Fifty Years In The Northwest by William H. C. Folsom

Charlemagne Tower is president. The iron mines located in this vicinity are amongst the richest on the continent. Attention was first called to the Vermillion by the reported discovery of gold. Machinery for crushing and smelting was transported thither, but the thousands who rushed to the reputed gold field expecting to become suddenly rich, returned disappointed and disheartened. Attention had long before been called to the fact that there were rich iron mines in the district, but the circumstances were unfavorable for their development. They were in a remote position and accessible only by a journey of several days through woods and swamps. These mines could be reached and developed only by state aid, which was given in the shape of a grant of swamp lands, to be applied to building a railway from the lake to the mines. This grant having been obtained, Mr. Tower and other capitalists at once invested their millions in the mines, purchasing some 8,000 acres of land, covering the larger portion of the iron deposits in the district, embracing the present site of the village of Tower. A railroad sixty-eight miles in length was constructed from Tower to Two Harbors, a point twenty-seven miles north of Duluth. This road was completed in the spring of 1884, and the first shipment was made July 3d of that year, the total shipments for the year being 62,124 tons. The shipments for 1885 were 225,484 tons, and for 1886, 304,000 tons. Over $3,000,000 was paid to laborers in the Tower mines in 1887. COL. GEORGE E. STONE, of Duluth, is deserving of praise for his foresight and energy in opening the Tower mines. Mr. Stone labored with untiring zeal after the land grant to aid in building the road was given until the road was built and the mines opened. GEORGE R. STUNTZ is well known as the government surveyor of the Lake Superior region, whose work covers thousands of miles of North Wisconsin lands, lying along the southern shore of the lake, and who has accurately mapped the meanderings of the influent streams, the bays and shaggy projecting shores of the great "Unsalted Sea." There is no better topographical authority than Mr. Stuntz, and no one better posted as to the location and value of the Northern Wisconsin areas and the Vermillion mines. Having early made Superior City and Duluth his home, and for nearly forty years having been identified with the interests of the West Superior country, he is an oft-quoted authority. Many of his published articles contain most valuable information concerning the feasibility of connecting St. Croix and Superior waters. His assertions concerning the mineral wealth of the lake country, made before the development of the mines, have since been verified. Mr. Stuntz is a typical, sensible frontiersman, of American birth, aged about seventy years. CHARLES HINMAN GRAVES, a native of Springfield, Massachusetts, born in 1839, received a liberal education, and in 1861 enlisted as a private in the Fortieth Massachusetts Volunteers, but was promoted step by step to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was severely wounded at the battle of Gettysburg. In 1865 he was commissioned as a colonel in the regular army, but resigned in 1870, and located at Duluth. From 1873 to 1876 he was a member of the state senate. He has held several public positions in Duluth, and stands deservedly high as a citizen. He has labored zealously and efficiently for the prosperity of Duluth. OZRO P. STEARNS was born Jan. 13, 1831, at De Kalb, Lawrence county, New York. In his youth he was dependent upon his own resources. He graduated at Michigan University in 1858, after which he visited California, tried mining for a short time, and returning graduated in the law department of Michigan University. In 1860 he came to Rochester, Minnesota, and opened a law office. In 1862 he enlisted in Company F, Ninth Minnesota Volunteers, of which he was commissioned first lieutenant, but in 1864 was promoted to the colonelcy of the Thirty-ninth United States Infantry (colored). He served through many battles and campaigns, and was mustered out at the close of the war. In January, 1866, he returned to Rochester; in 1867 was appointed register in bankruptcy for Southern Minnesota; in January, 1871, he was elected to the United States senate for a short term to fill the vacancy caused by the death of D. S. Norton. In 1872 he removed to Duluth, and in 1874 was appointed judge of the Eleventh Judicial district, to which office he was elected in the fall of the same year, which position, by re-election, he still holds. Judge Stearns was married in February, 1863, to Sarah Burger, of Detroit, Michigan. LAKE COUNTY. This county lies on the north shore of Lake Superior, between the counties of Cook and St. Louis, extending northward to the British line. The whole region is abrupt, broken into hills and valleys, and rich in silver, iron and other metals. The great Vermillion iron mines of St. Louis county find an outlet through this county by the Duluth & Iron Range railroad, which finds a lake station at Two Harbors. The road was built from Two Harbors to Vermillion lake in 1885, from Two Harbors to Duluth in 1887. The entire road and extensive mines were sold in June, 1887, for $8,000,000, to Porter and others, who are now extending the road from Vermillion lake eastward to Thunder Bay and Port Arthur. It is already completed to Ely, a distance of twenty miles. Emigration during the years 1886-7 to this county has been very extensive. The two counties, Lake and Cook, have many features in common. They are similar in geological formation, produce the same metals in the same generous abundance, and being in the same latitude, and bordering upon the same lake, differ in no wise in climate and but little in productions. Large quantities of pine timber may be found in these counties, and saw mills are located along the lake shore where an accessible harbor can be found. There are several harbors between Duluth and Thunder Bay that might be improved by the government, greatly to the advantage of the country. The silver mines of Isle Royal and along the national boundary are extensive, and yield rich returns to the companies working them. TWO HARBORS, A flourishing village located on the shore of Lake Superior, takes its name from two small harbors bearing that name. The Vermillion Iron Company have built extensive piers into the lake to facilitate the shipping of ores. They have large shops for railroad purposes, with an electric light plant. The company employ about two hundred men. Two Harbors is the county seat of Lake county. COOK COUNTY. Grand Marais is the county seat of Cook county. It is a round, land-locked harbor. It has a lighthouse, and the government has built a breakwater four hundred feet long, thus making it a harbor of refuge, so that boats can lie with safety in any storm. Grand Marais is one hundred and ten miles from Duluth, on the north shore of Lake Superior. It is the best harbor that Minnesota has except Duluth. It is thirty miles south of the international boundary line, and forty-five miles northeast of the line by Lake Superior. It is the natural outlet for the mineral deposits north. There are large quantities of iron ore within thirty-five miles of the harbor. A railroad line has been run, and men are now at work on the iron deposits with a view of shipping the ore from Grand Marais to points where it is wanted for smelting purposes. Grand Marais was in early days one of the Northwest Fur Company's trading posts, but of late years has been used as a fishing station. Streets in the town are now being laid out, and from present indications Cook county, with its pine lands, iron ore and other mineral resources, will be one of the most thriving counties in the State, with Grand Marais as not only a harbor of refuge, but one of the competing ports for the shipment of iron ore. H. Mayhew, to whom we are indebted for items of interest concerning Cook county, is the oldest resident of Grand Marais, and one of the town proprietors.