as a recognition of the past, and as the hope
of the future, for "Patriotism" will ever be the proud possession of
St. Louis County ; sons and grandsons of the Civil War patriots have
shown a like strength, and if there be a future need, the great-grand-
sons will probably rally to the flag as fervently patriotic and self-
sacrificing as were their forebears. Such is the heritage passed on by
the stalwart men of 1861-65.
Spanish War. — After more than thirty years of peace, war clouds
again gathered, this nation becoming involved in another struggle to
free an oppressed people. And the nation was destined again to have
it demonstrated that Minnesota was as ready as of yore to uphold the
cause of liberty, by personal sacrifice — of life, if need be. It is said
that Minnesota was the "first to respond to the call of President
McKinle}' for volunteers at the beginning of the war with Spain." At
5 o'clock in the afternoon of April 25, 1898, Gov. D. M. Clough received
the telegraphic requisition for three regiments of infantry. The gov-
ernor immediately replied : "Troops ready at once," giving statement
as to arms, equipment, etc. They were to serve for two years, or
during the war. The First, Second and Third regiments of the state
troops, the National Guard units, were soon mobilized, and filled to
war strength by careful selection from the abundance of volunteers
available. By April 2'9th the National Guard regiments had mobilized,
only four days after receipt of the first intimation from federal authori-
ties that there was a need ; and when the regiments passed into federal
control they followed the numerical order of the infantry regiments of
the Civil War, the First, Second, and Third regiments of National
Guard becoming the Twelfth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth regiments
of Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. Subsequently the Fifteenth Regi-
ment was organized. In all of these regiments men of St. Louis
county served, therefore some review of the regimental records should
be given.
Twelfth Minn. Infantry. — The Twelfth Regiment of Minnesota
Volunteer Infantry was enrolled on April 29, 1898, and mustered into
the service of the United States at Camp Ramsey, St. Paul, on May 6
and 7, 1898. Col. Joseph Bobleter, of New Ulm, was in command.
The regiment left Camp Ramsey. May 15th, for Camp Thomas, Ga.,
and was there assigned to First Brig., Third Div., First Army Corps.
Transferred August 24, 1898 to Camp Hamilton, Ky., and left there
Sept. 15, 1898, for New Ulm, Minn. Six days later the regiment "was
furloughed for thirty days," and was mustered out of the service oh
Noveniber 5, 1898. the Spanish resistance having been broken, and
there being no further need for all the troops mobilized.
Thirteenth Minn. Infantry was enrolled on April 29, 1898. and
federalized at Camp Ramsey, St. Paul, May 7th. Col. C. McReeve
commanding. On May 16th the regiment proceeded to San Francisco,
California, to prepare for service in the Phillipine Islands. From
Camp Merritt on June 26, 1898, the Thirteenth embarked on the
steamer "City of Para," bound for Manila, P. I. The regiment
debarked on August 7th at Paranaqua, P. I., marching to Camp Dewey
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
623
the same day. On August 13, 1898, the regiment participated in the
battle before Manila, as a part of the Third Brigade, Second Division.
On August 22nd the regiment was assigned to provost guard duty at
Manila. It was relieved March 19, 1899, and ordered into the field as
a unit of Third Brigade, Second Division, under command of Gen.
R. P. Hall. March 25th and 26th it was engaged with insurgents in
the Mariquina Valley. From March 29th to August 4th the Thir-
teenth was on duty guarding the lines of communication and had
numerous engagements, including the battle of Santa Maria, April
12th. Two battalions of the regiment were detached on April 23rd to
form part of the Provisional Brigade, a unit of Lawton's expedition
into the interior.
On August 4th the regiment was relieved from further duty in
the Phillipines, and returned to Manila for embarkation ; it reached
San Francisco eventually on September 7th and debarked two days
THE ARMORY, DULUTH
later, marching to the Presidio camp, where it was mustered out on
October 3. 1899.
Fourteenth Minn. Infantry. — The Fourteenth Regiment was
enrolled on April 29th, 1898, and became United States troops on May
8, 1898, at Camp Ramsev, under command of Col. H. C. Vanduzee.
Reached Camp Thomas, Ga., May 19, 1898. On August 2S, 1898, left
Camp Thomas for Camp Poland, Knoxville, Tenn., and on September
20, 1898, left for Camp Van Duzee, St. Paul, Minn., a week later, being
furloughed. The regiment was finally mustered out of federal service
on Nov. 18, 1898, the national war need being over. In the record of
the Fourteenth Regiment, however, is service along the Great North-
ern Railway during Indian unrest. "Several companies participated
in the operations as a part of General Bacon's forces, returning in the
afternoon of October 23, 1898."
Fifteenth Minn. Infantry. — This regiment was mustered iuitj the
United States Army at Camp Ramsey, St. Paul. Minn., julv 9 to 18,
1898, under the second call of the President for volunteer troops.
624 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
From Camp Ramsey the regiment went to Camp Snelling, thence on
September 15, 1898, to Camp Meade, Pennsylvania. On November 15,
1898, the reg^iment was transferred to Camp Mackenzie, Ga., and there
remained until mustered out on March 27, 1899.
The men of the Minnesota regiments enlisted for service during
the Spanish war were of fine physique, as may be imagined from the
fact that only a limited number could be enlisted, whereas the young
men of the state, almost as a whole, were eager to enlist. And had the
war lasted, seriously, into the following year there is no doubt that
the Minnesota regiments would have distinguished themselves as
nobly as did the state troops of the Civil war. Fortunately, they were
not called upon, with the exception of the Thirteenth, but their rec-
ords nevertheless should be treasured among the military annals of
the several divisions of Minnesota. St. Louis County's contribution,
perhaps cannot be completely shown, but the best information now
available is embodied in this chapter, so that the local veterans of the
Spanish war may know that their national service (which in hardships
and camp rigors, was as hazardous as that experienced by many of
the units of the Civil war period, and of the last great World war), is
not unappreciated. The most authentic record, perhaps, is in the
rosters of the United Spanish War Veterans. The local veterans
of that war are of record in the two camps of the county, the
John G. McEwen Camp, of Duluth, and the Major Wilkinson
Camp, of Chisholm. Culling the information from the ofificial
records of the United States Department of Minnesota, United
Spanish War Veterans, it appears many of the contingent from St.
Louis County enlisted in the 13th, 14th, and 15th Minnesota Volun-
teer regiments. Those veterans that were on the roster of the John
G. McEwen Camp in 1919 were: Alfred Arnson, 15th Minn.; Christ
Anderson, 14th Minn.; H. Ahl, 14th Minn.; Louis G. Andrews, 5th
Mass. ; J. A. Barron, 33rd Mich. ; Nick Bergerson, 15th Minn. ; Walter
B. Burchard, 14th Minn.; Frank L. Bradley, 6th U. S. Cav. ; T. F.
Brown, 34th U. S. Inf. ; P. J. Bestler, 2nd Wis. ; W. A. Bone, g-nd Wis. ;
W. A. Berridge, 17th Ohio; Julius Boetcher, 14th Minn.; Martin T.
Burns, 14th Minn. ; Edward Blackwood, 34th Mich. ; Harley Brigham,
34th U. S. Inf. ; J. B. Caverly, 5th U. S. Cav. ; Dr. T. L. Chapman, 33rd
Mich.; Judd Canning, U. S. N.; Thomas Carrigan, 13th Minn.; A. R,
DeVohn, 14th Minn.; A. P. Dbly, 14th Minn.; Pat Derrig, 1st Mont.;
L. A. Erickson, U. S. N. ; Dr. C. E. French, 14th Minn.; E. J. Fitz-
gerald, U. S. N.; A. Friis, 14th Minn.; J. A Eraser, 14th Minn.; Geo.
Frame, 14th Minn.; Wm. J. Fitzenmeier, 14th Minn.; Andrew Frie-
lund, U. S. N.; J. B. Gileson, 14th Minn.; Thos. W. Gunn, 18th U. S.
Inf. ; R. R. Houghtalling, 35th U. S. Inf. ; Rov V. Hamlin, 33rd U. S.
Inf.; Hans Hagelin, 4th U. S. Inf.; Robert Haskins, U. S. N.; F. R.
Holmberg, 14th Minn. ; H. M. Hutchengs, U. S. Marines; A. W. Jacob-
son, 10th U. S. Inf.; Chas. Jacobs. 26th U. S. Inf.; Horace B. Keedy,
7th 111. ; Francis J. Kendall, 14th Minn. ; W. J. Kennedy, 14th Minn. ;
Wm. Kubiski, 15th Minn.; Geo. A. Kennedy, 1st Ky. ; W. W. Keilly,
14th Minn.; W. C. Kimball, 46th U. S. ; J. H. Koors, 13th Minn.; Her-
man Krause. 3rd U. S. Inf.; D. D. Kreidler, 15th Minn.; J. E. Law-
rence, 14th Minn.; Chas. F. Loerke, 34th Mich.; Geo. Lloyd, 14th
Minn.; John Lueck, 3rd U. S. Inf.; Ed. Loftus, 13th Minn.; T. J.
Leahy, 14th Minn.; Emil Lundberg, 14th Minn.; Edw. S. LaCroix,
14th Minn. ; Louis Lohman, 14th Minn.; R. H. Long, 14th Minn. ; Geo.
Morin, 15th Minn.; Fred S. Moulster, 4th Wis.; M. C. Miller. 14th
Minn.; Walter M. Mee, 14th Minn.; H. Moody, 1st U. S. Cav.; H. L.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 625
Merrill, 47th U. S. Inf.; Joseph Maley, 15th Minn.; Rod McDonald,
33rd Mich.; W. A. McKee, 14th Minn.; P. E. McCormack, 1st Wis.;
W. S. McCormack, 14th Minn.; Chas. V. McCoy, U. S. Hosp.; C. L.
McCool, 32nd U. S.; A. E. Neilson, 1st 111.; Rudolph Nelson, 13th
Minn.; O. F. Nelson, 34th Mich.; M. P. Orchard, 14th Minn.; W. L.
Peirce, 14th Minn. ; W. E. Pugh, 1st 111. Art. ; Anthon J. Peterson, 14th
Minn.; O. F. Phillips, 158th Ind. ; Jacob M. Plank. 1st 111.; Thomas
Ross, 14th Minn.; W. T. Ryan, 16th U. S. ; W. C. Robinson, 14th
Minn. ; W. Y. Richardson, 13th Minn. ; F. R. Stuckman, U. S. N. ; Rev.
John G Schaibly, 5th Ohio ; Geo. J. Sherman, U. S. Hosp. ; C. J. Suther-
land, U. S. N.; F. M. Schutte, 13th Minn.; J. D. Schweiger, 14th
Minn.; Philip R. Sherman, 31st Mich.; Ed. F. Spink, 14th Minn.;
D. W. Stocking, 14th Minn.; Benj. Swarthout, 5th U. S. Inf.; E. G.
Shepard, 14th Minn.; M. M. Turnhull, 49th Iowa; Jacob Thoresen,
U. S. N. ; Herman Toewe, 8th Penn. ; C. C. Teare, 14th Minn. ; Leonard
Usher, 28th U. S. ; Harry Witz, 14th Minn. ; J. O. Westerlund, 34th
Mich.; R. M. Weaver, 14th Minn.; Oscar Wetterlind, 14th Minn.;
Oscar Dehlin, 35th Mich.; Joseph Carhart, Jr.; Alva G. Catlin, 13th
Minn.; Walter J. Cook, 13th Minn.; J. Scott Cash, 14th Minn.; W. A.
Bone, 3rd Wis.; Rudolph Deitz, 14th Minn.; John A. Johnson, 15th
Minn.; C. E. Haines, 14th Minn.; R. C. Haxton, 4th U. S. Inf.; Fred
C. Moulster, 4th Wis. ; Albert LaPoint, 4th U. S. Inf. ; Richard Little,
14th Minn.; Lawrence Long, 14th Minn.; J. R. Miles, 14th Minn.;
O. W. Mittie, 7th U. S. Art.; Geo. H. Miller, 14th Minn.; Frank
Musolf, 14th Minn.; E. D". Loftus, 13th Minn.; E. F. Mathews, 12th
Minn. Vol.; Marvin McLaren. 14th Minn.; W. E. Phillips, 1st Ind.;
Brown McDonald, 2nd Tex. ; Chas. McEvoy, 34th Mich. ; M. C. Parker,
3rd U. S. Art. ; Frank Story, 14th Minn. ; F. O. Steel, 33rd Mich. ; Chas.
H. Willis, 14th Minn. ; Louis Gscheidle, 15th Minn. ; J. F. Watson, 14th
Minn.; H. D. Wood, U. S. N.; E. J. Whalen, 4th Mich.; Hector
Lamont, 14th Minn.; Lewis A. Dunaway, 1st Wis.; Richard
McCarthy, 51st Iowa; Geo. W. Mee, 14th Minn.; Ira B. Smith, 13th
Minn.; Chas. E. Carroll, 14th Minn.; Patrick Long, 14th Minn.;
Andrew Zellar, 14th Minn.; Carl Lovelace, 1st Wis.; Walter G. Whit-
ney, 14th Minn.; Geo. H. Christopher, 14th Minn.; Peter Novack, 14th
Minn.; Alex. Kalish, 6th U. S. Inf.; F. H. Wood, 14th Minn.; J. L.
McPhee, 3rd U. S. Inf.; M. J. Murray, 14th Minn.; J. W. McCormick,
13th Minn. ; J. J. Beattie, U. S. Signal ; C. G. Wickman. 3rd U. S. Inf. ;
Dr. W. J. Works, 13th Minn.; H. A. Hanson, 3rd Wis.; J. C. Eaton,
14th Minn.; P. L. Anderson, 14th Minn.; J. M. Frink, 3rd Wis.; Edw.
Legh Page. 2nd Tex.; And. H. Smith, 13th Minn.; G. T. Bates, 14th
Minn.; R. H. Kehl, 34th Mich.; P. O. Haugland. 2'lst U. S. Inf.; D. A.
Small. 13th Minn.; Frank J. Small, 15th Minn.; and the following
named deceased: Theodore Simon, 13th Minn.; G. A. Henry, 14th
Minn.; Daniel E. Edklund, 3rd U. S. Inf.; W. H. Smallwood, 14th
Minn.
The veterans who are members of the Major Wilkinson Camp of
Chisholm are: Thomas O'Connor, 3rd Inf.; W. B. Brown. U. S. N. ;
Walter H. Ogden, 22nd Inf.; Wm. H. Clemens. 1st Art.; P. Mungo-
van. 3rd Neb.; Andrew Hagland, 87th Vol.; Dayton H'. Flinds. 34th
Mich.; Adolph M. Peterson, 3rd Inf.; Thomas Cody, 37th Vol.; Frank
Green, 22nd Inf. ; Joe Verant. 45th Vol. ; Clarence B. Banks, 3rd Wis. ;
George Meyers. 3lth Mich.; John Sladkey, 45th Vol.; John P. Lanto,
34th Mich. ; Geo. A. Lindsey. 5()th Iowa ; A. Antonelli. 3rd Inf. ; Joseph
Havelick, 15th Art.; Herman Junsola, 34th Mich.; J. V>. Frazer, 3rd
U. S. Inf.; H. A. Thompson, 3rd U. S. Inf.
626 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
The commander of the John G. McEwen Camp, Duluth, is
Thomas W. Gunn ; and the commander of the Major Wilkinson Camp
of Chisholm is Herman Junsola.
By reason of their numbers (so small when compared with those
developed by the greater needs of the Civil and World wars) the
Spanish war veterans do not seem to have been accorded a just need
of praise. In reality, however, they have been, for all who think of the
matter at all know that the same spirit of true patriotism was mani-
fested by them, and as fully as that shown in the days of the Civil
war. They were prepared to go to the end, if need be, to uphold all
that this nation stands for, and they may rest assured that, though
their numbers be few, the place of the Spanish war veterans among
the patriotic organizations of the United States is a definite and'
honorable one.
CHAPTER XXVI
THE WORLD WAR, 1917-18
The World War, the most tremendous and stupendous of all
modern wars, probably of all wars since history was first chronicled,
found Duluth and St. Louis County practically at "attention." Com-
panies A, C, and E, Supply Company and Hospital Unit, all Duluth
units of the Third Minnesota Infantry, Company F of Eleventh and
Company M, of Hibbing, had only returned a few months before from
active campaigning on the Mexican border during the time of Per-
shing's expedition into Mexico. But from the moment President
Wilson declared that the nation actually was (in the first days of
April, 1917) in an actual "state of war" with Germany, the national
guard units of Minnesota were ready for an immediate call to arms.
On April 10, 1917, companies of the Third Minnesota National Guard
were called into active state service, including companies A and E
of Duluth.
On April 28, 1917, the citizens of Duluth gave way to what was
at that time an unique outburst of patriotic fervour, seventeen thou-
sand three hundred citizens marching in well-marshalled procession,
to "do homage to the Red, White and Blue."
It was a memorable and inspiring day. the Duluth "News-Trib-
une," next morning stating: "Citizens of Duluth yesterday reached
a common level before the flag. The steady tramp of marching thou-
sands thrilled Duluth with the biggest thing in its history. It was
patriotism. It was the crystalization of an ideal — that tramp of march-
ing thousands. Its citizens, rich and poor, mingled ; its streets
devoted to business waved with a pulsing line of color — the Red,
White and Blue."
Duluth, in common with all other communal parts of the United
States, was destined to experience many even greater thrills during
the next two years of united effort to adhere, even unto death, to
the cause of right over might. Those who went into the armed forces
of the nation, those who enlisted in the national industrial effort
in the home sector, those who prayed and gave to their utmost to the
governmental funds so that this country might be sustained unto
victory, will ever vividly remember the stirring times; and at times
may long for the renewal of such fervent patriotism, and whole-
souled fellow-feeling. Common dangers uncover truer and nobler
traits in man than do any other situations.
On August 26, 1917, the Duluth and Range companies of the
Third Minnesota Infantry entrained at the Omaha station, Duluth,
for Camp Cody, New Mexico, where the state regiment would be
mustered into the federal service, and intensive training would begin.
There were many pathetic scenes at the station, women fainting
and men weeping as they saw their sons depart perhaps never to
return. But, as a whole, the regiment left cheered and inspirited by
the warm-hearted, sincere and cheerful farewell tendered them by
the people of Duluth. Colonel Eva's "message to the home folk."
as he left with his regiment, was: "Duluth will be proud of its boys
when they get into active service on the French battlefields." They
expected to be in France early in the new year.
627
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DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY, 629
On August 29th, rosters were published of the Third Bn, of
the Minnesota Home Guard, which had been organized to take the
place of the National Guard units federalized. Companies A, B, C
and D, 315 men and fourteen officers, all told, constituted the third
battalion, recruited almost wholly in Duluth, the commander being
Captain (acting major) Roger M. Weaver. (That unit was destined
to give the state good service in military capacity, in December,
1917, during the street railway strike at St. Paul.)
During the first week of September, 1917, the St. Louis County
draft boards were able to publish the names of men first to be called
into national military or naval service under the Selective Service
Act. And in that month the first detachment of men called into
service from St. Louis County under that act and plan left for camp.
As the months passed and demonstration followed demonstration,
the people of the county were destined to realize that their own
affairs were absolutely bound in and yet secondary to the national
interest which was ever before them in those days. The boys had
departed, or were departing, or were to depart, to take part in the
armed resistance the government and nation were building to aid
in the final defeat of the enemy ; and drive followed drive for the
money wherewith to equip and maintain the armed forces of the
nation. People gave of their substance — gave "till it hurt," and
were glad to have that opportunity of sharing in the national efifort.
Each drive was an event worthy of chronicling. For instance, ten
thousand persons marched in procession in Duluth on April 13, 1918,
on which day the Third Liberty Loan campaign was opened, of which
loan Duluth was expected to take bonds to the extent of $5,000,000.
Some of the slogans written on banners and other writing surfaces,
by some of those who marched in that procession indicated the
spirit and confidence of the nation. Some of the slogans read : "Slip
a pill to Kaiser Bill" ; "The early bird catches the worm ; your bonds
will help catch the kaiser"; "Save, save, save; then dig some more.
Your bonds will bring the boys back home from Europe's western
shore" ; "Your dollar is the seed of- victory ; plant it in Liberty bonds
and watch it grow"; "Ho, Skinny! My dad bought some Liberty
bonds. Did yours?"; "Dig and we'll dig with you; slack and you
slack alone"; "Put up, or shut up"; "Five million or bust; Duluth
has never failed"; "This is the spring drive over here, to help the
spring drive over there" ; and other equally appealing slogans. Prac-
tically every organized society of public character was out in full
force in that procession. The local paper next day stated: "The
steady tramp of marching thousands gave a new thrill to the achieve-
ment of Duluth. It was more determined enthusiasm than that
displayed in the first loyalty demonstration of a year ago. It was
the crystalization of an ideal to do."
Duluth and the county in general, did well. The war record
is an enviable one, and whether the demand was for man-power or
for money the county met it to more than the full. More than nine
thousand men were taken into the federal armed forces, and many
joined the auxiliary service corps. Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., and other
welfare organizations. At least 232 men of St. Louis County gave
their lives to the nation. It is not possible to give the space in this
volume to name the whole of the valiant young men of St. Louis
County who entered the armed forces of the nation in its supreme
need, but space will not be stinted in an endeavor to honor the mem-
ory of those who failed to return. This chapter will end with as
630 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
complete a biographical review as it has been possible to compile
of the men who, in their supreme self-sacrifice, have constituted an
honor list worthy of the county.
Fortunately, St. Louis County was destined to welcome home
again all but a few hundred of the 9,000 men that went to war. And
it was fitting that the "biggest and most successful celebration Duluth
ever staged" was that organized to welcome home the boys who
had donned the uniform of "Uncle Sam." The "Welcome Home"
celebration was held on Saturday, August 18, 1919, and "from the
blowing of the whistles and the firing of the 100 guns at 10:30 o'clock
Saturday morning until the bands stopped playing, for the dancers
on the street, at 12:00 o'clock (midnight), the day was crowded with
features for the entertainment and enjoyment of the heroes of the
Zenith City."
That celebration over, the young men who for more than a
year had had to give first thought to military matters, donned civilian
garb and passed quietly into civil life again, the majority of them
better men for their military experience. And that association will
be perpetuated by the organizations the ex-service men have formed.
There are many very strong posts of the American Legion in St.
Louis County all of them resolute in determination to hold to what
in reality was one of the principal motives of those good patriots
who organized the American Legion — the maintaining of Ameri-
can institutions by orderly and legal government. In the manifesta-
tions of social and industrial unrest that followed the war, the Amer-
ican Legion on many occasions proved to be the stable body upon
which reliance could be placed. In addition, the posts serve to
cement a comradeship begun in the throes of a great national struggle.
And each American Legion post has been dedicated especially
to the sacred duty of adequately honoring each year the memory of
those of their comrades and neighbors who lost their lives while in
war work with the national forces.
The Honor List of St, Louis County .^ — Of those who made the
Supreme Sacrifice, it has been possible to collect some biographical
data. The record is not complete, but is given in the hope that it
will add something to existing printed record, and as a tribute to
those brave patriots who willingly placed their personal interests
second to those of the nation, and gave of their strength, even unto
death, to defeat the power that sought to establish Might as Right.
F. O. Abrahamson met death in France. He belonged to the
Machine Gun Company of the One Hundred and Second Regiment
of Infantry, Twenty-seventh Division of the American Expeditionary
Forces.
C. Albertson was twenty-six years old when he was killed in
action in France in 1918. He was earnest in the cause, and had
made many unsuccessful attempts to enlist before June 28, 1918,
when he was accepted as a substitute for a volunteer who had been
called but had failed to report for duty. Albertson left Duluth that
day. The time was one of the darkest of the war and the need of
man-power at the Western front was desperate. Apparently, Albert-
son was given practically no military training in this country for a
few months later he was in France.
E. P. Alexander was a young Duluthian of distinct promise. He
was born in Duluth, November 4, 1891, son of Edward P. and Agnes
G. Alexander, of Duluth. He was an engineer of good collegiate
training, for as well as being a graduate of the University of Minne-
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 631
sota he was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technol-
ogy. He married Myra Salyards of Duluth and had entered civil
engineering practice in Duluth, with bright prospects, when this
nation became involved in the European war in 1917. He was one of
the first to leave Duluth, going in June, 1917, to Fort Snelling,
where he was given the responsibility of commissioned grade in the
Engineering Corps. As a first lieutenant, he saw active service in
France with the Five Hundred and Ninth Engineers. He succumbed
to the ravages of influenza at St. Nazaire, France, and was there
buried. His military record was good, and promotion to the grade
of captain came to him on the day of his funeral.
Bryan Allen, who died in May, 1918, was a member of Battery C,
One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Field Artillery, a unit originally
belonging to the Minnesota National Guard. He was the son of Leo
Allen, of 315 South Fifteenth Avenue, east, Duluth.
Francis Allie, who died in France, of wound received on July
16, 1918, right at the beginning of the great Allied counter-ofifensive,
which did not end until the enemy went down in final defeat, in
November, 1918. He was well-known in West Duluth and was
assigned to, and saw active service with, the Machine Gun Company
of the One Hundred and Fifty-first Field Artillery, Battery B.
Alfred J. Anderson enlisted from Duluth. His sister is Mrs. D.
Lake, of 1308 East Fifth Street.
Dr. John Andres practiced his profession iii Duluth before
entering the Medical Department of the United States army.
Robert Arbelus, whose place of enlistment was Ely, is survived
by a sister, Mrs. Minnie Retois, now resident in Iron Belt, Wisconsin.
Hillard Aronson belonged to a well-known Tower family. He
was born in Tower, son of John and Beda Aronson, and was in lucra-
tive business with his brother, as boat owners on Lake Vermilion.
He registered early in 1917, but was not called into military service
until June 24, 1918, on which day he reported at Ely for duty, as a
private in the Infantry of the National Army. He was assigned to
Company C. Three Hundred and Thirty-third Machine Gun Battalion,
Eighty-sixth Division, at Camp Grant. Rockford, Illinois, and after
an intensive course of machine-gun training was transferred to Camp
Mills, New York. On September 14, 1918, he embarked on the
British troopship "Olympic," and on September 20th, arriver at South-
ampton. Conditions of sea-travel in that time of shipping scarcity
were rigorous, the troopships being much overcrowded. Young
Aronson contracted sickness on the voyage and eight days after being
landed at Southampton died of Lobar Pneumonia at Shirley Warren
Hospital, Southampton, England. His body was interred in the
United States Military Cemetery, Magdalen Hill, Winchester. Eng-
land, on September 29, 1918, but eventually the body was disinterred
and brought back to the United States by the government. His
remains now rest in Forest Hill Cemetery, Duluth, the funeral taking
place, with military ceremonies, on June 3. 1920.
Mike F. Bagley is claimed as a Duluthian. He was a married
man and his widow, Alice, still lives at 318 West Fourth Street,.
Duluth.
Lorenta Bakke, whose name is in the Duluth records, resided
at 3614 West Fourth Street, Duluth, prior to enlistment. His father,
Ulrik B., lives in Bergen. Norway.
Glenn J. Ball, who was killed in action on September 5. 1918,
on the French front, was a machinist in the employ of the South
632 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Shore Railway Company, at Duluth, prior to entering upon military
service. He was enlisted in June, 1917, at Marquette, Michigan, of
which state he was a native, having been born October 20, 1899, at
Peck, Michigan, son of Edward and Abbie Ball. After enlistment,
in the grade of private, he was assigned to Company G, 128th
Infantry, of Thirty-second Division, and sent to Camp Arthur, Texas,
where for five or six months he remained. On February 8, 1918, he
embarked, at Hoboken, New Jersey, and thus reached France before
the great German offensive of 1918 had begun. His father now lives
in St. Louis County, Rural Route No. 3, Duluth.
Alexius Rinhild Bang, who died of pneumonia, at Camp Cody,
New Mexico, November 3, 1918, was formerly a resident in Culver
Township. He was born on February 28, 1897, at Fielboberg, Vil-
helminy Wisterbotten, Sweden, the son of E. F. Bang, now of Culver,
St. Louis County. Young Bang was called to duty on October 21,
1918, and left then for Camp Cody, New Mexico. He was never
destined to be assigned to a military unit, being stricken with influ-
enza almost upon arrival at Camp Cody. Pneumonia developed and
he died on November 3rd.
Chris. W. Baumgarten was of Duluth, where his mother, Mrs.
Augustine Baumgarten lives.
Norman K. Bawks was a resident of Stevenson, Minnesota, where
his widow, Alphonsine O., still lives.
Eli Belich was of Servian origin, his father being Waso Belich,
of Labon, Servia.
Howard L(ewis) Bennett was a popular young resident of Buhl,
and before the war was in the employ of the Oliver Iron Mining
Company, Buhl, as assistant engineer. He was born on October 4,
1894, at Ironwood, Michigan, son of William H. Bennett, who has
lived in Buhl, St. Louis County, for many years. Howard was one
of the first in the Range country to enlist. He enlisted on May 23,
1917, and was sent to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, where he was assigned
to the Medical Detachment of the First Minnesota Infantry. Later,
he was sent to Camp Cody, New Mexico, about that time being
transferred to the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Regiment, a unit
of the Thirty-fourth Division. He succumbed to pneumonia at Camp
Cody, on April 14, 1918, at that time having the rating of private,
first-class. To honor his memory his service comrades of Buhl gave
his name to the Buhl post of the American Legion.
Harold Berg, whose name appears on the Honor Roll of St.
Louis County, was of Norwegian birth, and lived at Proctor for some
time prior to enlisting. His enlistment papers name as his father
Lavritz Berg, of Lena, Ototen, Norway.
William E. Berg, son of Charles Berg, of 401 Mygatt Avenue,
Duluth, was in the employ of the Rust-Parker Company, Duluth,
before he entered the United States Army. He was called to active
duty in June, 1918, and assigned to Company C, of the Three Hun-
dred and Fifty-eighth Infantry. His training was short, for on July
4th his regiment embarked for France. On September 16th, 1918, he
was killed in action.
Rada Besonovich lived at Buhl before the war. His brother is
John Besonovich, of that place.
William Bodin was the son of Gust Bodin, of Proctor.
Herman Bjormhang, of Proctor, was kin to Paul Hendrickson,
Grand Marais, Minnesota.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 633
Alfred John Bradford was a married man, his widow, Mrs. M. C.
Bradford living at 1011 East Third Street, Duluth.
Carl Bowman, who was killed in aerial combat in France on
July 25, 1918, was a native of Seattle, Washington, although he was
in business in Duluth when war came. He enlisted at Duluth in
June, 1917, being accepted for assignment to the Aviation Corps. He
became an observer, and was early sent to France.
Solem Eric Broman, who was killed in action on the French front
on September 29, 1918, was one of those true defenders of liberty
who sought to enter the fight before the United States Government
was prepared to accept service. He was a resident of Duluth, but
early in March, 1917, went into Canada, and enlisted in the Canadian
Expeditionary Forces. On March 16, 1917, he was assigned to the
Two Hundred and Forty-ninth Overseas Battalion. He saw five
months of hard service in the front trenches in France before meet-
ing death in action in September, 1918. The military record of the
Broman family is a worthy one, two other brothers having given
military service, one in the Canadian forces. Henry Broman, the
father, lives at 232 Mesaba Avenue, Duluth.
Leo Arthur Brooks is listed as of Crookson residence prior to
-entering the service, but he might have been included with the
honor men of Duluth, for he enlisted from Duluth, and had had resi-
dence in Duluth, living with his sister, Mrs. Leslie Code, 5107 Colo-
rado Street, and working as a fireman in Duluth. He was born on
December 11, 1886, at Hungerford, Michigan, son of Mr. and Mrs.
A. Brooks. When he enlisted he was more than thirty years old,
and proved to be a most zealous and reliable soldier. After enlist-
ment, he was sent to Camp Wadsworth, S. C, and assigned to Com-
pany K of the Fifty-third United States Infantry. He embarked
at New York in July and reached the front line trenches in the
Vosges Mountains, on September 6th. He was killed during a trench
raid night of September 15-16th, and his conduct during that raid
was such as to bring him commendation from his commanding officer,
Capt. R. A. Helmbold, who wrote that Brooks continued to fight after
being wounded, the captain stating that he had lost, in Brooks, "one
of his bravest and best soldiers." He testified that Brooks kept his
automatic rifle going until he was relieved, notwithstanding that he
was mortally wounded; and he was of the opinion that it was due
chiefly to the bravery and reliability of Brooks that the German raid
was repelled.
Wallace Orab Brown, who was gassed in the 1918 battle of the
Marne, and died in hospital in France on October 17. 1918, was
born on June 23, 1901, at Kennan, Price County, Wisconsin. His
father, John Brown, lives at Woodland and Wallace for a while was
a brickmaker at Princeton, Minnesota, at which place he enlisted
on August 27, 1917, electing to give service in a field artillery unit.
He was sent to Camp Cody, New Mexico, and assigned to Company
B, One Hundred and Second Field Artillery, eventually embarking
for France.
Peter Bruno, of West Duluth, was of Italian origin, his father
being Antonio Bruno, of Goddisca, Udine, Italy.
Charles C. Butler, of Virginia, gave his life voluntarily in a
brave, self-sacrificing service to his division. He enlisted Novem-
ber 23, 1917, in the Tank Corps, which eventually became part of the
American Expeditionary Forces; and his division came into action
at one of the most difficult parts of the Hindenburg line of trenches.
634 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
at Bony, France. Butler, the record states, volunteered to lay out
black and white tape for tanks, one report stating that he was the
only man of his division to volunteer for such work of extreme dan-
ger. He was killed while so engaged, a shell closing his career, and
bringing his name onto the immortal roll of worthy American sol-
diers, who exceeded their duties in an endeavor to better serve their
country. Butler was well-known and esteemed in Virginia, where
his mother, Mrs. C. C. Butler, lives. He was born at Iron Mountain,
Michigan, on November 15, 1889.
Charles A. Campbell, who died of pneumonia in France, just one
day before the Armistice ended hostilities in November, 1918, was a
volunteer above the draft age. He enlisted in the lowest grade and
by reliable service reached the responsibility of a sergeant. He was'
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles D. Campbell, of 1511 East Third
Street, Duluth.
John William Campbell, of the Marine Corps, A. E. F., died
of bronco-pneumonia at Coblez, Germany, on February 9, 1919. He
was born May 20, 1890, at Calumet, Michigan, and was called to mili-
tary service in April, 1918.
Oscar C. Carlson, of Duluth, was the son of Mrs. Mary Carlson,
of East Fifth Street, Duluth.
Leonard William Cato, of Duluth, was enlisted in September,
1917, and became a member of an Infantry regiment of the famous
Rainbow Division. He, however, was not destined to see foreign
service, death coming on December 6, 1917, at Camp Dodge. Iowa,
from spinal menengitis. He was a native of Duluth, born in that
city on January 24, 1896 (or 1897), son of Louis Cato, who now
lives at 2131 Columbia Avenue.
Ole H. Christenson, whose papers show that he was a resident
of Harding, St. Louis County, was the son of Mrs. Gunhild Christen-
son, of 508 W. Superior Street, Duluth. He died of pneumonia, at
Camp Fremont, California, where he was stationed. He was a lieu-
tenant of the One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Depot Brigade, and his
body was sent under military escort to Duluth for burial in the For-
est Hill Cemetery.
John Christopher, of Duluth, deserves good place among the
Honor men of St. Louis County. He was a veteran of the Spanish-
American War, and notwithstanding that he was forty-three years
old, and could not get into the United States Army, which under the
Selective Service plan was amply filled by much younger men, he
was determined to find a place in the military forces arrayed against
the German machine. He went to Canada, and at once was accepted
for the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, and assigned to an infantry
unit. He was killed in action in France on September 27, 1918. He
was mourned by many in Duluth, having for years been an employee
of the Scott-Graff Lumber Company. His mother, Mrs. Mary Chris-
topher, lives at 321 East Fifth Street, Duluth.
Raulin H. Clark, a Duluth boy, was one of the first to enlist
in May, 1917. He was assigned to the Medical Detachment of the
One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Field Artillery, and went to France
with that unit. After passing through all the dangers that came to
his unit during the period of active fighting, he was destined to die
of sickness, pneumonia necessitating his transfer to a hospital in
Bordeaux, France, almost on the eve of the departure of his unit
for home. He died in that hospital on January 21, 1919, but event-
ually his body was returned to the United States, and now rests in
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 635
Oneota Cemetery. He was born on January 31, 1898, at Willow
River, Minnesota, and the family later came to Duluth, his mother,
Mrs. E. Clark, now living at 5809 Cody Street. The boy graduated
from Denfield High School in 1916, and was well under the draft age
when he enlisted.
Mark Allen Cook lived in Cotton Township, his mother being
Mrs. Allen Cook, of Cotton.
Alexander Cosgrove, who was a member of the Canadian Expedi-
tionary Forces and was killed in action in France, was a Duluthian.
Walter Crellin, the first Virginia boy in United States uniform to
give his life, was on board the British liner "Tuscania" when it was
torpedoed ofif the coast of Ireland on February 5, 1918. His body
was recovered and buried at Kilnaughton, Islay, Scotland, but in
due time was disinterred and brought back to America, so that it
might have honored place in the Arlington National Cemetery, near
Washington. Interment there took place on October 22, 1920. Young
Crellin was well-known in both Eveleth and Virginia. He was born
on August 15, 1895, at Ishpeming, Michigan, the son of Captain John
S. Crellin, a mine manager, who later came to Virginia, and latterly
has been of Leonidas Location, Eveleth. Walter attended the Vir-
ginia schools, eventually, in 1914, graduating from the Virginia High
School. In October, 1917, he enlisted in the Aviation Section, Signal
Corps.
Frank M. Cullen, whose name is on the Duluth Honor Roll,
has a sister living in West Duluth, Mrs. Minnie Gilbert, of 20 Fifty-
third Avenue.
Benjamin Dachyk, of Duluth, was killed by a falling tree not
far from the front-line trenches in France, on July 22, 1918. He
was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dachyk, of Greysolon Farms,
near Duluth, and he enlisted at Duluth, in June, 1917, being then
assigned to Company A of the Third Minnesota Regiment. Later.
he was transferred to the Eighth Company, Third Motor Mechanic
Corps, Air Service.
Charles Daniels, whose father, Alphonse Daniels, lives in Buyck,
St. Louis County, was a Belgian by birth, born at Berges, Belgium,
May 23, 1896. The family came to St. Louis County in 1910, and
took up the cultivation of an acreage of wild land in Buyck town-
ship. Charles was inducted on June 5, 1917, when he became a
private of infantry. National Guard. He was assigned to Company I.
One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Infantry, and in due time crossed
the sea to the French front. He was killed in action on the Argonne
front on October 16, 1918.
Rocco Decenzo, who was in the employ of the Republic Iron
and Steel Company, Gilbert, before entering military service, was
born at Sagliono, Italy, the son of Victoriano Decenzo, of that place.
He was inducted on May 24, 1918, at Eveleth, Minn., in the grade
of private of infantry of National Army. He was assigned to the
Thirty-Fourth Company, Ninth Battalion, One Hundred and Sixt}-
Sixth Depot Brigade, soon after arrival at Camp Lewis, Wash., and
later became a member of Company H. One Hundred and Fifty-
Seventh Infantry, Fortieth Division. With that unit he embarked
from New York, on August 8, 1918. His regiment was soon in action,
and he received wounds from which he died. His body was interred
in the American Cemetery, Commune of Brievcaux, Meuse. France,
on October 3, 1918.
636 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
James T, Doherty, who, like his father of same name, was
well-known and popular in Buhl, Minn., where he was in the employ
pf the Dower Lumber Company, was born at Grand Rapids, on
September 17, 1893. Inducted December 16, 1917, at Chisholm, he
was destined to see strenuous service in France, and to safely pass
through many major ofifensives, including St. Mihiel, and Meuse-
Argonne. He also saw severe fighting on the Champagne front, and
in a Verdun sector. A month or so after the Armistice he was taken
sick, tubercular trouble keeping him in Base Hospital No. 52, Remau-
court, France, from December 15, 1918 to March 26, 1919. He was
only partially convalescent when he left France in May, 1919, on
the troopship "DeKalb." He succumbed to lobar-pneumonia during
the voyage. His military service included six months of training at
the Presidio of San Francisco. On June 24, 1918, he was transferred
to Company B. Army Artillery Park, First Army, and embarked
July 1st at Hoboken, for Bordeaux.
Frank Donatello, who was in the employ of the Oliver Iron
Mining Company, at Hibbing, was inducted on June 28, 1918, at
Duluth, and assigned in the grade of private to the Engineers Na-
tional Army. He was born on June 4, 1886, at Barron, Wisconsin,
and died of disease in France on November 25, 1918. His father,
San Donatello, lived at Cumberland, Wisconsin.
Joseph Dragich's death, on May 1, 1918, at a Texas camp, was
attributed to the effects of pneumonia. He was one of the most
eager volunteers of the early days of the war, enlisting in May, 1917.
He was an Austrian by birth, born October 17, 1888, at Tarvi, Austria,
son of Nicholas Dragich, now of Chisholm.
Laurence P. Drohan, of West Duluth, left Duluth on April 26,
1917, and was early in France. He was killed in action on October 5,
1918. His mother, Mrs. Mary Drohan, lives at 9 Sixteenth Avenue,
West. Duluth.
Arthur J. Duggen, whose mother, Minnie Duggen, lives in Brad-
ford, Pennsylvania, had residence in Ely before enlisting.
Dr. Harry Dunlop, who died of wounds on November 2, 1918,
was at one time in active practice in Duluth, associated with Dr.
David Graham, of West Duluth. In 1912 he went to Peru, but the
outbreak of the war in 1914 drew him to Canada, where, in 1914, he
enlisted in the Canadian Army. He w^as commissioned and assigned
to the Medical Department, and sent overseas. Eventually he be-
came captain, and passed through the long, dark, and dangerous
years of vigil with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, his death
coming only nine days before the Armistice ended the strain. A
brother of Dr. Dunlop lives in Duluth, and has reason to be satisfied
with the part taken by his family in the struggle for the Great Cause.
Four of the family were in war service, three brothers and one
sister.
Napoleon Duprey, a Duluthian who was killed in action in
France, was born at Rib Lake, Taylor County, Wisconsin, on April 6,
1901, but lived for years in Duluth prior to entering service on
November 3, 1917, as a private of infantry of the regular army. He
was sent to Jefferson Barracks, and later to Camp Green, S. C., and
embarked at New York on March 3, 1918, as a member of Company
E. Thirty-Eighth Infantry, A. E. F. He was killed in action on
July 15, 1918, in the Commune of Courtemont, Varennes, France.
His mother, Celia Duprey, lives at 1932 West Michigan Street,
Duluth.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 637
Clarence E. Ellison was a Saginaw, Minnesota, boy, son of Elias
Ellison, of that place.
Albert A. Erickson is claimed to have been a Duluthian ; his
brother, John G., lives in Cumberland, Wisconsin.
Edgar Eubanks, who was killed in action in France in October,
1918, and who prior to entering service lived in St. Louis County,
was born in 1897 in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, where his parents still
live. He was called to service in 1917, and assigned to the Machine
Gun Company, Third Wisconsin Regiment, which eventually became
a unit of the A. E. F.
John Fairgrieve, Jr., was well-known in Duluth. Until he was
called into service on October 21, 1918, he was a salesman for the
Knudson Fruit Company, of Duluth. He was born on November 26,
1893, in Galashiels, Scotland, the son of John and Margaret Fair-
grieve. After enlistment, he was sent to Camp Cody, Deming, New
Mexico, and there assigned to Company E, Three Hundred and
Eighty-Eighth Infantry. He, however, was taken sick soon after
arrival, and died in Deming, New Mexico, November 5, 1918. He
was a married man, his widow, Edith (Hamilton) Fairgrieve still
living in Duluth.
Guy Raymond Forbes, who died in France, was a volunteer much
over draft age. He was born January 29, 1879, at Grand Rapids,
Michigan. He enlisted on May 13, 1917, his technical experience
causing him to elect to join an Engineer Service Battalion, with
which he went to France. He died of cerebral hemorrage, near Toul,
France, on May 5, 1918. His widow, Grace, now lives in Minneapolis.
Frank Leo Fox, a Duluthian killed in action in France, was the
son of Michael Fox, of 213 North Fifty-Third Avenue, Duluth.
Frank enlisted in Duluth April 26, 1918, and soon went overseas.
Mozart Fredland was known to very many business men of
Duluth. He was a barber in the Wolvin Building, Duluth, for some
time before returning to his former home, Madison, Wisconsin, in
May, 1918, to take military service. He was sent to Camp Grant,
Illinois, and there died of influenza on October 10, 1918.
Leland Chester Giddings, who was killed in an aeroplane acci-
dent at Scott Field, Belleville, Illinois, on July 11, 1918, was a native
of Duluth, born in that city on January 27, 1896, son of Mr. and
Mrs. C. H. Giddings, of 19 East Victoria Street, Duluth. He was
one of the early volunteers, enlisting in the aviation branch of the
U. S. Army on May 3, 1917.
Walter Glockner, of Grand Forks, went with a Duluth quota to
Camp Dodge, and eventually reached France. He was killed in
action on August 2, 1918.
Cornelius Bertram and Frederick Norbert Goodspeed, brothers,
were the sons of Alvin and Rose M. Goodspeed, of Kinney. Both
boys were born in Virginia, Minn., Cornelius on February 15, 1898,
and Frederick on November 10, 1899; and both were educated in the
local schools. Cornelius was a brakeman at Kinney before entering
the army, and Frederick was a locomotive fireman for the Swallow
and Hopkins Mining Company, at the same place. The elder
brother was called to military service in April, 1918. and sent to
Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa, to join a Regular Army infantry
regiment. He became a meml)er of Company C, Twentieth Infantry,
Tenth Division, and was stationed at Fort Douglas. Utah, for a
period, and later at Fort Riley, Kansas. He was appointed corporal
on September 1, 1918, and probably considered himself unfortunate
Vol. II— 9
638 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
in having to pass the whole of his service at a home station. He
contracted scarlet fever at Fort Riley early in 1919, and died there
on February 2d. His younger brother, Frederick Norbert, enlisted
on May 6, 1917, at Virginia, as a private, and left without delay for
Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, where he was assigned to the Head-
quarters Company of the Sixteenth Regiment, First Division. He
was only at Fort Bliss for one month, leaving in June, 1917, for
Port of Embarkation, He sailed from Hoboken on the "Havana,"
on June 14, 1917, and arrived safely at St. Nazaire, France, on June
25th, being thus with one of the first American units to set foot in
France. The regiment remained in the Gondrescourt Area until
October 20, 1917, and was in action on October 21, 1917, in the sector
north of- Canal de Parroy. Later, the regiment was in action at
Cantigny, Soissons, St. Mihiel, and Argonne. For gallantry in action,
young Goodspeed was cited on one occasion by his brigade com-
mander, Brigadier-General Parker. Finally, the brave boy was killed
in action, in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, on October 4, 1918.
Henry Patrick Gowan was an enterprising business man of
Duluth, member of the firm of Gowan-Lenning-Brown Company,
wholesale grocers of Duluth. His sister, Mrs. Mary Dacey, lives at
1621 East Fourth Street, Duluth.
John Graden, nephew of Charles Sandgren, 2901 West Third
Street, Duluth, was thirty-two years old when he enlisted. In prior
civil life he was an employee of the Duluth, Missabe and Northern
Railway Co., Bridge and Building Department, at Duluth Docks.
He went overseas, and died of pneumonia in France on October 9,
1918.
Charles H. Gordon, who lived at Proctor, was the son of Mrs.
Katherine T. Graves, 534 West Second Street, Duluth.
Elmer L. Grift'en, who was inducted at Duluth, was formerly
a resident of Solon Springs. He reported for military duty at Duluth
on July 25, 1918, being enlisted as private of infantry, and sent to
Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina. There he was assigned to Head-
quarters Company, Three Hundred and Twenty-third Infantry, and
with that regiment eventually crossed the seas. He died of pneu-
monia, in France, on October 8, 1918. His sister, Mrs. Bessie Mosher,
now lives at 313 Morgan Park Street, Duluth.
Herman Gulbranson, who was wounded in action on the Vesle
River front, August 1, 1918, and died a week later in hospital, was
a native of St. Louis County, born at Hermanstown, February 2,
1896, son of Peter and Hilma Gulbranson. Before entering the service
he was in the employ of the Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway
Company at Proctor. He enlisted on September 22, 1917, at Duluth,
and left for Camp Dodge, Iowa, where he was assigned to Company B,
Three Hundred and Fifty-Second Infantry. About a month later he
was transferred to Camp Cody, New Mexico, and there remained
until June 16, 1918. when his unit was ordered to Port of Embarka-
tion. The regiment was at Camp Merritt, New Jersey, for a week,
and sailed on June 28th, at a time when the call for man-power
was most urgent, and the outlook darkest. Soon after reaching
France, the regiment moved to a front area.
Alfred Israel Gustafson, who lived at Chisholm for some time
before enlisting, was born in Eveleth, son of Fred Gustafson, now
of Cook, St. Louis County. Date of birth, May 29, 1896. He entered
the service on May 25, 1918, as private of infantry, and was assigned
to Company I, of One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Infantry, Fifth
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 639
Army Corps. He was killed in action in France on October 21, 1918.
Charles R. Gustafson, of Duluth, elected to give service in one
of the most dangerous branches of the army, the Air Service. He
was early in France, and as a lieutenant of the Twenty-Fifth Aero
Squad, Fourth Pursuit Corps, was on the French front during the
e!arly days of the German drive of 1918. He was killed in action on
April 9, 1918.
John Gustafson was a farmer at Angora prior to enlisting.
Robert H. Gustafson was of Duluth ; his step-mother, Mrs. Mary
Johnson, lives at 430 West Fifth Avenue.
William August Gustafson is on the Hibbing roll, his mother,
Ida Gustafson, still living there.
Edward Cornelius Hagar, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Hagar, of 814
Third Avenue, east, Duluth, was killed at sea on September 29, 1918.
He had enlisted in the United States Navy, and was one of the
ship's company of the U. S. transport "Ohioan." Death came from
fracturing of skull and other injuries sustained by mishap encountered
in launching a lifeboat.
Earl F. Haire is on the Honor Roll, but no biographical or service
records are available from which his life and army service might be
reviewed.
Theodore George Hall, son of George Hall, of 3124 Chestnut
Street, Duluth, served in the army for twenty-two months and was
in action in most of the major offensives and defensives from Chateau
Thierry to the end. He was born on February 19, 1900, at Erie,
North Dakota, son of George and Ida Ayers Hall. He was at heart
a soldier and took keen interest in the functioning of the Minnesota
National Guard. He was a member of Company C, Minnesota Na-
tional Guard, and with that unit served on the Mexican border in
1916. Not many months after he had returned from the border, he
enlisted for World War service. On July 15, 1917, he Avas assigned
to Company C, Third Minnesota Infantry, which federalized became
part of the Thirty-Fourth Division. From August, 1917, to June,
1918, the regiment was at Camp Cody, New Mexico. In June, 1918,
young Hall'was transferred, at Camp Cody, to the June Automatic
Replacement Draft, and later to the Third Trench Mortar Battery,
Third Artillery Brigade, Third Division, A. E. F. He sailed for
France in the "Justicia," in the latter part of June, 1918, and upon
arrival went almost immediately to the front. He saw fighting in
most of the major ofifcnsives from Chateau Thierry to the end. being
present at Chateau Thierry, Verdun, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne.
After the Armistice, his division became part of the Army of Occupa-
tion, and marched to the Rhine. He was stationed at Mayen, Ger-
many, until he died. Death came, after only one day of illness, on
the last day of 1918, the sickness being diagnosed as lobar-pneumonia.
Eventually, the body was disinterred, and brought back to this coun-
try, and to Duluth. Funeral services were held at Grace IMethodist
Episcopal Church, Duluth. on October 19, 1920, on which day his
remains were laid finally in Oneota Cemetery with military honors,
the ceremony being conducted under the auspicco of the local post
of the American Legion.
Carl Hansen, who was killed in action at the Mouse River,
France, on October 31, 1918, was a well-known West Duluth musi-
cian. He was born on February 8, 1889. in Skrup, Sweden, where
his mother still lives, although he had other relatives in Minnesota,
a sister, Mrs. O. O. Woods, living at Hopper, Minn. Carl was
640 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
called into military service on April 26, 1918, and assigned to an
infantry regiment, crossing the sea without much delay, being killed
in action within six months of enlistment, almost.
Herbert Constantius Hansen, son of Thor and Atlanta Hansen,
of Duluth, was born May 23, 1898, at Kennsett, North County, Iowa.
He was a machinist by trade, and before entering the navy was em-
ployed at his trade at the Clyde Iron Works, Duluth. He was called
to active duty on August 10, 1918, at Duluth, and was sent for train-
ing to the Great Lakes Naval Station. There he died of pneumonia
on September 24, 1918.
Peter Hansen's endeavor to be of some use to his country in
the time of need is obvious in his bare record. He was a cripple even
before enlisting, a hunting accident injuring his spine. He was in
a wheel chair when enlisted in September, 1917. He was a skillful
radio operator, and asked to be assigned to such work at a home
station, so as to relieve one physically fat man for everseas work. He
served for more than a year, dying eventually of pneumonia, in
October, 1918, at the Marine Hospital, Chicago. He was born on
March 9, 1897, at Biwabik, the son of Peter and Jennie Hansen, now
of Chisholm.
Bernard C. Hanford was a member of Company B, Fifteenth
Machine Gun Battalion.
Thomas Hammer, who lived in Duluth for some time prior to
enlistment, was killed in action in the Argonne offensive on October
7, 1918.
Jack Hanford, a lieutenant who died in a French hospital on
August 8, 1918, of wounds received nine days earlier, was a native
of Duluth, born in the city in 1897. His father, Harry C. Hanford,
now lives at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but for many years lived in Duluth,
being at one time agent for a coal company of that place. He lived
on Third Avenue, near Eleventh Avenue, east. Therefore Lieutenant
Jack Hanford may rightly be placed on the Duluth Honor Roll.
About Thor Harris, who made the supreme sacrifice, there is no
information available.
Arthur James Hayes, a native Duluthian, who died of pneu-
monia in a home camp within a few months of enlistment, was a
young writer of promise. He was born in Duluth on October 1,
1894, the son of James J. and Margaret A. Hayes, now of Chisholm,
and was given a good education, becoming eventually a college
graduate. He took to literary pursuits, and gave indications of
marked adaptability to that profession. He reported for military
duty at Duluth in February, 1918, and was assigned to the Thirty-
Sixth Engineers at Camp Grant, Illinois. There, on April 16th fol-
lowing, he died.
Edward Hedenburg, of Duluth, was one of four sons of A. Heden-
berg, of 4525 Peabody Street, Duluth, to give service. He enlisted
in October, or November, 1917, in the Ordnance Department, U. S.
Army, and saw service in France with the Supply Division of Ord-
nance. Returning to this country, he was detained in a New York
hospital, where he died in June, or July of 1919, of pneumonia.
Earl B. Herbert, who lived at 217 Second Avenue, west, Duluth,
before enlisting, seems to have had no other relatives in St. Louis
County. His mother lives at Menominee, Michigan.
George Heber is claimed by Hibbing, his mother, Margaret
Heber, living there.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 641
Michael Hesdal was of Duluth, although his parents still live
in Norway. His father is Mons Hesdal, of Lillebergen, Bergen,
Norway.
John E. Higgins, also of Duluth, died in October, 1918. He
was a private in Casual Company No. 397. Beneficiaries of his estate
are Helen and Delia Bridget Higgins.
Arvid I. Hill, who died while crossing the sea to the War Zone,
was a Virginia boy, born in that city on February 24, 1896. His
father, Isaac Hill, lives in Embarrass, St. Louis County. Young Hill
was called to duty on June 24, 1918, and assigned to Ambulance
Company No. 341, Three Hundred and Eleventh Sanitary Train,
Eighty-Sixth Division. He had the grade of wagoner, and died
during the voyage to Europe. His body was buried at Liverpool,
England, on October 4, 1918.
Joseph Horovitz was a Duluth boy, son of Mrs. Lottie Horovitz,
of 320 East First Street. He died of influenza in France.
Axel M. Howalt, son of Louis Howalt, of Park Point, Duluth,
was a sergeant of Battery B, One Hundred and Fifty-first Field
Artillery, Rainbow Division. He was twice in hospital, being gassed
on May 27, 1918, and severely wounded in the July fighting. He
died in hospital in July-August, 1918.
Joseph Hurovitch, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hurovitch, of 320 East
First Street, Duluth, was employed in the linen department of
George A. Gray and Co.'s Duluth store before entering the army.
He became a corporal, and acting sergeant of Headquarters Com-
pany, Three Hundred and Forty-Eighth Infantry, A. E. F. He died
of bronco-pneumonia, in France, on October 25, 1918.
Frank Fred Indihar was of the prominent Gilbert family of that
name. He was born at Biwabik, September 12, 1896, and passed most
of his life in Biwabik and Gilbert. He was the son of Frank and
Meri Indihar, and latterly was a clerk in his father's store at Gilbert.
He enlisted in August, 1917, being assigned to an infantry regiment,
which eventually was sent to France. He was killed by shrapnel
on September 26, 1918, in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. His brother
is village clerk of Gilbert.
Fred Jackson, of Tower, was a son of William R. Jackson, of
that place.
John Alfred Jacobson, of Virginia, was born at Messabe, St.
Louis County, son of August Jacobson, now of Virginia. He was
in an infantry regiment, and was killed in action in France, being
mortally wounded by bayonet.
Edward Jarvi was of Duluth residence ; his brother, Nerst Jarvi,
now lives in Hibbing.
Alfred Johnson, who was. born on June 16, 1891, was the son
of Christ Johnson, of Duluth. Alfred died of wounds in a base
hospital in France.
Arnold Walter Johnson, whose name is on the Duluth list, was
a son of Mrs. Nellie Johnson, Virginia.
Axel W. Johnson lived at 1331 West First Street, Duluth. prior
to enlistment. His nearest relative is given as Miss Jennie Helbert,
an aunt, of Kansas City, Missouri.
Carl W. Johnson, who went from Duluth, was the son of Charles
E. Johnson, 2085 Sixty-Seventh Avenue, West, Duluth.
Cecil A. Johnson lived at Proctor. His widow, Effie, now lives
at Bayfield, Wisconsin.
642 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Conrad Gilbert Johnson was a native of Duluth, and a promis-
ing student at the University of Minnesota when war came. He was
born in Duluth on November 25, 1896, the son of Otto and Christina
Johnson, now of 2615 West Third Street, Duluth. He attended
local schools, and eventually entered the University of Minnesota.
On April 17, 1917, he enlisted at Minneapolis, as a candidate-officer,
and was sent to the First Officers' Training School at Fort Snelling,
Minnesota. Successfully passing examinations at the close of the
course of training, he was accepted into the Air Service of the United
States Army, which meant that he was as nearly physically perfect
as was possible, the physical test of the aviation branch of the U. S.
forces being the most rigid. He was assigned to the Princeton
School of Aeronautics in July, 1917, and remained there until Sep-
tember. On September 25, 1917, he embarked, as a cadet, on the
liner "Saxonia," at New York, safely reaching England, where for
long he was in training. Crossing to France eventually, he went into
action, and saw dangerous exciting service at the front. He was
killed in action on October 23, 1918, during the last six months of
service holding the rank of first lieutenant.
Frank F. Johnson, of Duluth, was called into service on June 28,
1918, and assigned to an infantry unit at Camp Grant where he did
not remain for more than a month. On November 5, 1918, he died
of wounds received in action in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. His
mother is Mrs. Bertha Johnson, of 21 South Sixty-Sixth Avenue, West,
Duluth.
Fritz Johnson, of Duluth, was a nephew^ of Thor Hanson, 2415
West Sixth Street, Duluth.
Harry E. Johnson was the son of John A. Johnson, of 125 North
Sixty-First Avenue, West, Duluth.
Johan A. Johnson, who lived in Chisholm before going into
military service, appears to have no relatives in St. Louis County.
His sister, Esther, lives in Pittsburg.
John Johnson, whose mother now lives in Eveleth, was born on
July 11, 1896, at Wasa, Finland, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew John-
son. He was enlisted into the infantry branch of the National Army
in July, 1918, and was ordered to Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico.
There he was assigned to Casual Company No. 4, of the Three Hun-
dred and Eighty-Eighth Infantry. He died of pneumonia in that
camp on November 6, 1918.
Leonard Johnson, of Duluth, w^as a nephew of Mrs. Sardra A\'illis,
104 South Forty-Eighth Avenue, West, Duluth.
Robert M. Johnson, of Duluth, lived at 2112 West Third Street
before enlistment.
Anthony Kaelis lived at 1022 West Superior Street.
John E. Kalahar lived in Hibbing, his widow, Viola C, still
living there.
David Kaplan had lived in Duluth for about ten years before
entering upon military duties, but he was born in Russia. Fie was
killed in action in France on October 4, 1918.
Dan D. Katoski, who before entering upon military duty was a
teamster in the employ of J. H. Clough, contractor of Duluth, was
born in August, 1890, at Ragrot, Poland. He was enlisted, as private
in infantry of the Regular Army, on July 24, 1918, at Duluth, and
sent to Camp Wadsworth, Spartansburg, South Carolina, where on
July 28th he was assigned to Company K. Fifty-Fifth Pioneer In-
fantry. His regiment left Camp Wadsworth, for Port of Embarka-
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 643
tion in August, and in September arrived at Brest, France. Katoski
was transferred to Company D, One Hundred and Sixth Infantry,
and saw five weeks of active fighting. As the result of his service,
he was paralyzed, and rendered helpless in January, 1919. On March
3, 1919, he arrived in New York, and was sent to United States Army
General Hospital No. 29, Fort Snelling, Minnesota, from which he
was discharged on July 30, 1919. He died on October 29, 1920, at
the home of his uncle, Charles Wisocki, 512 North Fifth Street,
Duluth.
Paul R. Keehn, who lived in Duluth before entering upon army
duties, was the son of Mrs. Lena Keehn, of Mount Clemens, Michigan.
Ambrose Manley Kelley was in business in Duluth before being
called to service, being grain clerk for the Kellogg Commissiot^ Com-
pany of Duluth. He enlisted at Duluth in the early months of the
war, on May 25, 1917, joining the Machine Gun Battalion of the
Third Minnesota Regiment. Was at Camp Cody, Deming, New
Mexico, from August, 1917, until September, 1918, when he left for
Port of Embarkation, reaching France in October. He was sta-
tioned at La Bozage, Sarthe, France, for some time, and later was
at Le Mans, France, where, on February 28. 1919, he died of bronco-
pneumonia. He was born at Taylor Falls, Minnesota, January 3,
1892, son of J. D. and Mary (Manley) Kelley. His widow. Olivette
Kelley lives in Duluth.
Fred Michael Kenney, whose aunt is Mrs. Frank Lesler of
Duluth, was born on December 8, 1889, at Detroit, Michigan. By
trade he was a granite cutter, and before enlistment was working at
his trade in Chicago. It was in Chicago that he was influenced in
November, 1916, to enlist, going to Canada for the purpose. He
became a member of the Fourth Canadian Reserve Battalion, Cana-
dian Expeditionary Forces, and after this nation joined the Allies,
he was assigned to recruiting duties at the British Recruiting Mis-
sion's Chicago headquarters. Later, he returned to Toronto, and
there embarked for England. He was in training at Witley, Surrey,
for a short while in 1917, but was in the front-line trenches in France,
and in action, in that year, meeting death there on August 9, 1917.
Marshall Louvain Knapp, a native Duluthian. popular in West
Duluth and an accomplished violinist, died of influenza at Camp
Humphries, on September 28, 1918, six months after enlistment. He
was born in Duluth on March 9, 1897, son of Jerome M. and Susie H.
Knapp, his mother now living at 17 North Sixty-Second Avenue,
West Duluth. His education was obtained at local schools, he even-
tually graduating from the Denfield High School. Entering business
life, he became a clerk in the offices of the Duluth, Missabe and
Northern Railway Company, at Duluth, and was an estimable young
man of steady refined character. Entering upon military service in
March, 1918, he was asigned to duty with Ctjmpan}- H, Second Engi-
neering Training Regiment, at Camp Humphries, \'irginia. There
he died.
Teddv Kovecavich, who was killed in action in l-'rance in October,
1918, lived in Chisholm, where his brother, Xick, also lives. Teddy
was born at Tisovic, Kalji, Croatia, Jugo-Slavia, on I'ebruary 16. 1893.
He enlisted in the infantry in May, 1917.
Henry S. Knowlton, who has a place on the nuhilli Honor Roll,
was in war service long before the United States joined the Allies.
He enlisted at Winnipeg, Canada, in Company A, Twenty-Seventh
Battalion, Canadian Army, and saw much service at the Front before
644 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
he was killed, on May 3, 1917, at Fresney, France. He was born at
Superior, Wisconsin, February 1, 1891, the son of Edwin S. and
Matilda Knowlton, now of Duluth.
Adam Kucharski, a native Duluthian, was not yet twenty years
old when he enlisted at Duluth, in the early months of the war, in the
Third Minnesota National Guard. He was assigned to Company C,
at Camp Cod3% New Mexico, and left with the regiment for France.
He was killed in action on September 5, 1918. His father, Anton
Kucharski lives at 316 East Ninth Street, Duluth.
William Henry Lahti was a native of St. Louis County. He
was born April 2, 1895, at Soudan, the son of Alexander Lahti, now
of Cook, St. Louis County. He reported for military duty in May,
1918, and was assigned to an infantry unit. He served in Fran-ce
during the time of greatest stress, and succumbed to influenza on
October 6, 1918.
Svante Lampi, who was killed in action in the Meuse-Argonne
offensive, was well known in Gilbert, where before entering military
service he was a city official. He was of Finnish origin, born in
Karvia, Finland, August 22, 1886, son of Alexander Lampi. He en-
tered the U. S. Army on May 24, 1918, at Eveleth. From there he
was sent to Camp Lewis, Washington, and there assigned to the
Thirty-Fourth Company, One Hundred and Sixty-Sixth Depot Bri-
gade, Fortieth Division. Six weeks later he was transferred to Camp
Kearney, California, but within a month was on the way to France,
embarking at Boston on the troopship "Berrima" on August 8, 1918,
with Company I, One Hundred and Fiftieth Infantry, Fortieth Divi-
sion. On September 25th he was transferred to Company D, One
Hundred and Ninth Infantry, Fortieth Division, and was with that
unit when he met his death, in action, on October 7, 1918.
Albert P. LaTendress was a Duluthian, and before reporting for
military duty lived at 3 West Fifth Street, Duluth.
Lloyd Ernest Le Due, also a well-known Duluthian, was the son
of A. C. LeDuc, of 10 North Twelfth Avenue, east. Lloyd was in
the United States Navy.
Fred LePage was known to a large circle in West Duluth, where
he lived before enlistment. He left Duluth early in 1918, and was
at the Front during about three months of hard fighting. He was
killed in action in France on October 8, 1918. A sister, Mrs. J.
LeSarge, lives at 2405 West Sixth Street, Duluth.
Martin Larson lived at 4405 Pitt Street, Duluth, before he en-
listed.
August Felix Leppi, son of Andrew Leppi, of Floodwood, was
born at Ely, St. Louis County, on December 4, 1895. He entered the
army in September, 1917, and for eight months was in training at
Camp Pike, Arkansas. He became tubercular, and died of consump-
tion at Floodwood on July 18, 1919.
Rudolph M. Lindquist, of Duluth, was 29 years old when he
reported for military duty on July 25, 1918. He was sent to Camp
Wadsworth, Spartansburg, S. C, and there assigned to the Fifty-Sixth
Pioneer Infantry, then being equipped for overseas duty. The unit
left for France soon afterwards, and was hard pressed in the cam-
paigning of that time. Lindquist developed pneumonia, and died in
France on September 30, 1918. His widow, Jennie R. Lindquist, lives
at 613 East Tenth Street, Duluth.
Frank A. Littlefield, who joined the Canadian Army and was
killed at Hennencourt, Belgium, September 28, 1918, was in the
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 645
employ of H. C. Royce, Cramer, Minn., before enlistment. Little-
field was a native of Lowell, Massachusetts, where he was born on
April 17, 1895, but for some years had been in Minnesota. He left
Duluth in December, 1917, for duty with the Forestry Division of
the Canadian Army, and was assigned to the Eighth Battalion. He did
not go overseas until early in September, 1918, on the 28th of which
month he was killed, being at that time a member of the Fifty-
Second Battalion. His mother is Mrs. Emma Royce, 613 East
Tenth Street, Duluth.
Allen Lloyd, who was killed in action in France on October 16,
1918, is given place among the Gold Stars of Chisholm, where he
lived for some time before entering upon military duties. He was
born on December 12, 1890, at Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, where his
mother, who now is Mrs. James W. Winkler, lives. Lloyd en-
listed in September, 1917, and became a member of the Three Hun-
dred and Seventh Engineers.
Victor Loisom was of Eveleth, but more regarding his civil and
military record is not available. A brother, Mike, lives at Republic,
Washington,
Beio Luiso was also of Eveleth.
Vito Luiso, an Eveleth boy, was killed in action in France.
Frank Lozar, of Ely, was a good loyal American soldier, notwith-
standing that he was born in Austria. He died gallantly fighting for
his adopted country. He was born on October 22, 1895, at Ritnica,
Austria. He lived with his mother in Ely for many years before
taking military duty, and was in good business as a storekeeper. He
reported for military duty at Ely on September 21, 1917. and was
sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa, where he was assigned to Campany A,
Three Hundred and Fifty-second Infantry, Second Division. Later,
he was transferred to Camp Pike, Arkansas, but eventually cross'ed
the sea, and saw much service at the Front. He was killed in action
in France on September 13, 1918, and buried at the St. Mihiel Ameri-
can Cemetery 1233, grave 66, section 16. plot 2, Thiacourt, Meurthe-
et-Moselle.
Earl Bertram Lozway, of West Duluth, who died in service, was
born November 26, 1897, at Sylvan Lake. Crow Wing County, Minne-
sota. His mother, Mary A. Lozway, lives at 124 South Twenty-
Eighth Avenue, West Duluth, and he was well known in that part
of the city. He enlisted in the United States Navy in the first month
of war, and died at Philadelphia, where he was stationed, on Julv 4,
1918.
Fred Luhm, of Duluth, son of W. H. Luhm, of 4229 Gladstone
Street, Duluth, was early in national service, enlisting at Duluth in
the Ambulance Corps. He was assigned to the Forty-Eighth Ambu-
lance Section, and was killed by a shell while at his duties on the
Western front in 1918.
Louis McCahill. who was killed in action on November 7, 1^18,
is listed with the Duluth men. He was born in 1896, son of James
McCahill, and the family lived in Duliith until the death of the
father in 1909, when the family removed to Lake City, Minnesota,
where Mrs. McCahill still lives.
Arthur W. McCaulcy was a brave Duluth boy. He was only
seventeen years old when, in 1915, he left his home and went to
Winnipeg, to enlist in the Canadian Army. His family never saw
him again. He was born on July 10, 1898, the son of E. j. McCauley.
who now lives at 13 East Superior Street, and as a boy attended
646 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Jackson School, Duluth. He saw three years of terribly hard service
in France, and passed through the severe fighting of 1916 and 1917
without as much as a scratch. Early in 1918, however, he was
wounded, and when partially convalescent was sent on recruiting
duty to Scotland. That assignment accomplished, however, he was
again ordered to France, and was again wounded. That was on
July 22, 1918, but the wound was not a serious one and he was
soon back in the trenches, only, however, to meet instant death in
action on August 8, 1918. He surely served the cause of Liberty to
the full.
Edward J. McDermott, eighteen-year-old son of James McDer-
mott, of 2325 West Ninth Street, Duluth, enlisted in the Marine
Corps, on April 15, 1918, and died in France on August 10th of that
year. Before leaving home he was in the employ of the Duluth
Paper and Stationery Company.
Clarence McDonald is listed among those Virginia boys who
did not return. His widow, Mrs. Jennie McDonald, now lives in
Duluth. McDonald was killed in action in France.
Kenneth Mclnnis, who had lived in Duluth for some years and
was in the employ of the Duluth Marine Supply Company, was of
Scottish birth, and in October, 1917, enlisted in the Canadian Army.
He crossed the sea in the spring of 1918, and in September, or
October, following, was killed in action in France.
Luther McKey was of Duluth, his military papers show.
Frederick Thomas McLain, son of W. D. McLain, of Kenwood
Park, Duluth, enlisted in the United States Navy and was assigned
to the U. S. S. "Alabama." He died of spinal meningitis in 1918.
Douglas McLean was the son of George McLean, of 915 East
Fifth Street, Duluth.
Robert McLennan, who died in France in 1918, of wounds re-
ceived in action, was formerly of Duluth residence, living with his
aunt, Mrs. M. C. Littleworth, at 409 Mesaba Avenue. He was as-
signed to the Chemical Service, and was a member of the First Gas
Regiment, American Expeditionary Forces.
Garrick McPhail, of Duluth. was in the Air Service. His mother
is Mrs Margaret McPhail, of 821 West Fourth Street.
Kenneth D. MacLeod, of Duluth, was born July 5, 1898, at Rice
Lake, Wisconsin, where his mother, Mrs. George MacLeod still lives.
Early in 1917 Kenneth enlisted in the Machine Gun Section of the
Third Wisconsin National Guard. He was killed in action in France
in October, 1918. .
Lloyd O. Magee, city editor of the Eveleth "News" and a
popular young man of that city was killed in action in the Argonne
Forest, France, on October 1, 1918. He was born on February 11,
1894, in Wisconsin. He reported for military duty on February 28.
1918, and was assigned to an infantry regiment, which soon went
overseas. His father, H. M. Magee, lives at Little Falls. Minn.
Anton Maleski left Duluth with the first draft for Camp Dodge.
Iowa, in September, 1917. He was assigned to Company E, Fifty-
Eighth Infantry, Fourth Division, and was later transferred to Camp
Greene. He embarked in May, and safely arrived at London, Eng-
land, on May 26, 1918, soon afterward crossing the English Channel
to France. He was killed in action at Chateau Thierry on July 18.
1918. His brother, John J. Maleski, lives at 621 Central Avenue,
Duluth.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 647
Garrett Mandeville, who was a cadet in the aviation branch of
the U. S. Navy at the time he met his death, in August, 1918, by
a fall of his seaplane at Pensacola, Florida, enlisted in Minneapolis
where he then Hved, but he was formerly of Duluth. He was born
in Superior, but attended Duluth schools.
Albert Martinson was of Aurora. His sister, Mrs. J. Nassum,
lives in Minneapolis.
Nick C. J. Marion went to Canada in 1917 and enlisted in the
Canadian Army, being assigned to the Forty-Third Battalion. He
was killed in action in France, on August 16, 1918. He was twenty-
nine years old, the son of N. F. Marion, 1 Palmetto Street, Duluth.
Henry Edward Masucci, who was cited for gallantry in action,
was a resident in Eveleth before entering the service. He was born
on February 23, 1895, at Negaunee, Michigan, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Otis Masucci, and his mother now lives in Eveleth. Henry was called
into service on May 26, 1918, at Eveleth, and there enlisted in the
ijifantry, and assigned to the Fortieth Division. He was transferred
in September, 1918, to Company I, 305th Infantry, 77th Division, and
with that regiment was in action at Argonne Forest, where he was
killed by machine-gun fire on October 3d. He distinguished himself
in the fighting and was recommended for a medal by his commander.
Jacob Andreas Kristofer Mattson is another of the Gold Stars
of Virginia. Born April 18, 1884, at Trondhjem. Norway, he had
lived in America for many years before enlisting on June 25, 1918,
in the Medical Department of the United States Army. He died of
disease while on the voyage to France, death occurring on October 11,
1918. His widow still lives in Virginia. Minnesota.
Samuel Nehemiah Maxwell, of Eveleth, was born on February
24, 1897, the family being well known in Eveleth. He was not called
into service until August, 1918, and then assigned to the Motor Trans-
port Corps. He died of influenza at Indianapolis, Indiana, on October
7, 1918.
Oscar A. Melander was a Duluthian by birtJi, and seemed to
have a promising career before him as a dentist. He was born in
Duluth on March 1, 1893, son of August H. and Cecelia Melander,
now of East Fourth Street. He attended Duluth schools, and in
1912 graduated from the Central High School. He proceeded to the
University of Minnesota, and was still an undergraduate when war
came in 1917. He joined the Student Corps of the University of
Minnesota when that was organized and became a sergeant of it.
Very soon after graduating, as a dentist in 1918, he decided to enlist
in the regular army, and did so on June 14, 1918. at St. Paul, Minne-
sota, as a private of the aviation branch. He was assigned to the
Air Service Mechanical School, at St. Paul, and at that establishment
was detailed to the medical section, because of his jirofessional train-
ing. He was soon expecting examination for c^)mniission in the army
when sickness intervened. Stricken with influenza, he was removed
to the army hospital. Overland Building. St. I*anl. and there died
on October 11, 1918. Thus ended long preparations for a useful pro-
fessional life.
Arthur A. Mellin. a Duluth b(.)y who was killed in action within
sixteen days of landing in France, was born in Duluth. ( )ctol)er 11,
1897, the son of Alexander and Ida Mellin. now of 1719 West Xcw
Street. He was interested in soldiering long before the nation became
involved in the Euro])ean struggle, and as a nieinbcr of the Third
Minnesota Infantry, of the National Guard, went to the Mexican
648 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Border, in 1916 when the country was virtually at war with Mexico.
In civil life, he was a typewriter mechanic, and was w4th the Reming-
ton Typewriter Company, Duluth. In June, 1917, he enlisted for
World War service. He belonged to Company C of the Third Min-
nesota Infantry, Thirty-fourth Division and was at Camp Cody, New
Mexico, until June, 1918, then leaving for Camp Merritt, New Jersey,
w^here he remained until July 12th, when he embarked for Europe
with the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Field Artillery, to Com-
pany C of which he had been transferred while still at Camp Cody.
He left Camp Cody as a machine gun casual. Almost immediately
after debarking in France, he was transferred to Company K of the
One Hundred and Sixty-third Infantry, and went into the front-line
trenches in the Argonne within four days of landing. He was killed
in the Argonne Forest early in August, 1918.
William G. Messner. who made the Supreme Sacrifice, was a
son of Jake B. Messner, of Hibbing.
Edward F. Mettner was born in Duluth on September 16, 1890,
son of Edward Mettner, now of 5723 Avondale Street, Duluth. He
died of influenza at Camp Edgew^ood, Maryland, October 10, 1918.
Sigurd Peter Moe, of McKinley, was one of the outstanding
heroes of the early days of American participation in the fighting on
the Western front. He was in the Marine Corps, and was killed in the
memorable engagement at Belleau Wood on June 12. 1918, and
because of his bravery in that engagement, the French Government
honored his memory by awarding him the Croix de Guerre. The
report shows that Sigurd Moe and another marine, Willis Shoemaker,
left a shelter trench during heavy bombardment to rescue a wounded
comrade. Moe was killed in the attempt.
Walter Monett, of Duluth, was nineteen years old when he met
his death of wounds in France in October, 1918. He was born in
Duluth and enlisted at Duluth on July 26, 1917. He was sent to
Fort Snelling, Minnesota, and assigned to Company H. First Minne-
sota Infantry, later going to Camp Cody, New Mexico and overseas
in June. 1918, with the Twelfth Casual Company. He died of wounds
on October 6, 1918. His father is Amos Monett, of 280 Third Ave-
nue, East, Duluth.
Harvey H. Morey was of Eveleth ; a sister. Mrs. William Hein,
lives at Tonesboro, Arkansas. Morey was killed in action in France,
August 1, 1918.
William H. Morrison, who was killed in action in France in Sep-
tember or October, 1918, was a Duluthian. His sister. Miss Agatha
M., lives at 1815 West Superior Street.
Michael J. Murphy, whose home was in Sioux City, Iowa, will
be remembered by Duluth people. He was a sergeant of Marines,
and was in charge of recruiting for the United States Marine Corps
in Duluth ; also, he w'as captain of the Duluth Marine Scouts. After
leaving Duluth, he was stationed for a time at Quantico, Virginia,
but soon assigned to service abroad. He was killed in action in
France in August, 1918.
John J. Mustar, of Gilbert, succumbed to pneumonia, following
influenza, at Camp Eustis, Virginia, on October 13, 1918. He had
been in service for ten months, having enlisted at Gilbert on Decem-
ber 16, 1917, in Battery C, Forty-ninth Regiment. He was born in
Biwabik, April 11, 1896, but lived for many years in Gilbert latterly,
being in the employ of the Gilbert Hardware Company for some time
before enlistment. His mother, Maria Mustar, still lives in Gilbert.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 649
Arthur Nelson was of Prosit, Minnesota.
Charles G. Nelson was the son of Gust Nelson of Soudan.
Edward G. Nelson of Duluth died June. 1919. His sister is Mrs.
Edward Peterson, 917 East Tenth Street, Duluth.
Max Neubauer, son of Florien Newbauer, of Ninety-second
Avenue, West, and Grand, Duluth, departed from Duluth with the
first detachment drafted in September, 1917. He went overseas and
died of wounds in France in July, 1918, at first being reported: "Miss-
ing in action."
Carl Oscar Niemi belonged to a well-known and respected
Eveleth family. He was born on July 28, 1894, at Tower, St. Louis
County, son of Oscar Niemi. Carl attended the first Officers' Train-
ing Camp, at Fort Snelling, in June, 1917, and after a two months'
course was commissioned second lieutenant, and assigned to the Air
Service. He soon went overseas, and as an aviator did valuable and
dangerous work along the Western front during the severe fighting
in 1918. He also was for a time on the Italian front. When the
Armistice came, he was on the French front, and soon afterwards
was under orders to return home. The orders were rescinded and
he continued to do reconnaissance work with his organization and
met his death as the result of a mid-air collision of aeroplanes. He
was buried in an American cemetery in France with the honors cus-
tomarily tendered an aviator.
Gilbert Winsford Nordman, who was killed in action at Cote
de Chatillon, France, October 16, 1918, had lived in Duluth for many
years with his parents, Julius and Jennie Nordman of 221 East Fifth
Street. Gilbert was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on November 17,
1894, and by trade was an auto mechanic. He was employed by the
Central Auto Company, Duluth, before enlistment, which took place
on September 5, 1917, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was sent to
Camp Custer, Michigan, and there assigned to the Thirty-second
Company, One Hundred and Sixtieth Depot Brigade, Eighth Bat-
talion. He arrived at St. Nazaire, France, on March 6, 1918, and \<as
in action at Badonvillers four days later. He saw considerable fight-
ing during the following six months in Champagne, at St. Mihiefl.
Aisne, Meuse, Argonne.
James Novak, of Virginia, was a Bohemian by birth, hut evi-
dently seriously afifected by the state of war in Europe. He went to
Canada and enlisted in the Canadian army long before the United
States became involved in the war. He. however, appears to have
been transferred to the United States army in May. 1918. at his
request. During that summer, he was at Fort Brady. Michigan, and
during the epidemic of Spanish Influenza he contracted the disease
and died on October 16, 1918, at that fort. His father is Frank
Novak, of Greaney.
Erick Ofsted w&s of Duluth. He enlisted at Duluth. in .•\pril.
1918, and eventually became a member of Company F, of the Throe
Hundred and Eighty-fifth Infantry, with which unit he sailed for
France in July. 191/8. He was reported. "Missing in action."
Axel William Olson was a Duluthian. his mother being Mrs.
Alice Olson of East First Street.
Chester Norman Olson lived at Cresson before enlistment. His
nearest relative in America seems to have been Mrs. H. C. Hess, of
Phelps, Wisconsin
Ernest R. Ols )n was a Duluthian. his widow. Mabel Olson, liv-
ing at 216 South Sixtv-third Avenue, west. Duluth.
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DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 651
John R. Olson, a Norwegian by birth, followed the trade of
painter in Duluth before entering the service in May, 1918. He lived
at 2422 West Seventh Street, Dukith, before reporting for duty. His
military record covers four months of service at Camp Dodge, Iowa,
where on October 15, 1918, he died of pneumonia. His body was
returned to Duluth and buried with military honors. He had no
relatives in America, but his mother, in Norway, survives him.
Fred Ostrom, of Eveleth, was gassed at the front, and later died
of influenza. His remains now lie at Negaunee, Michigan Cemetery.
John Leo Ossowski was the son of John Ossowski, of 2830 North
Hudson Avenue, Duluth.
David Livingston Page, of Duluth, enlisted early in 1917 in the
Third Minnesota Infantrv, Thirty-fourth Division. Later, he was
transferred to the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Field Artillery, of
the same division. He died while on the voyage overseas, and was
buried in England. His mother is Mrs. Mary Page, of 1001 Twelfth
Avenue, West, Duluth.
Albin F. Palmer, of Duluth, was the son of C. A. Palmer, of
Chisago City, ]Minnesota. Albin was called to military duty on
May 25, 1918, and went overseas with the Seventy-seventh Division.
He was killed in action on the French front on October 4, 1918.
When in Duluth he lived at 2316 West Second Street.
Mervin Palmer was a brother of Albin.
John Paul Parker, who was well-known in Gilbert, was born in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 20, 1888. He enlisted almost as
soon as this country entered into the struggle in April, 1917, and
was with one of the units early in France. He was killed in action
at the Aisne River, France, July 20, 1918, and was buried in the
American Area Cemetery, Row C, Grave 76, Commune Lecharmiel,
Aisne territory.
Otto Pazari, of Eveleth, was killed in action in France.
John Perone lived at 1408 Gary Street, West, Duluth, before
entering upon military duties.
xA.ndrew Peterson, of Cotton, Minnesota, was the son of Peter
Peterson, of same town. He was born in Norway, January 24, 1890.
He enlisted on September 20, 1917, and was assigned to Company E,
of the Fifty-eighth Infantry, which was sent to France in time to
take part in the supreme effort made by the Allies after the July,
1918, drive of the Germans had spent itself. Andrew took part in
the counter-offensive, but was killed on the second or third day of
the great French counter-offensive which was destined to bring to the
Allies a triumphant issue. Andrew Peterson is recorded as having
been killed on July 18th.
Atry Peterson, of Eveleth, died of pneumonia on September 25,
1918. His remains were brought to Virginia, Minnesota, for inter-
ment.
August Peterson was the son of Nels G. Peterson, of Biwabik,
and was born on May 23, 1892, at St. Ignace, Michigan. On July 27,
1917, he enlisted in the artillery and was assigned to Battery B, One
Hundred and Twenty-fifth Heavy Field Artillery, Thirty-fourth Divi-
sion. He went overseas and died of influenza at Liverpool, England,
on October 15, 1918.
Axel Rudolph Peterson was a native-born Duluthian, son of
Oscar R. Peterson, of 912 North Fifty-seventh Avenue, West. He
was educated chiefly in Duluth schools, and was a steady boy, of
exemplary h'il)its, never having smoked. He was also a teetotaler,
652 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
and was earnest in his endeavor to succeed in life. He received
license as assistant druggist at the age of twenty, and had it not
been for the national situation early in 1917, would probably soon
have secured the major license. He was twenty-one years old when
he enlisted, in June, 1917, and was assigned to the medical detach-
ment of the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Field Artillery, going
with the regiment to Camp Cody, New Mexico. There he died a
year later, on June 2, 1918, of pneumonia.
Carl William Peterson was the son of August W. Peterson, 5632
West Eighth Street, Duluth.
Ernest O. Peterson, also of Duluth, was brother of Arthur W.
Peterson, 2702 West Third Street, Duluth.
Harold Peterson, brother of Mrs. Carl Olson, 427 Forty-third
Avenue, West, Duluth, lived in Duluth before the war came.
Helmer A. Peterson was born in Duluth, and was well-known.
He was born January 23, 1894, son of John and Hannah Peterson,
and his academic schooling was obtained in Duluth schools. He
became a pharmacist and in that capacity was employed at Beyers
Drug Store, Duluth, for some time before reporting for military
duty on September 21, 1917. He was sent from Duluth to Camp
Dodge, Iowa, and assigned to the Medical Corps, 350th F. A., 313th
Sanitary Train. At Camp Dodge he remained for the winter and
would probably have gone overseas in 1918 had he not succumbed
to disease at Camp Dodge, on April 10, 1918. His mother now lives
at 119 East Third Street, Duluth.
Henning O. Peterson lived at 520 West Superior Street, Duluth,
before entering the army. His brother, Arvid lives in Chicago.
Rudolph Peterson was the son of Oscar R. Peterson, of 912 North
Fifty-seventh Avenue, West, Duluth. Rudolph worked in Duluth
before entering the service.
Elia Peteruka was of Duluth residence prior to the war, but
appears to have no relatives in Minnesota. His brother. Gust Peteruka,
is at Fort Morgan, Colorado.
John Pitich was one of the boys from Buhl.
John H. Pluth was of Ely, where his mother, who is now Mrs.
Anna Matiehick, lives.
Neno Molidro lived at Aurora, his papers state.
George E. Porthan, of Ely, was the son of John E. Porthan, of
that place. Porthan was killed in action in France.
Mott Prelbich was also of Ely ; his father is John Prelbich.
Louis Press lived at Chisholm before leaving for military serv-
ice. His brother, Samuel, lives at Eveleth, at 705 Hayes Street. Louis
was born August 17, 1891, at Trovi, Russia, but had lived in the
United States for many years before the war. He was enlisted in
February, 1918, and went overseas with an infantry regiment. He
was killed in action in France on August 15, 1918.
Clyde E. Prudden, who became a major of the Medical Corps,
United States army and was much respected by the men of the One
Hundred and Twenty-fifth Field Artillery, was a well-known and
successful physician of Duluth before the state of war into which the
nation became in 1917 so radically changed the course of the lives
of so many of its worthiest citizens. Major Prudden was born in
Duluth, and attended local schools. For the medical course he pro-
ceeded to Northwestern University, from which he graduated with
the degree of Doctor of Medicine, with the class of 1909. In 1912
he was an associate of Dr. C. A. Stewart, in practice in Duluth, and
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 653
later with Drs. Bagby, Kohagan and Gillespie. He was for many
years interested in military affairs, and in peace time was a" member
of the old Third Minnesota Infantry. He went with the regiment
to Fort Snelling, and when it was converted from an infantry to a
field artillery unit, he was advanced in rank and made senior officer
of the Medical Detachment at the Base Hospital. Within a short
time, he was again promoted and became major. Eventually, he
became senior major of the Regimental Medical Detachment of the
One Hundred Twenty-fifth Field Artillery. From August, 1917,
to the autumn of the following year, he was with the regiment
at Fort Deming, New Mexico. In September, the regiment
went overseas and during the voyage Major Prudden devel-
oped pneumonia, from which he died before the regiment debarked.
Doctor Prudden was married in Oklahoma City in January, 1918,
and a child was born to his widow five or six months after his death.
Both widow and child, however, inet a tragic death, being drowned
in the tidal wave that swept Corpus Christie, on September 14, 1919.
The body of Major Prudden was returned to the United States in
October, 1920. It was received in Duluth on November 1, 1920, and
reinterred on American soil in his native city, with full military
honors and with many other indications of the respect in which his
memory is held by people of Duluth. His father is A. E. Prudden,
of 3501 Minnesota Avenue.
Otto Pusarim, another of the soldiers of Ely who gave national
service to the full, was the son of Matt Pusarim of Ely.
Howard C. Quigley, who was killed in action in the Argonne
Forest, France, November 4, 1918, was a native of Duluth, born in
the city July 18, 1894, the son of James R. Quigley. now of 123 Min-
neapolis Avenue, Duluth. Young Quigley passed through the Duluth
schools, and was with the American Bridge Company, Duluth, when
called into service on April 26, 1918, at Duluth. As a private of
infantry, he was sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa, and became a member
of Company D, Three Hundred and Sixtieth Infantry, Ninetieth
Division, going to Camp Travis, Texas, within three weeks of reach-
ing Camp Dodge. In June, 1918, his regiment embarked at Hoboken
and was soon in action in France. Quigley was present at St. Mihiel
and Meuse-Argonne major offensives, being killed in the Argonne
within a week of the signing of the armistice.
William Henry Reddy, of Biwabik, was in the United States
navy, and had the rating of baker, 2cl. His mother is Mrs. Mary
Reddy, of Biwabik.
Frank Reed, of Arnold, was born in Duluth on July 27, 1897,
son of Mike Reed, of Arnold, R. F. D. No. 4, Duluth. Ne was a
smart, well-developed boy, and when enlisted, on March 30, 1918.
was assigned to the cavalry branch of the United States army, and
sent to the Mexican border. He died of pneuomnia at El Paso, New
Mexico, December 8, 1918, pneumonia developing at a time when
he was somewhat weakened, owing to inaction that followed a fall
from a horse while on patrol.
Charles C. Ringler was of Duluth prior to entering upon mili-
tary duties. He was in the Chemical Service of the United States
army, as chemist, and died at the United States Marine Hospital,
Cleveland, Ohio, on November 22, 1918. His mother, who now is
Mrs. Philip AUcndorfer. lives in Chicago.
Albert Carl Robertson, who died of wound, was a Duluthian,
born in the city on April 21. 1894, son of Charles and Hedvig Rob-
Vol. 11—10
654 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
ertson, now of 2516 West Twelfth Street, Duluth. He also was a
married 'man at the time of entering the army, and was employed at
the Great Northern Power Plant. Enlisted at Duluth on June 28,
1918, he left that day for Camp Grant, and w^as there assigned to
Company I, Four Hundred and Thirty-first Infantry. He was trans-
ferred in August to Company D of Three Hundred and Tenth Infan-
try and left for Port of Embarkation early in September. After a
short stay at Camp Upton, New York, he embarked at New York,
September 8th, and arrived in France on September 25th. He was
in action on October 7th, at Bois de Loges, Argonne Forest, and
from that time until he was wounded on October 18th, he was almost
continuously in action. He died in hospital in France on November
5, 1918.
William L. Robideau before the war lived at 123 Astor Street,
Duluth.
Yalmer Leonard Saari, of Virginia and Duluth, was born Octo-
ber 27, 1895, at Calumet, Houghton County, Michigan. His widow,
Hulda Saari now lives at 540 West Fourth Street, Duluth. Saari
reported for enlistment on April 28, 1918, and at Camp Dodge, Iowa,
to which cantonment he was sent, he was assigned to Company D,
Three Hundred and Fifty-eighth Infantry. Two months later he
was on the way overseas; and on September 26th, 1918, he was killed
by machine gun fire, in an attack on the Hindenburg Line in France.
Piotre Sagotowski, whose papers show that he formerly had
Duluth residence, was a Russian, his father, Piotre, at Wytxamers,
St, Kawno, Russia.
Christ O. Sandwich, who was a sawyer in the mill of J. P. Pfeiflfer,
Iverson, Minnesota, and lived in Duluth, where his widow still lives,
was a Norwegian by birth, born in Gubbiansdalen, Norway, Decem-
ber 15, 1894. He was called into service on June 28, 1918. at Carlton,
Minnesota, and sent to Camp Grant, Illinois, where he was assigned
to the Three Hundred and Forty-first Infantry, a regiment of the
Eighty-sixth Division: Soon afterwards he was transferred to Com-
pany D, Three Hundred and Eighth Machine Gun Battalion, Seven-
ty-eighth Division. In August he left for an eastern camp, prepara-
tory to going overseas and left Camp Upton, New York, September
8th, embarking then. He received promotion to the grade of cor-
poral during the voyage. He first went into action at Verdun on
October 12, 1918, and was fighting on that front until the 19th, when
he received a shrapnel wound and was also gassed. The shrapnel
wounds were not serious, but the gas set up a lingering illness. Fin-
ally, he died of tubercular meningitis, at the American Base Hospital,
Brest, France, May 29, 1919.
Thomas B. Shaughnessy lived at Morgan Park prior to enlist-
ing. He was born at Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 27, 1891. son
of James P. and Ellen Shaughnessy, who, now live at Morgan Park,
Duluth. Thomas B. by trade was a structural ironworker and was
with the Universal Portland Cement Company. He was a young
man of grit, and earnest patriotic purpose, as he showed when called
upon to report for military duty. He had received notice to report
at Duluth on February 26, 1918, and on that morning sprained his
ankle. But he refused to be left behind by the detachment then
departing, so he was taken to the station in an auto, and upon arrival
at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, was placed in hospital, where he
remained for ten days. Following that, he was in a detention camp
for seventeen days and was given ten days of intensive drilling, and
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 655
then sent on to the port of embarkation. It was at the time of the
breaking of the British front in France during the great spring drive
of the Germans. Shaughnessy was on the British front in May, 1918,
and in a Belgian sector. In June, he was in the Vosges Mountains.
He was at St. Mihiel September 12th and from September 26 to Octo-
ber 2 was in the terrible fighting in the Argonne Forest, and later
in the Meuse sector, five miles south of Verdun. He passed through
the terrible fighting without hurt, but while waiting for home orders,
he was taken sick and pneumonia developing he died at Base Hos-
pital, No. 9, Bazoilles, France, on February 7, 1919.
Willard Shea, of Eveleth, succumbed to pneumonia in an Ameri-
can camp on September 25, 1918. His body was brought to Eveleth
for burial.
Joseph Shepatz was of Virginia, son of John Shepatz of that place.
James Shannon, of Virginia, had a distinguished military career.
He was the son of the late C. E. Shannon, of Duluth, and brother of
Mrs. Harry Sleepack. of 2419 East Fourth Street, and had passed
through West Point, having been appointed to that military academy
by Judge Page Morris, then congressman from this district. He
was killed in France in 1918, having attained the grade of lieutenant-
colonel and a place on the staff of General Pershing, in France.
George E. Sigel, who is listed as a volunteer from Virginia, was
a native of Duluth, born there on June 28, 1900. The family, however,
has lived in Virginia for many years, and the boy was in school there.
In fact, he volunteered in his senior high-school year and was gradu-
ated by proxy, with seven others who received diplomas. He enlisted
on May 25, 1918, and became a member of Company B, One Hun-
dred and Twenty-sixth Engineers, with which regiment he went
overseas. He passed through the exciting latter half of 1918. but
in February, 1919, suffered from bronchitis, at Brest, France, from
which he never recovered. He returned to this country and was
sent to Fort Bayard, New Mexico, his lungs having become affected.
He died there on June 14, 1919, of tuberculosis. "A serious, right-
living, clean-minded young man," Father J. O'Brien, army chaplain
at Fort Bayard testified of him.
Matt Smuky, who made the Supreme Sacrifice, lived in McKinley
before the war.
Mike Simney, of Duluth, was the son of Albert Simney, of 2631
West Fifth Street, Duluth, and was a member of the first detach-
ment of Duluth manhood called into service under the Selective
Draft. They left Duluth in September, 1917, for Camp Grant. Sim-
ney eventually saw much service in France. He was in the Engi-
neers and on October 6, 1918, succumbed to wounds received in
action.
Otto Smuland, son of Christian Smuland, Bangsund, Xamdalen,
Norway, and brother of Helmar Smuland, of 504 East Fourteenth
Street. Duluth, was in the fishery business at Isle Royale before he
was selected to give military service. He was twenty-eight years
old when enlisted on July 25, 1918, at Duluth. He left at once for
Camp Wadsworth, Spartansburg, South Carolina, and there was
assigned to an infantry regiment. He died at Camp Wadsworth in
August, 1918. Funeral services were held on .August 28. 1918. at
Bethesda Norwegian Lutheraii Church. Duluth. following the return
of the body to Duluth under military escort.
Anthony Snider was of Tower, although, unfortunately, more
regarding his life and military service is now not available.
656 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Peter Stark lived in Eveleth before going into the service. He
was killed in action in France on November 7, 1918, only four days
before hostilities ceased. His body lies in an American cemetery in
France. His brother is Michael Stark, of McKinley.
Edward F. Snyder, who is on the Duluth list of gold stars, lived
in that city for about two years before enlisting, although he was a
native of Buffalo, New York. He enlisted in June, 1917, and was
for more than a year on the Western battle line, France. He joined a
Canadian regiment and was killed in action in 1918. He married
Ruth Berglund, of West Duluth, in 1916.
Philip Steen, who enlisted at Duluth in August, 1917, and became
a member of an artillery unit, died on the way over to France, on
or about July 10, 1918. He was born in Duluth, and his father, John
Steen, now lives at 510 Third Avenue, east.
Albert C. Steiner, also a Duluthian by birth, owned and worked
a farm in St. Louis County before enlisting. He was born on Novem-
ber 25, 1891, and he reported for military duty on May 25, 1918, at
Duluth. He was assigned to Company L, One Hundred and Fifty-
ninth Infantry, Fortieth Division, at Camp Lewis, Washington. On
June 29th he was transferred to Camp Kearney, California, and in
August at that camp was transferred to Company E, Three Hundred
and Seventh Infantry, with w^hich regiment he embarked, after a
period of preparation at Camp Nills, Long Island, New York, The
regiment arrived in France before the end of August and was rushed
to the front. Steiner was killed in action on November 4, 1918, and
was buried in the Commune of Pierremont, Ardennes, France. Albert
Steiner's brother, Fred, lives at 9 West Second Street, Duluth.
Ola H. Strand was of Virginia.
Pedro Stuppa also lived in Virginia before the war. His sister
is Mrs. James Hogan, of Virginia.
Clarence B. Sundquist, of Duluth, son of Clarence B. Sund-
quist, of Palo (R. D. Box No. 72), Minnesota, was born November 12,
1895, in Superior. He was enlisted at Duluth, as a private of the
Signal Corps, Air Service, and was assigned to Company C, Three
Hundred and Twenty-third Field Service Battalion at Camp Funston.
Later, he was at Camp Stanley, Texas, but eventually embarked for
foreign service at New York, sailing on the United States transport
Leviathan," wdiich arrived at Brest, France, on September 28, 1918.
Sundquist developed pneumonia while at Brest and died there on
October 11, 1918. At that time he held the grade of corporal. The
body was exhumed in 1920 and returned to this country, eventually
reaching Duluth. Burial service was held on July 21st, former com-
rades firing the last salute over his grave at Park Hill Cemetery,
Duluth. The funeral ceremonies were held under the auspices of
the Duluth post of the American Legion.
Leslie Severt Swanman, who was a shipping clerk with the Knud-
son Fruit Company, Duluth, before enlisting, was born in St. Paul,
Minnesota, on December 12, 1892. Duluth has been the home of the
family for a long time and his mother still lives there, at 915 North
Seventh Avenue, East. Leslie was enlisted at Duluth on May 25.
1918, and sent to Camp Lewis, Washington, where he was assigned
to Company L, One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Infantry, Fortieth Divi-
sion. On July 25th he was transferred to Camp Kearney and there
transferred to the Three Hundred and Twenty-fourth . Infantry,,
Eighty-first Division. On August 20th he embarked at New York
and made quick passage to Liverpool, eventually reaching France.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 657
He was in front-line trenches in the Vosges Mountains ; was present
in the battle of St. Mihiel, and passed through terrible fighting in
the Meuse-Argonne offensive. On November 10, 1918, just one day
before the signing of the Armistice, he was wounded in action at
Haudimont, and died of those wounds twelve days later, on Novem-
ber 22. 1918.
Edward B. Swanson lived at Saginaw, Minnesota, son of Ben
Swanson, of that place.
Wallace J. Taylor was of Virginia, where his mother still is.
Olaf Ugstad, of Duluth, was born October 3, 1891, at Hurum,
Buskruds County, Norway, but has been in America for many years.
At one time he was employed by the Wilson Contracting Company,
Duluth, and later was foreman at the St. Louis County Work Farm.
He was enlisted into the United States army in January, 1918, and
assigned to the Spruce Production Section of the Forestry Division.
He was accidentally killed at Emuclaw, Washington, on August 2,
1918. The body was returned to Duluth for burial. A brother is
Reginald Ugstad, of Hermanstown.
Fiori Valbiter, a resident in Virginia before the war, was born
in Rome, Italy, and at the time of enlistment in 1918 was twenty-
seven years old. He died at Detroit, Michigan.
Haralebes Vasilion was of Hibbing.
Florent Van de Perre also was of Hibbing.
Peter Verdi made his home in Eveleth before entering the serv-
ice, but was born at Agri, Italy, on May 2, 1897. He was a married
man at time of enlistment, and his wife, Lydia, still lives in Eveleth.
Peter left for military duty on May 17, 1918, and went to France
with an infantry regiment. He was killed in action in France on
November 1, 1918.
Leander Waillin, lived at Sandy, Minnesota, where his father,
Tom Waillin, has a farm. The family is Finnish, and Leander was
born in Finland on September 8, 1886. He was included in the sec-
ond Duluth draft for the National Army, but was destined not to go
overseas. During the epidemic of Spanish Influenza which swept
through the home cantonments in the autumn of 1918, Waillin con-
tracted the disease, and died on November 10, 1918, being then at
Camp Kearney, California.
Aino Nicanor Wene was a stalwart agricultural pioneer of Buyck,
St. Louis County. He was developing an acreage of wild land near
Buyck when called into service in September, 1917. He was assigned
to the Corps of Engineers and ultimately reached France, where he
was killed in action on October 15, 1918. His sister. Mrs. Niemi
Ahlgren, lives in Buyck, but the Wene family is of Finnish origin,
Aino was born at Rauma, Finland, January 10, 1892.
Philip T. White was of Ely, son of Harry E. White, of that
place.
Arthur Charles Williams was a native of Hibbing, although the
family lived at Kinney at the time he enlisted. He was born on
December 26, 1898, and lived on the Ranges practically all his life,
his father having been connected with mining operations on the Range
for almost a generation. He, William Williams, latterly has been
blacksmith in the shops of the Oliver Iron Mining Company at
Hibbing. The son was not yet twenty years old when, on August 5,
1918, he enlisted in the Medical Department of the United States
army. He was almost immediately assigned to overseas duty and
soon after landing in I-^ance was taken sick, pneumonia developing.
658 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
He died at Brest on September 26, 1918, and was there buried. In
1920, however, his body was returned to the United States and
arrived at Virginia on June 12, 1920. Burial took place in the part
of Virginia Cemetery set apart to mark the last resting place of its
World War heroes who made the Supreme Sacrifice.
David Gilbert Wisted, in whose honor the Duluth post of the
American Legion was named, was born in Duluth on September 13,
1893. In the early days of the war, he was a clerk with the United
States Food Administration, but he enlisted in the Marine Corps on
December 14, 1917, at Paris Isle. He was assigned to the Eighty-
second Company and for a time was stationed at Paris Isle and
Quantico, Virginia. On February 24, 1918, he was transferred to
the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Company, Replacement Bat-
talion, and later to the Sixth Marines, embarking at Philadelphia on
March 12th, 1918. Debarking at Brest on April 1, 1918, the Marines
were soon at the front and were destined to bring glory to their
country, in the part they took in the fighting at Chateau Thierry and
Belleau Wood in May and June of that vital year. Wisted was killed
in action at Belleau Wood on June 3, 1918, being instantly killed by
a high-explosive shell. His father, Iver Wisted, lives at 1201 East
Fourth Street, Duluth.
John Oscar Wuori is listed with the men from Duluth, but he
lived in Gilbert for some time prior to enlistment. He was a Finn,
born at Pomarkku, Finland, March 9, 1888. He reported for duty
on August 8, 1918, and was sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa, where he
was assigned to Company Thirty, One Hundred and Sixty-third
Depot Brigade. He died of pneumonia in that camp on October
8, 1918.
As will be appreciated from a reading of the foregoing some of
these men had wide accomplishments and definite capability, some
were worthy tillers of the soil and some were industrious workers
in commercial affairs of St. Louis County. But all were patriots;
and the names of all who have been inscribed on the great national
Roll of Honor, there to remain for as long as the great republic
lasts. And for as long as there is a County of St. Louis, Minnesota,
for so long will these of her sons be willingly and deservedly accorded
the pface of honor in any comprehensive review of the County's part
in the Great World War.
CHAPTER XXVII
HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIPS OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Unorganized. — A glance at the map of St. Louis County will
show that it is now well organized, only a small part of its terri-
tory being now^ outside of the jurisdiction of some organized town-
ship. And while the unorganized townships are, in the main, only
sparsely populated, it would be erroneous to suppose that because
a township has no organized township administration it is neces-
sarily undeveloped, or uninhabited, territory. Several of the unor-
ganized areas adjoin townships of old establishment, and in many
cases the unorganized townships exceed in population those exer-
cising organized township privileges.
While it is not possible to go much into detailed review of the
unorganized spaces of St. Louis County, it might be appropriate in
this township chapter to briefly record the census statistics of those
unnamed parts of the county. Beginning in the south, unorgan-
ized township 50-18 is part of the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation.
The population in 1910 was 105, and in 1920, 203. Township 50-19
is a continuation of the Indian Reservation. Only six persons were
recorded as living in it in 1900; 67 in 1910, and 146 in 1920. Town-
ship 51-19 continues on between Floodwood and Culver townships.
Its population was thirteen in 1900; fifty-seven in 1910^ and 120 in
1920. Township 52-19 completes that chain of unorganized territory.
It had six inhabitants in 1900; twenty-seven in 1910, and seventy-
four in 1920. Township 52-21 is crossed, from southeast to north-
west by the Great Northern Railway and on section 16 is a station,
named "Island," one version stating that the station was so named
because "this was about the only dry spot between Floodwood and
Wawima, at the time of the building of the railway. Drainage, how-
ever, has now converted swamps into fertile fields. Township 52-21
had four inhabitants in 1900; in 1910 it had sixty-nine, and in 1920
there were 123 people living in it. Township 53-15 recorded twenty-
seven inhabitants in 1910, but made no report in 1920. Township
53-16 had sixteen inhabitants in 1910, and 240 in 1920. Township
54-13 had a population of 14, in 1910 and 61, in 1920. Township
54-15 had 169 residents in 1910 and only twenty-three in 1920. Town-
ship 55-14 had no recorded population in 1910, but the 1920 census
gives it a population of 300 then. Township 55-15 had fourteen in
1910, and seventy-three in 1920. Township 55-18 had thirty-one
inhabitants in 1910, and 130 in 1920. Township 55-21 had sixty-nine
in 1910, and seventy in 1920. Township 56-14 had two residents in
1900, none in 1910, and 264 when last census was taken. Township
56-16 had a population of 196 in 1910, and 340 in 1920. The next
township west, 56-17, had three inhabitants in 1900, sixtv-nine in
1910, and 157 in 1920. Township 57-14 had 27, in 1900.' none in
1910, and 125 in 1920. Township 57-16 had ninety-five residents in
1910, and 126 in 1920. Township 57-19 had seventy-nine residents
in 1910, and 279 in 1920. Township 58-14 is prominent chiefly
because it is the railway junction between the Mesabi and Vermilion
range towns. It had thirty-seven inhabitants in 1900, sixty-two in
1910, and 100 in 1920. Township 59-12 had two inhabitants in 1900,
none in 1910, and no report was made in 1920. Adjoining town-
659
660
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
ships, however, have recently become active, with the impending
exploitation of low-grade ores. Township 59-16 has shown no popu-
lation in the last three census-takings. Only the northern half of
township 59-18 is unorganized, the southern half being included
in Nichols township. No population was recorded in the unorgan-
ized portion in 1920, although there were sixty-two residents in the
township in 1910. Township 59-21 had fourteen inhabitants in 1910,
and eighty-four in 1920. Township 60-18 recorded nine inhabitants
in 1900, forty-three in 1910, but no report was made in 1920. Town-
ship 60-19 had 122 in 1910, and ninety-two in 1920. One tier of sec-
tions of this township was added to Great Scott Township and per-
haps explains the decrease in population. Township 61-12 had fifty-
six people in it in 1910, and thirty-eight in 1920. Township 61-13
had live inhabitants in 1910 and twenty-six in 1920. Township 61-17
recorded one inhabitant in 1900, none in 1910 and fifty-six in 1920.
';^jy*f^^^fl:?^TO
m
A. J. FILIATRAULT S ORIGINAL HOME NEAR THE MUDHEN RIVER,
T. 56-16. (it is typical of the log HOUSE OF TWENTY
years ago^ in outlying parts of st. louis county;
the homesteader of today, however, favors the tar-
papered shack, for the first year or two of pioneer
effort)
Township 62-16 had twenty-two residents in 1900. 198 in 1910, and
112 in 1920. Township 62-17 had thirty-seven inhabitants in 1900,
twelve in 1910, and 116 in 1920. Township 62-21 had 197 in 1910
and 237 in 1920. Township 63-14 had fourteen residents in 1910, and
only eight in 1920. Township 63-15 has been recorded as uninhabited
during last three census-takings. Township 63-16 was credited with
fifty-eight inhabitants in 1900, none in 1910, and twenty in 1920.
Township 63-17 had forty in 1900, fourteen in 1910, and eighteen in
1920. In 63-19 there were eighty-nine people in 1910, and 116 in
1920. In township 63-21 there were 270 inhabitants in 1910, and
282 in 1920. Only three townships of sixty-four north have organ-
ized administration, the unorganized divisions being those of 12, 13,
14, 15, 16, 17 and 21 west; and out of a total population, in 1920, ot
307 persons, 185 lives in township 64-21, part of which is allotted to
the Bois Fort Indian Reservation. Townships of sixty-five north not
yet organized are those of icinge 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 21 west. As
is in the case in sixty-four north, the bulk of the population of sixty-
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 661
five north is found to be in range 21, that township having in 1920,
194 of 353 inhabitants. The Indian Reservation extends into and
beyond sixty-five north, range 21 west, and includes the western half
of each township. It seems, however, that the census tabulation
given above is- of white settlers only, as the federal announcement of
population, for 1920, gives no figures for the Bois Fort or Vermilion
Lake Indian reservations, although the former was shown to have
• 210 residents in 1910, and the both reservations 881 inhabitants in
1900. Seven townships of sixty-six north are unorganized. Portage
(formerly Buyck) township embracing the other three townships,
range 17, 18 and 19, west. Four townships had no population in
1920, ranges 12, 13, 14 and 15. Logging operations probably are
responsible for the presence of 283 persons in township 66-16 in 1920.
Then there were fifty-four in 66-20 and twenty persons in 66-21.
Fractional townships of sixty-seven north, ranges 13, 14, 15 and 16
are uninhabited; township 67-17, in 1920, had eleven inhabitants,
67-18 had 123, 67-19 had ninety-eight, 67-20 had 261, and 67-21 had
twenty-three. Fractional townships sixty-eight north, ranges 14 and
15 and townships sixty-eight north, ranges 18 and 19, had no popula-
tion in last census, township 68-17 had four persons, 68-20 had 235,
and 68-21 had ninety. No figures were reported from townships
sixty-nine north, and only from one of 70 and 71 north, fractional
township 70-18, recording 145 residents in 1920.
The northern townships are mostly in virgin state and logging
operations will continue in them probably for another fifteen or
twenty years. Some of them have mineral possibilities.
The unorganized lands of St. Louis County figure in the tax
sheet to an appreciable extent. In 1919, the assessed valuation of
these areas was $2,364,023, and the taxes $163,117.59. The logging
companies probably are the principal taxpayers in the northern terri-
tory, but some good farming acreages are opening. It is still possible
to homestead in the county, and some of the state lands, without
mineral rights, can also be bought almost as cheaply as from the
federal authorities.
The total assessed valuation of St. Louis County in 1877 was
$1,339,121.68. In the intervening forty-two years to 1919 the seem-
ingly infinitesimal efforts of the individual toiler within its limits have
brought an aggregate increase in the assessable wealth of the countv
to $357,787,544. The total taxes levied in 1877 were $29,034.41 ; in
1919 the taxes were $20,705,448.24.
St. Louis County is not only the largest of the state of Minnesota;
it is also the wealthiest. The total value of taxable propcrtv in
the State of Minnesota in 1919 was $1,777,153,420. St. Louis County's
part of that total was $357,787,544, roughly one-fifth. From its mines
come more than half the yearly United States output of iron ore,
and from the operation of its mines chiefly comes the about three
million dollars it has of late years contributed to the maintenance of
the state administration ($2,894,650 out of a total requirement of
$14,373,427 in 1919). The result from a region which Proctor Knott,
in his historic ridiculing speech in 1870, as referred to "cold enough,
for at least nine months of the year, to freeze the smokestack off a
locomotive."
Review of the history of the organized townships of .*^t. Louis
County follow, in alphabetical order.
Alango. — The township of Alango was organized February 8.
1910, under section 451 of the Revised Laws of Minnesota. 1905. Its
662 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
extent is one congressional township, that of township sixty-one
north, range nineteen west.
Elias Matson was the man most active in prosecuting the matter
of organization. He took oath, when presenting petition to county
officials that the legal voters in the township at the time petition was
signed did not exceed thirty-five.
Commissioners at their February, 1910, session granted the peti-
tion, and to bring the new township into organization and operation,
election was held at No. 3 schoolhouse, in the township on Saturday,
February 26, 1910.
In 1910 the assessed valuation of Alango was $16,709. Total
tax levy was $800.36. In 1919, the township valuation was $25,081,
and the total tax levy $2,021.53.
The population of the township in 1910 was 335 persons, accord-
ing to federal statistics; and in 1920 the census showed 511 residents.
The township is gradually becoming a well developed agricultural
section.
Alango and Angora townships were served by School District
No. 42. -
The township officials are : E. Mattson, chairman ; F. Leinonen
and J. Kustor, supervisors; F. Saari, clerk; R. F. Saari, assessor; Nels
Nukala, treasurer.
Alborn. — On August 1. 1900, S. G. Johnson and twenty-six others
signed a petition, praying the county commissioners to organize con-
gressional township 52 north, range 18 west, under chapter 10,
Statutes of Minnesota, 1894, as a township to be known as Burg.
This was a shortening of the name first written into the petition,
Gothenburg having been first proposed.
The commissioners, in session at Duluth on August 10, 1900, con-
sidered the petition, and granted same ordering election to be held
at the schoolhouse situated in section 12 of township 52-18, on Friday,
August 30, 1900.
Election was accordingly held, and the first officers elected to
serve the township were : F. A. Trolander, chairman ; Matt Perry
and Alfred Nordling, supervisors; G. W. Mell, clerk; L. B. Ash-
jornson, treasurer; S. G. Johnson, assessor; John Mell and Gust
Benson, justices; Otto Dahl, constable.
At the first township meeting it was decided to plan the levy
for the first year :
Road and Bridge Fund • $200.00
General Fund 150.00
It was also resolved to seek to change the name of the town-
ship to "Alborn," such being the name of the postoffice within the
township. Authority to change name was given by county commis-
sioners on September 5, 1900.
The assessed valuation of real and personal property of Alborn
Township in 1919 was $75,614. Tax levy, $6,593.54. The popula-
tion of the township in 1900 was 62 persons ; in 1910, 266 ; in 1920. 257.
The township officers in 1920 were : H. Blom, chairman ; A.
Hoiem and Sivert Holten, supervisors; G. A. Truman, clerk;
S. Holten, assessor; F. A. Trolander, treasurer.
Alborn township is served by School District No. 33, which em-
braces townships 52, 18 and 19. There are three frame schoolhouses
in the district, the three valued at $10,000. The enrollment for the
school year 1919-20 was 98, and staff of four female teachers, who
received an average pay of $77.00 monthly. School Board: L. B.
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 663
Marvin, chairman; Peter Fooness, J. M. Andrews and G. A. Truman,
directors; Roy A. Wiles, clerk; B. L. Hill, treasurer.
Alden. — The Township of Alden is of very recent establishment.
It was organized on September 8, 1920, and consists of two congres-
sional townships formerly part of the Township of Duluth, town-
ships 53 and 54 north, range 12 west.
The first officials were: Don D. Driscoll, chairman; A. J. Nappa
and Henry Kontola, supervisors; E. A. Driscoll, clerk; F. X. Span-
felner, assessor; Mike Hakkila, treasurer; Louis Rossini, justice;
Henry Lampala, constable.
With the exception of the Duluth and Iron Range Railway,
which passes through the extreme northeastern corner of township
54-12, Alden has no railway facilities. Neither are the roads good.
However, proximity to Duluth should bring it good development,
eventually.
Allen. — The Township of Allen was erected in 1899. A petition
which bears date of September 23, 1899, seeking the organization of
congressional township 61 north, range 14 west, was signed by W. P.
Jockam, J. P. Brown, L. Pennington, S. J. P. Lackie, H. Eno,
L. Kniers, Julius Dahl, Alec Cameron, John Hickey, M. Lawlor,
R. E. Heath, James Villars, John Mirandy, K. Nilsen, Peter Mustad,
J. Antuli, August Buboltz, George Donohue, and Levi S. Wilson.
Election was held at the office of the Tower Logging Company,
at Bear Head Lake, on Saturday, December 23, 1899, following the
granting of petition by County Commissioners E. Morcom, J. Wil-
liams, Fred W. Kugler, Charles Kauppi and Ole A. Berg. At the
election, or first town meeting, William Allen was elected "moder-
ator" by the assembled electors, and Charles Underbill clerk of the
meeting. Albert Graetz and Charles Lund were appointed judges of
election, and they eventually declared the balloting to have resulted
in the election of the following: William Allen, chairman; D. Willen-
berg and Martin Lawler, supervisors; Charles Underbill, clerk; J.
Cuculi, treasurer; L. A. Johnson, assessor; August Buboltz, justice;
Patrick Murphy and Elijah Pennington, constables; and William
Gustafson, overseer. Each man elected received twenty-seven votes.
In 1900, the population of Allen Township was 179 persons; no
report was made to the Federal Census Bureau in 1910, and in the
1920 census only one person was found to be resident in it.
The land is apparently held by people who do not live in the
township as the 1919 tax levy « upon property in that township
totalled to $2,856.46.
Allen Township, for educational purposes, is in School District
No. 9, which centers at Tower.
Angora. — The Township of Angora was organized in 1905. its
boundaries being the congressional township 61 north, and range
eighteen west, formerly unorganized and undeveloped territory.
Petition bears date September 9, 1905 ; first signature, Carl L.
Nord ; total signatures, twenty-five. Carl L. Nord took oath on
September 9th that when petition was circulated there not less than
forty or more than fifty voters in the township proposed.
Commissioners granted prayer of petitioners, and on September
12, 1905, ordered election to be held, at the residence of Carl L. Nord,
in the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 9, town-
ship 61-18. on September 30. 1905.
An interesting paper is that dated March 15. 1909, upon which
W. H. Bristol, clerk of the township of Angora, certified that at the
664 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
annual town meeting held on the 15th of that month the question
of granting a license for the sale of intoxicating liquors within the
township was put to the public vote, and, of twenty-one votes cast,
nineteen were against and two in favor of the granting of the said
license.
The assessed valuation of real and personal property in the
township in 1905 was $63,375. Taxes levied in that year, $1,438.61.
In 1919 the total valuation was $54,819; and the taxes levied $4,511.60
in that year.
The township officers in 1920 were : L. M. Burghardt, chair-
man ; John Metser and Henry Rombeck, supervisors; C. H. Sherman,
clerk; James Sherman, assessor; Walter Olson, treasurer.
Angora Township had a population of 255 persons in 1910; in
1920 its population had become 392.
Argo. — The Township of Argo was organized on December 7,
1920, and consists mainly of congressional townships 60-12, 59-13 and
60-13, the northern boundary of the organized township extending a
little into township 61-12 — to the southern border of Birch Lake.
The men primarily and chiefly active in the developments which
led to the organization of the Township of Argo were D. C. Jackling,
of San Francisco, a mining engineer and executive of international
reputation, and his associates of the banking firm of Hayden, Stone
& Co., of New York and Boston ; and Messrs. W. G. Swart and
Dwight E. Woodbridge, mining engineers of Duluth. Mr. Jackling's
force, far-sightedness, enthusiasm and high standing carried the new
and questioned enterprise past the many obstacles that it naturally
encountered, and the whole souled support of his eastern associates
solved the financial problems upon which so many untried and costly
experiments are wrecked.
The first township election was held, on December 22, 1920, and
the original administration is constituted as follows: W. G. Swart,
chairman; Wm. Mudge and O. C. Burrell, supervisors; Mrs. Jas. R.
Mitten, clerk; Clyde M. Pearce, assessor; Dr. P. D. McCarty, treas-
urer; T. B. Counselman and Wm. J. Baumgrass, justices; Oscar
Birkness and Al Johnson, constables.
The township organization is the natural outcome of the growth
of the population of that region, which, prior to the forming of Argo
was unorganized territory. The important mining enterprise begun
at Babbitt in the spring of 1920 made it certain that organized
municipal and town administration would soon follow.
Treating the Low-Grade Ore of Eastern Mesabi. — On the eastern
part of the Mesabi range lies an immense deposit of magnetic iron
ore, or taconite. Early explorers were well aware of it, but had to
pass it by because of the low grade of the ore, which seemed to have
no commercial value. Dwight E. Woodbridge, however, gave the
matter of treating the ore considerable thought, study, and experi-
mentation, carrying his research even to Europe. In 1909, he visited
northern Europe where there were somewhat similar deposits, and
where plants for the magnetic separation of ore had been established.
He visited Sweden, Norway, and Lapland, and spent much time at
the Actieselskabet Sydvaranger plant, at Sydvaranger, Lapland. And
he pursued the matter until he had succeeded in interesting the men
— perhaps the only men in America — likely to carry the experiment
through to success, that is Mr. Jackling and Hayden, Stone & Co.
When organized for an intensive trial of the project, W. G. Swart,
an accomplished metallurgist and skillful executive was made general
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 665
manager, and on the organization of the Mesabi Iron Co. and the
beginning of construction of its works at Babbitt, in Argo Township,
Mr. Swart became its vice president, Mr. Jackling being president.
Village of Babbitt. — The village of Babbitt is situated in the
northeast part of section 18-60-12, with its mills in section 7. It is
about sixteen miles from the village of Mesaba. There was a time
when Mesaba grew from nothing to a centre of trading and outfitting.
In 1890-91, after the discovery of marketable ore on the Mesabi
range to the westward, Mesaba, the nearest point on the Duluth
and Iron Range Railway, grew, it seemed, to a place of fifteen
"hotels" and many stores "in a few days." Most of the expeditions
to the westward outfitted at Mesaba, and for a year or so returned to
that station for supplies. Now, with the new mining developments
to the estward it would seem that Mesaba is again coming into a
degree of temporary importance. It was necessary to build a wagon
road from Mesaba to Babbitt, and in that work the mining company
employed a number of men. For some part of the distance of six-
teen miles the route lay over the trail cut by George R. Stuntz in
the '60s, after the "gold rush" first brought the Vermilion Lake into
public notice. And it was probably over this trail that George R.
Stuntz led Professor Chester in 1875, for the latter avers that his un-
favorable report on Mesabi ore was of "only the lean magnetic belt
of the Mesabi range, in towns 59-14 and 60-13," which is the grade
of ore now being treated by the Mesabi Iron Company. The village
of Babbitt began to take shape in the spring of 1920, when the Mesabi
Iron Company began to erect its ore-treating plant in the vicinity.
The village rapidly grew in population to approximately 400 persons,
and while Babbitt will probably never become one of the large villages
of the Range, it is expected to at least maintain its present importance
for many years — indefinitely, one might say. The reason why the
village will not expand as have other villages of the Mesabi range
is that it is dependent upon enterprises such as that of the Mesabi
Iron Company, and although the plant now being brought into opera-
tion is but the first of the mills the Mesabi Iron Company plans to
build near Babbitt, if conditions are favorable, the chances of benefit
coming to that village from similar, but independent, mining enter-
prises is remote, as the Mesabi Iron Company owns outright, or has
leased, or has the option of much of the mineral land within a radius
of ten miles of Babbitt, which for long is likely to maintain the
status of "a one-company town." Corporate powers for it may not
be sought for some time, but its afifairs appear to be well adminis-
tered, and the town-planning has been good. The townsite was
platted ofT the ore body, so that the heavy ultimate removal expense
incurred by other mining villages will be avoided at Babbitt. The
buildings erected by the mining company for the housing of the
population are models of utility, the large barrack-like buildings
being of what is known as "the unit plan," an arrangement whereby,
when necessary, the long buildings may be divided, section by section,
and with very little additional expense converted into detached one-
family cottages. A hospital has been built, and is under the direction
of Dr. P. J. McCarthy. There are also many individual dwellings.
There has been no independent building in the village; indeed, there
is no outside enterprise. Neither is there likely to be for some time,
the policy of the company being to discourage speculation in real
estate. And as almost every man in the village is in the employ of
the company, the accommodation provided and the general mode of
666 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
living bears to that of the communal order, most of the employees
relying mainly upon the company for eating and sleeping quarters.
In course of time, as more married men come in with their families,
the general plan of domiciliation will probably change.
Babbitt takes its name from Judge K. R. Babbitt, who for many
years has been chief legal advisor for the firm of Hayden, Stone
& Co., and who died at the time a name was under consideration.
Judge Babbitt was formerly a resident of Denver, and his wife was
a sister of Thos. Cullyford, who for many years operated the St.
Louis Hotel, at Duluth.
It is not proper here to enter to any extent into a technical
description of the Mesabi Iron Company's plant, but it may be
stated that there is every probability that St. Louis County will
benefit largely from the exploitation of its deposits of low-grade ore
by the Mesabi Iron Company. That company entered upon its
present venture very carefully. It spent $750,000 in experiments
before deciding to embark upon the heavy outlay the Babbitt plant
represents. It has cost the company more than $3,000,000 to establish
the plant there and bring it into operation. Yet its capacity is only
3,000 tons a day, which fact gives one an indication of how enormous
will be the enterprise if the plans of the directors are carried through
to the full. It has been stated that eventually the company expects
to treat 100,000 tons of ore daily at mills in the vicinity of Babbitt.
The construction of the present plant, the first mill unit, was
begun early in August, 1920, and within a fortnight the steel super-
structure was being erected upon the concrete foundations. The mill
is 1,350 feet long, by 130 feet wide, and the plant is in five sections,
planned so as to give continuous process. The process, in brief, is
to mine, crush, pulverize the substance mined, and then separate
ore from rock by magnetic attraction, the concentrate then being
formed into a clinker of high-grade ore. The process, if commercially
successful, will bring within marketable possibility billions of tons of
low-grade Mesabi ore. The treatment of low-grade ore of the Eastern
Mesabi is by no means a new endeavor. David T. Adams, who
made several exploring trips along the Mesabi range between 1883
and 1890, when ore was discovered at Mountain Iron by the Merritts,
writes :
In, or about, the f^H of 18S8 I gathered about 500 pounds of banded
n-arrnet'c ore and slates from cropp'nes in townsh'p 5'^-14, in the interest of
Judge Ensign. Colonel Gagy, Major Hoover, and a Mr. Peatry, and 1 took
the ore to New Jersey (the name of the place I have forgotten) and had a
concentrating test made, on a magnetic concentrator invented by one George
Finney — possibly the first of its kind in existence. The separation was suc-
cessful. The ore after treatment analysed well over 60 per cent in metal, but
on account of the high cost of treating the ore at the time, and the low prices
of ore, nothing further was done by us in try'ng to commercialize the mag-
netic ores of the eastern Mesaba. In the winter of 1888 and 1889, I did some
work, in section 11-59-14, on the magnetic formation, with no success.
However, the experiments made b}- the Jackling interests have
satisfied them that their process is financially possible, and in view
of the reputation of the projector, the average person expects that
success will attend the operations at Babbitt, thus giving St. Louis
County, literally, a new industry. The immense deposits of the
Eastern Mesabi are so placed that it is possible, in most places, to
mine the ore without much difficulty, there being no deep overburden
— in some places not any. and at the deepest point in the Babbitt
neighborhood not more than nine feet. Quarrying, therefore, is
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 667
possible without heavy initial outlay for striping. It is planned to
load the ore by steam shovels, although of course the quarrying will
be done with explosives. From the crushers, the ore will pass, by
conveyor belt, to the roll plant, thence to the ball mill plant, thence
to the magnetic separating plant. It reaches the sintering plant
comminuted to 100 mesh, and there takes the form of a clinker of
high-grade ore with so little phosphorus as to be negligible and with-
out moisture, a radical conversion certainly, from the original low-
grade state of only 27 to 30 per cent iron. There is also a by-product
of crushed rock, which the company hopes to market, believing it to
be well suited for the making of concrete.
If successful, the Mesabi Iron Company certainly has an im-
mense field in which to operate. Drilling has discovered magnetic
ore to a depth of 500 feet, in places.
The three congressional townships that constitute the Township
of Argo were recorded as having no inhabitants in 1900. The 1910
census discovered a population of 102, and the 1920 federal census,
showed that ninety-eight persons were then living in the three
townships, 59-13, 60-13, and 60-12. The present population of Argo
is probably about 500.
Ault. — Residents in congressional townships 55 north, ranges 12
and 13 west, and townships 56 north and ranges 12 and 13 west,
sought; in 1906, to obtain the consent of the county commissioners
to the organization of that territory into one township, to be known
by the name of Ault. The man most active in circulating the petition
was George L. Ault. His name heads the petition, and when same
was filed with the county auditor on August 31, 1906, George L. Ault
swore to the accuracy of the statements made in said petition.
At the September, 1906, session, the County Board of Commis-
sioners granted the petition, and ordered election to be held at the
schoolhouse situated on section 4 of township 55-12. Election was
held on September 22d, and the township organization then com-
pleted, in accordance with chapter 143, Laws of 1905.
The population of Ault Township when organized in 1906 was
stated to Fiave been not in excess of fifty. In 1900, according to
Federal Census Bureau statistics the population was 76; in 1910
it was 474 ; and in 1920, owing to the detaching of the two northern
townships; the population was found to be only 111.
Townships 56-12 and 56-13 were detached from Ault in 1918, to
form the Township of Fairbanks (sfee Fairbanks, this chapter).
Ault has only one schoolhouse, a frame building, valued at
$5,000, situated at Brimson, in township 55-12. It is classified as
School District No. 51. the officers of which are: Minnie Bodey.
Brimson. clerk; Charles Swanson, treasurer; Mrs. B. M. Highland,
chairman of directors. Enrollment in 1919-20 was 22, one male
teacher conducting the school at a salary of $100 monthly.
Before the erection of the Township of Fairbanks, there were
three school districts in the Township of Ault, numbers 51, 60, and 61.
School District No. 61 has been abandoned.
The township officers in 1920 were : Casper Soderlund, chair-
man ; Albin Hassel and George Berry, supervisors; F. C. Highland,
clerk; T. C. Peterson, treasurer; W. B. Bodey. -assessor.
Balkan. — The Township of Balkan, as now constituted, includes
all of township 59 north, range 20 west, and all of township 58 north,
range 20 west, excepting one tier of sections on the south. W'ithin
its borders is the important mining district centering in Chisholm.
668 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Organization. — It was not until 1912 that Balkan was erected,
the county commissioners on March 6, 1912, acting upon the prayer
of William Cooper and other signers of a petition circulated on or
about March 2, 1912, among the inhabitants of township 59-20, said
petition praying for the organization of that congressional township
into a township to be known as "Balkan." At that time there were
not more than seventy-live legal freeholders resident within the
territory concerned.
First Town Meeting. — The first election and town meeting was
held in the schoolhouse situated in the northwest quarter of the
northeast quarter of section 33, on Saturday, March 30, 1912.
Annexation of Chisholm and Part of Stuntz. — In May of the
next year, a petition was presented to the county officials, asking
that the bounds of the Township of Balkan be altered and changed
so as to include within said town all of sections 1 to 30, inclusive,
of township 58-20, then part of the Township of Stuntz, thus bring-
ing into the township jurisdiction all of the then Village of Chisholm,
stated to be in sections 21, 22, and 28, the south one-half of northwest
quarter of section 23, the southwest quarter of northwest quarter
of section 27, and the eastern half of the southeast quarter of sec-
tion 29, of that township. The petition asked that the township be
henceforward known as "New Balkan."
The petition met with the approval of the county commissioners
on August 6, 1913, and notice of their action was given to the town-
ships of Balkan and Stuntz, and Village of Hibbing. Apparently,
however, the name was not changed, and the township' is still
ofificially designated "Balkan."
Population. — The population of township 59-20 in 1910 was found
to be 48; in 1920, Balkan Township, as now constituted, had a popu-
lation of 670, exclusive of the population of the Village of Chisholm,
which in 1920 was 9,039.
Valuation. — Balkan Township in 1912, when first organized, had
an assessed valuation of $83,287. The tax levy in that year was
$2,207.11. The assessed valuation of real and personal property
within the enlarged township in 1919, including the Village of Chis-
holm, totalled to $35,092,197, and the taxes levied in that year
$1,786,089.76, more than one-half of which revenue came from the
Village of Chisholm.
Township Officials. — The township officials in 1920 were : W. E.
Bates, chairman; W. A. Wright and John Thomas Holmes, super-
visors; Victor Beck, clerk; Jacob Hakala, assessor; and John Perry,
treasurer.
School System. — Balkan Township is served by two school dis-
tricts, by Independent School Districts 27 and 40. Review of the
history of School District No. 27 will be found in the chapter de-
voted to Hibbing and school history of district No. 40 is given in .
Chisholm chapter.
Bassett. — The Township of Bassett now embraces four con-
gressional townships, 58 north, range 12 and 13, and 57 north, range
12 and 13.
Organization. — The township was erected in May. 1913, follow-
ing petition of Victor, Beck and twenty-four other residents of town-
ships 57-12, 57-13, and 58-12, in which three townships it was then
stated that not, more than thirty male freeholders lived. Said peti-
tion which bore date of April 14, 1913, sought the granting of
township jurisdiction over these three congressional townships.
First Election. — At session of May, 1913, the county commis-
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 669
sioners approved petition, and ordered election to be held at the resi-
dence of the Rev. A. J. Lehner, in section 28 of township 57-12, on
May 24, 1913.
Annexation of St. Louis Township. — A movement was started
in August, 1917, to attach to the Township of Bassett, as an integral
part of it, the adjoining Township of St. Louis, 58-13. Petition signed
by a sufficient number of the freeholders of that territory w^as pre-
sented to the county commissioners on August 31, 1917, J. M. Palinsky
taking oath to its accuracy and legality. Only five signatures were
appended to the petition, signers being G. E. Wolfe, Berndt Peterson,
R. E. Jefferson, J. M. Palinsky and Adolph G. Peterson, but a foot-
note certified that these five men constituted "all the legal voters and
freeholders in the Township of St. Louis." Petitioners stated, as a
reason for consolidation with Bassett: "That the territory may be
better developed by the construction of roads." On December 7,
1917, the county commissioners agreed to the consoHdation, and on
December 20th the clerks and treasurers of both townships were
requested to deliver to the new township of Bassett the records and
funds of the old organizations.
Valuation. — Real and personal property in the Township of
Bassett, when organized in 1913, was assessed at $198,348, and taxes
levied in the amount of $4,530.12. The addition of St. Louis Town-
ship to its boundaries has not materially increased its value, which
in 1919 was assessed at $223,150, for the four congressional town-
ships of Bassett. Tax levy in that year was $16,556.74.
Population. — The population of Bassett Township in 1910 was
314, but in 1920 only 235. St. Louis Township, according to federal
census report, had a population of 218 in 1910.
Township Officers. — The township officers of Bassett in 1920
were : John A. Beckman, chairman ; Alex Nisula and Thomas Holmes,
supervisors; Victor Beck, clerk; Jacob Hakala, assessor ;• and John
Perry, treasurer.
School System. — The township is in two school districts, Nos.
36 and 70. School District No. 36 covers townships 57 and 58 north,
range 13 west. There is only one schoolhouse, a frame one, valued
at $3,600, and situated at Skibo. The enrollment in the 1919-20
school year was only five. The teacher was paid $100 a month, for
a school year of nine months. The school tax, in 1919, was $2,008.50,
for a school to which went only five pupils. The school board
officials of that district, in 1920, were: Mrs. Albert Erickson, chair-
man of directors ; Charles Monstroth, Skibo, Minn., clerk ; Mrs. Frank
Gravelle, treasurer.
School District No. 70 covers townships 57 and 58, of range 12.
There is only one schoolhouse, a frame one, valued at $5,000. The
enrollment in 1919-20 year was forty-eight. There were four female
teachers, who received an average salary of $72.50 a month. The
school levy, in 1919, was $4,448.80. School board officials : John
Gustafson, chairman of directors; William Ahola, Toimi, Minn., clerk;
Mrs. Catherine Martin, treasurer.
Beatty. — The Township of Beatty takes the name of one of the
pioneer mining men of the Mcsabi Range. Noble A. Beatty was the
first signer of a petition, dated at Tower. February 20, 1906, praying
for the organization of a township under chapter 143, of the General
Laws of the State of Minnesota, 1905, said township to have juris-
Voi. ir— 11
670 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
diction over sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of congressional township
62-18. and the whole of townships 63-18 and 64-18, the erected town-
ship to take the name of "Vermilion."
The petition met the approval of the commissioners, at session
of April, 1906, and election was ordered to be held at the schoolhouse
situated in the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section
34, township 63-18. on April 21st.
On May 8, 1906, at the request of the state auditor, the county
commissioners changed the name of the new town to Beatty, with
the sanction of the petitioners, there being another township of the
name of "Vermilion" in the state.
The boundaries of Beatty Township have remained unchanged
since organization. In 1906, the assessed valuation was $69,207, and
the taxes levied $2,020.84. The valuation in 1919 was $68,567. and
the tax levy $5,725.34 for all purposes.
The township at one time was in School District No. 41, but
that district has apparently been abandoned, it perhaps being more
economical to let the township be served by what is known as the
unorganized school district, which comes directly under the super-
vision of the county superintendent. The tax levy, for school pur-
poses in Beatty Township, for the school year 1919-20 was 47.1 mills.
Beatty had a population of twelve, in 1900; in 1910, it claimed
53 residents ; and in 1920 the census-taking showed that 139 persons
lived in the township.
The township is in process of development, much of it now being
cut-over land.
Township officials. 1920: Thos. Wikely, chairman; Chas. Lappi
and Albert Larson, supervisors; J. G. Larson, clerk; A. L. Whiteside,
assessor; Robert Beatty, treasurer.
Bmabik. — The township of Biwabik, which is limited to the
congressional township 58 north, range 16 west, and includes the
villages of Biwabik, McKinley and Merritt. and is the center of a
rich mining field, w^as organized in 1892. Petition to organize was
circulated in April, 1892, and was signed by thirty-four men resident
in the area for which township powers, under the provisions of
chapter 10, General .Statutes of 1878, were sought. The first signa-
ture put on the petition was that of John B. Weimer. The petition
was presented to the countv officials, and sworn to bv A. P. Dodge,
on April 28. 1892.
First Election. — At the May, 1892, meeting of the county com-
missioners, the petition was granted, and election ordered to be held
in the store of A. P. Dodge, that being situated in the northeast
quarter of section three, township 58-16. Election was accordingly
held on May 25. 1892, the following men casting votes: Thomas
Seadden, J. R. Beringer, Colin Mclver, C. W. Leninger, L. Lewis,
John Goldsworthy, John Critzer, George Klobutcher, Thomas Mur-
ray, Martin Moiren, J. G. Cohoe. W. A. Housel, John Sullivan. Archie
McComb, Dudley W. Freeman, W. P. Johnson, Pat Carney, T. Antin,
J. G. Hansen. Mike Tanner, William Quist, John Pogorde, Nick
Bodovintz, Martin Thomas, Steven Brosnitz, Edward G. Linquist,
and Carrol Corson.
First Township Officials. — The voting brought the following
named men into office as township officers: J. G. Cohoe. A. P.
Dodge, and H. Duggan, supervisors ; W. A. Housel, clerk ; D. W.
Freeman, treasurer; A. J, Carlon and Harry Spence, assessors;
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 671
Robert Fausett and Carrol Corson, justices; Archie McComb and
L. Lewis, constables.
Population. — The boundaries of the township have remained the
same since the first organization. The census statistics do not credit
congressional township 58-16 with any population in 1890. In 1900.
Biwabik Township had a population of 574; in 1910 it had 778; and
in the 1920 census-taking shows only 304 in the township, exclusive
of the population of the villages of Biwabik and McKinley. Biwabik
village had 1.299 residents in 1900, 1.690 in 1910, and 2.024 in the
present year, 1920. The figures for McKinley are : 1900, 262 ; 1910,
411; 1920, 395.
Valuation. — The assessed valuation of Biwabik Township, ex-
clusive of the villages of Biwabik and McKinley, for the year 1919,
was $3,057,081, and the taxes collected in that year $191,937.43.
There are two school districts, independent district No. 18 and dis-
trict No. 24.
Present Officials. — The township offtcers for 1920 are K. S. John-
son, chairman; Edward Kinney and Grover Helsel, supervisors;
Wm. J. Lundgren, clerk; Wm. Dopp, assessor; Oscar Strom,
treasurer.
Breitung. — The Township of Breitung was the first of the central
townships of St. Louis County to come into prominence. It has
historic interest, in that it is the center of the mining on the Ver-
milion Range, the first iron range to be discovered in Northern
Minnesota.
The "Proceedings of the Lake Superior Mining Institute," for
1895, in which year its meetings were held on the Vermilion and
Mesabi ranges, gives the following summary of mining conditions
on the Vermilion Range :
"On the Vermilion Range is quite a dififerent set of conditions
than those on the Mesabi. Instead of nearly flat deposits of ore
we find them nearly vertical. Instead of a layer of ore of limited
thickness all over a 40-acre tract, with no hanging wall to work under,
we find steeply inclined lenses of ore confined between walls of schist
and extending in a series downward to an indefinite depth. In the
place of ore so fine and powdery that it is objected to by the furnace
operators, we have here ore so solid and massive that it must be
artificially crushed by powerful machines before it can be sold (at
the Chandler mine, the ore has been crushed by nature). In the
place of covered deposits, which must be sought for by drill holes
and test pits, there were originally bold bare knobs of hard jasper
and hematite projecting in polished peaks and domes a hundred feet
above the surrounding, more easily eroded, schist. It must be ad-
mitted, however, that there is more regularity in the occurrence of
the Mesabi ore beds than those of the Vermilion ; and more can be
told of the probable occurrence of ore in a given locality by a study
of the surrounding geology and typography than can be predicted in
any way on the Vermilion."
A historical review of mining on the Vermilion Range will have
place in the chapter regarding Tower and Soudan, which places,
chartered city and unincorporated village respectively, owe their
existence to the mining operations begun on the Vermilion in the
early '80s.
The Township of Breitung was organized in 1883, to have juris-
diction over unorganized townships 62 north, ranges 14 and 15 west.
It takes its name from that of one of the pioneers of mining on the
672
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Vermilion. Vermilion Lake covers more than half of township 62-15,
and apart from the ceaseless mining operations at Soudan, there is
very little activity in the township. Or at least there was until
quite recently when negotiations were completed to work valuable
beds of peat in the township, which in places is very marshy.
The roads of the township are moderately good, and the dis-
trict is well served by the Duluth and Iron Range Railway, which
passes through to Ely. Breitung Township is famed for most beau-
tiful lake and most majestic mountain scenery. In parts the town-
ship is absolutely in the wild state.
In 1883 the Township of Breitung had an assessed valuation of
$20,133; in 1919 its assessment was on $543,069. The total taxes in
1883 were $251.62; in 1919 the total was $46,944.67, exclusive of
Tower, which city had a tax-levy of $18,109.78 in that year.
SOUDAN SHAFT AND POWERHOUSE
Breitung Township is in School District No. 9, which centres
in Tower. A review of the school history will be part of the Tower
chapter, and therefore school matters need not be further referred
to here.
The present township officials are : Walter Wellander, chair-
man; Nels Bodine and Matt Karvala, supervisors; J. Nyberg, clerk;
Ben P. Johnson, assessor; John Helstrom, treasurer.
The population of Breitung Township has shown a decline since
the opening of this century, although the decline has not been pro-
portionate with the decline in mining operations, which thirty years
ago totalled to 500,000 tons a year, and now is not much more than
one-fifth of that yearly output. The population of the township in
1900 was 2,034; in 1910 it was 1,214; and in 1920 it was 1,227. The
population of the City of Tower is now only 706; in 1900 it was 1,366.
Canosia. — The township of Canosia was organized in 1888, and
formerly was part of Rice Lake Township. Its organization was
the outcome of a petition of Leonard Reamer and thirty-six other
freeholders of that part of Rice Lake Township, the petitioners pray-
ing that congressional townships 51 and 52 north, ranges 15 and 16,
four townships in all, be set apart from Rice Lake Township, and
DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 673
organized as a separate township, which it was originally proposed
be named "Camasia," that name having been first written into the
petition, but eventually ruled out, and the name "Canosia" written
above it on the instrument.
The petition came before the county commissioners at their board
meeting of December 6, 1887, and they then took exception to the
granting of it. The matter was referred by them to a committee,
which, on February 3, 1888, reported favorably, and "recommended
that the prayer of the petitioners be granted."
Therefore, the board of commissioners set apart the township on
that day, and ordered t 
