USA > Minnesota > St Louis County > Duluth > 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, Volume II > Part 25
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"Some time during the spring of 1887, I made another trip to the west end of the range, accompanied by A. J. Harding, then of Duluth. On this trip, I traced the range to the southwest, from the ledge in Prairie River to the Mississippi River. * I then travelled
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northerly from Prairie River for a considerable distance, examining the dritt ore as I went, and tracing it to the north boundaries of its source. After five or six days to the east, I returned to Prairie River, and pitched camp on the south side, between the upper and lower rapids. That same night, Captain LeDuc, then of Duluth, but a veteran explorer and mining man of the Michigan ranges, and his son, Ernest, who had come through the country from 59-14, on the eastern end of the range, pitched their tent alongside mine, and we all spent a delightful evening around the camp fire, talking of former exploring trips, * * * and of the possibilities of the new range. In the course of our conversation, the captain told me of many places where he had found drift ore and quartz on the surface, also that in his opinion some of the largest bodies of hematite ore in the world would be found in the future somewhere between township 59-14 and where we were camped. I heartily agreed with him, as he was the only man I had heard, up to that time, express that view. * * *
"In, about, the winter of 1887, and during the spring and summer of 1888, Captain John Mallman of Duluth did some exploring on the east end, in section 11, of 59-14. He was the first to start actual explorations on the east end; and in the exact place, section 20-59-14, where I found my first drift ore in the fall of 1883, Captain Frank Hibbing did some work, but none of these explorations proved a success.
"In, or about, the fall of 1888, I gathered about 500 pounds of banded magnetic ore and slates from croppings in township 59-14, in the interest of Judge Ensign, Colonel Gagy, Major Hover, and a Mr. Peatre. I took the ore to New Jersey (the name of the place I have forgotten), and had a concentrating test made on a magnetic con- centrator invented by one George Finney-possibly the first of its kind in existence. The separation was successful ; the ore after treat- ment analysed well over 60 per cent in metal, but on account of the high cost of treating the ore at the time, nothing further was done by us, in trying to commercialize the magnetic ores of the eastern Mesabi. In the winter of 1888 and 1889, I did some work in section 11-59-14 on the magnetic formation, with no success."
Mesaba Village Township Organization .- From the foregoing extracts from the narrative of Mr. David T. Adams, it will be realized that the thoughts of mining men of St. Louis county were, as regards the Mesabi range, first centered on township 59-14, which now is the township of Mesaba. In the early '90s, lumbering operations, and mining explorations were active in that township, and a community formed in section 21, it being ascertained that 201 people were resi- dent there on May 25, 1891, when a census was taken for the purposes of prosecuting an endeavor to get corporate powers for the com- munity. A petition, bearing date May 29, 1891, was circulated in that part of congressional township 59-14, and signed by E. P. Lowe, F. C. Colvin, and thirty-eight others, praying the county commis- sioners to grant the inhabitants corporate powers, under chapter 145, General Laws of Minnesota, 1885, as a village called "Mesaba," with boundaries as follows: eighty acres situated in section 21, being the southern half of the northwest quarter of that section of township 59-14, said eighty acres having already been platted, and the plat recorded at the office of the Register of Deeds, on May 13, 1891, and designated the "Mesaba Central Division."
First Election .- The petition came before the county commis- sioners at their June, 1891, session, and meeting with their approval,
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an election was ordered to be held at the schoolhouse, lot 32, block 1, of townsite of Mesaba Central Division, on July 7th. It was duly held, and resulted in seventy-seven of the eighty-two votes cast being in favor of the incorporation.
First Officers .- Election for officers was held at the same place on July 25, 1891, when the following named residents were elected : E. P. Lowe, president ; F. S. Colvin, recorder ; A. G. Mckinley, treas- urer ; John L. Olson, James Caza and E. A. Taylor, trustees; D. B. Clark and J. H. Woodman, justices; Fred Nelson and A. H. Allen, constables.
Petition to annex land in the south part of the north-eastern quarter of north-western quarter of section 21 was presented to the county officials early in March, 1893. Election was held in the vil- lage on May 16th, and, of 31 votes cast, 28 favored the addition to the village.
Village and Township Assessment .- The village of Mesaba has almost passed away. Its population, never big, has dwindled to an insignificant number. In 1910 there were 84 people living in it, and in 1920 only 54. It had had two or three spurts of activity in its history, but they have not been of long duration or much consequence. It is rather remarkable that, in 1914, a Town Hall of brick and stone was built at a cost of $9,000, and a water and lighting system installed. While there are several mines in the township, the assessed valuation of both village and township does not exceed $440,000. And the population of both township and village has dropped from 697 in 1910 to 115 in 1920.
The village officials in 1920 were: John Wallace, president; Geo. H. Saliday, Jack Reed, and A. D. McRae, councilmen ; A. P. McRae, clerk ; Chas. Wallberg, treasurer.
Not many of the old pioneers of the village and township still reside in it. Judge A. D. McRae is probably the oldest resident, and he dates back, in residence, only to 1899.
There is a fine school building at Mesaba, but the village and township school system is under the direction of the Aurora district (No. 13).
Organization of Township .- The incorporation of the village of Mesaba preceded the organization of the township of that name. The township was not formed until September, 1892, fifteen months after the village took corporate power. It was then brought about in response to a petition signed by A. M. Mckinley, E. P. Lowe, D. B. Clark, F. S. Colvin, and others, the commissioners granting the peti- tion on September 6th.
First Township Officials .- Election was held. "at the Mesaba Lumber Company's store building in the village of Mesaba," on Sep- tember 24, 1892, and brought the following into office: N. B. Shank (chairman), Thos. McDonald and Frank Schue, supervisors; G. J. Hardy, clerk; F. S. Colvin, treasurer ; Jas. A. Robb, assessor ; D. B. Clark and John L. Olson, justices; Fred Nelson and Fred Clark, con- stables. According to custom, the clerk notified the county auditor of result of election. After listing names of officers he added: "all good Republicans but one."
Mining in Township .- Mining has not been appreciable in the township. John Mallman's work of test-pitting and shaft-sinking did not create or hold interest after the great discoveries further west on the Mesabi range in 1890 and later. John Mallman had leased land from Lazarus Silverman, of Chicago, and in association with Trimble
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had gone well forward with his work when the rush westward oc- curred. The Mallman property passed through many hands during the next decade or so. In, about, 1905, it came into the control of Capt. M. L. Fay. Later, the lease was sold to Capt. G. A. St. Clair, and the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Company built a five-mile spur to connect the property with their system, in 1907. It became known as the Spring mine, and in 1907, 15,000 tons of ore was shipped from it, 20,000 tons in 1909, and 30,000 tons in 1910, since which year it has not been worked.
The Mayas mine, Northeast quarter southwest section 15, town- ship 59-14, also belonged to the St. Clair interest. It was explored in 1905, and began shipping in 1906, in that year shipping 107,244 tons, and slightly more in the next year. Nothing further came from it until 1918 when (as from the Vega mine) came 4,382 tons, and in 1919 8,799 tons.
From the Knox mine, explored by Hartley, Congdon and others in 1903, shipments began in 1909. Only about 350,000 tons has, how- ever, been won from this mine, which is situated in southeast quarter southwest section 19-59-14. It is now owned by the Graham Iron Company, which company also operates the Graham mine, 2-59-14. That started shipping in 1913, and in the next four years produced more than eleven hundred thousand tons. The Vivian mine, 20-59-14, owned by the Northern Pacific Railway Company, was operated for three years, 1913-15, and yielded about 73,000 tons. The only other mine in 59-14 is the Adriatic, west quarter northeast section 30-59-14, operated by the Adriatic Mining Company. The mine was explored by O. D. Kinney, E. B. Hawkins, and others in 1901-02, and is one of the Pickands Mather and Company properties. The first shipment from it was in 1906, and only 1,100,000 tons have been mined there altogether.
Taxes .- That is the extent of the mining operations in Mesaba Township, and there is not much more ore in sight. Still, even yet the township pays a substantial sum in taxes. In 1892, the tax levy in township and village of Mesaba totalled to $806.99; in 1919 the levy was $32,246.61.
Township Officials, 1920 .- The township officials, in 1920, were: John Wallace (chairman), Chas. Wallberg and Even Froen, super- visors; C. M. Ford, clerk; A. P. McRae, assessor; J. C. Schmid, treasurer.
Midway .- The township of Midway is a continuation of the old township of Fond du Lac, which was one of the oldest townships of the county.
St. Louis County, Minnesota, was erected in 1856, and in the same year the village of Fond-du-Lac was surveyed by Richard Ralf, and platted into village lots. The plats were signed by James A. Mark- land, attorney for the proprietors.
The townships of St. Louis County in 1873 were Duluth, Oneota, Fond-du-Lac, Rice Lake, and Hermann. All else was classed as "outside lands."
The township of Fond-du-Lac in that year had a taxable value of $35,408.00. The total levy was forty-two mills.
A census of Fond-du-Lac was taken on January 30, 1893, and showed that there were then 190 residents in the area.
At about that time a petition was circulated, with the object of "incorporating as the village of Fond-du-Lac all of sections 5. 6, 7 and 8 of township 48-15," a portion of the territory "duly platted into
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lots and blocks, as the town of Fond-du-Lac," and duly recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds; and sections 6 and. 8 "platted as East Fond-du-Lac"; the balance unplatted, it being asserted that no part was in any incorporated village or city.
The petition was signed by W. H. Hollenbeck, and thirty-one other freeholders, and was dated February 28, 1893.
The petition was approved and granted on March 3, 1893. Ac- cordingly, election was held, on April 11th, W. H. Hollenbeck, B. F. Bishop, and C. A. Krause acting as inspectors of election. They certified that at the School House of District No. 2, of St. Louis county on April 11, 1893, the election was held, and that, of forty ballots cast, thirty-one votes were in favor of incorporation, and nine against.
HISTORIC FOND DU LAC
On July 7, 1896, a petition, signed by Olaf Gulbrandson and thirty-five others, sought to change the name of the township of Fond-du-Lac to "Midway." The county commissioners granted the petition on that day. The township then had an assessed valuation of $96,596: in 1919 it was only $123,277. The taxes in 1896 amounted to $2,023.31. In 1919 they totalled to $7.024.45.
Fond-du-Lac is in two school districts: Independent School Dis- trict No. 1 (sec Proctor), and district No. 7. District No. 7 embraces most of township 49-15, and has three schoolhouses, all of frame con- struction, the three valued at $2.500. The enrollment at these rural schools in 1919 totalled to 112 scholars. They were instructed by three female teachers, who received an average salary of $80 a month, for the school year of eight months. The school levy was $1,906.10. The school board officials in 1919-20 were: H. Norman, clerk ; Mrs. Anna B. Forsell, treasurer: P. E. Nordin, chairman of directors. School District No. I made a school levy of 62 mills, Midway's share being on an assessed valuation of $16.588.
The township officials in 1920 were: Aaron Stark (chairman), Eric Johnson and John A. Anderson, supervisors; Henry Norman, clerk ; Emil L. Nolin, assessor ; John F. Anderson, treasurer.
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The foregoing is only a brief, but necessary, review of Midway township for this chapter. Many other references will be found else- where in this volume to Fond-du-Lac, one of the most historic places of St. Louis County ; in fact, of Minnesota.
Missabe Mountain .- The Township of Missabe Mountain, which is one of the wealthiest of the county, was organized in 1892. In 1892, its assessed valuation was $315,400, but mining discoveries and developments, and the rapid growth of the cities and villages within its borders-Virginia, Eveleth, Franklin and Gilbert-has increased its valuation to more than $64,000,000, and taxes amounting to almost $4,500,000 were levied on property of Missabe Mountain Township and incorporated places in 1919. In 1892, the total tax levy of Missabe Township was $5,152.87. Truly, a noteworthy development within a period of not much more than a generation.
Township Organization .- In June, 1892, a petition was circulated among the residents of congressional township 58-17. The petition, addressed to the county commissioners asked that petitioners, legal voters of the territory concerned, be granted township powers, pro- vided by chapter 10, of the General Statutes of Minnesota, 1878, over township 58-17. J. D. Middleton swore to the accuracy of the state- ments made in petition, on June 3, 1892, on which day it came before the county commissioners for their consideration. They approved the petition, and set off township 58-17 as the Township of Missabe Mountain, and ordered election to be held at the Missabe Mountain Camp, situated in the western half of section 8, on June 22d.
First Officers .- Election was then held, eighteen votes being cast, with the following result: Charles Davis, Emile Burnett and Thomas Short were elected supervisors, the last named being chairman ; A. L. Culbertson, treasurer; Noble Beatty, assessor; Greenway and C. D. Hanson, justices; John McLeod and James Gallagher, constables ; Joseph Elliott, clerk.
Mining .- The mining operations within the boundaries of Mis- sabe Mountain Township are of such extent that even the briefest review could not be made in this chapter. But in other parts of this work ample reference to that phase of the township affairs will be made. And the establishment and growth of the cities of Vir- ginia and Eveleth, and of the village of Gilbert will be the subjects of special chapters.
Population .- The population of the township in 1890 was so small that it has not been recorded. In 1900 the population was 2,246; in 1910 it had increased to 5,410; and in 1920, to 5,502. These figures are exclusive of the two cities Virginia and Eveleth, but in- clusive of the two villages of Gilbert and Franklin. Franklin's population, in 1920, was 807. (It was not incorporated until 1915.) Gilbert, which was incorporated in 1908, had a population of 1,700 in 1910 and 3,510 in 1920. Add Virginia 1920 population, 14,022, and that of Eveleth, 7,205, to the figures for the township, and it will be seen that Missabe Mountain Township is the most populous of the Range townships.
Education .- Missabe Mountain is in three school districts, Nos. 18, 22, and 39, Gilbert, Virginia, and Eveleth, respectively. Gilbert Independent School District No. 18 has direction and responsibility for education in part of townships 57, 58, and 59-16, and part of 58-17 ; Virginia Independent School District No. 22 has the administration of school affairs in township 59-17 and part of 58-17; and Eveleth Independent School District No. 39 covers 57-17 and part of 58-17.
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The history of these school districts will be found in the city and village chapters.
Franklin, The Incorporated Village of .- A petition, signed by George L. Noyes, G. H. Lohneis, and Joseph Hendy and others resident in the mining location known as Franklin, was circulated in January, 1915, the petition seeking to obtain consent of the county officials to the incorporation, as a village to be named "Franklin." of the "westerly 518 feet SE gr., NW qr., sec. 9, of township 58-17, platted into lots and blocks, as the Plat of Franklin" and certain adjoining territory, embracing in all about 1,320 acres. A census carefully taken, of the people living on the land for which corporate powers were sought disclosed that, between January 26th and Feb- ruary 2d of that year, 1915, there were 908 residents. This and other statements made in petition were sworn to, as to accuracy, by the petitioners above named. The petition was filed with the
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MISSABE MOUNTAIN TOWNSHIP HALL ( NOW THE HOME OF EVELETH MASONS)
county auditor on February 5, 1915, and considered by the county commissioners on the day next following. They adopted the peti- tion at that meeting, and ordered election to be held on March 6. 1915, at the Franklin Mine Office.
The election was held, and of seventy votes cast, sixty-five were in favor, and five against.
It is a well administered mining village, with many of the con- veniences of larger communities. On December 17, 1917, an election was held to decide whether ordinance "providing for the erection of a waterworks for public purposes, and for private use, in the Vil- lage of Franklin * to cost not to exceed sixty thousand dollars" shall be ratified. Twenty voted, all in favor.
The Franklin Mine, which belongs to the Republic Iron and Steel Company has been worked steadily for a generation, and has yielded about 2,400,000 tons of ore. Apparently, very little is now available.
Old Town Hall .- It is of interest to note that the Missabe Mountain Town Hall, which was built at a cost of $10,000 in 1906.
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at the north end of Adams Avenue, Eveleth, was sold in 1919, or 1920, to the Masonic fraternity of Eveleth. The historic building, after considerable alteration, both to interior and exterior was opened, with appropriate ceremonies, as the Masonic Temple, in October, 1920.
Present Officials .- The officials of Missabe Mountain Township in 1920 were: Ed Coombe, chairman ; T. A. Flannigan, and J. W. Williams, supervisors; D. D. Rutherford, clerk; Roy Edmunds, as- sessor ; Floyd F. Murray, treasurer.
Morcom .- The Township of Morcom, the area of which is one congressional township, that of township 61 north, range 21 west, was erected in 1903. It is far from railroads, but is good agricultural territory, being bounded by French Township on the south, by Stur- geon Township on the east, by unorganized territory on the north, and by Itasca County on the west.
F. A. Thompson and fourteen other freeholders of township 61-21 signed a petition on June 1, 1903, asking the county commissioners to organize their territory as the Township of Sturgeon. (Sturgeon Lake is within a couple of miles of the southern boundary line of Morcom Township, and Sturgeon Townships, 61-20, had not then been formed.) However, the township name was altered before the petition was presented to the county officials, the second name chosen for the township being "Roosevelt."
As the Township of Roosevelt, the commissioners erected town- ship 61-21 into organized territory, on September 3, 1903. They caused notices to be placed in public places throughout that territory notifying the legal voters of it that an election would be held on September 23, 1903. The election was held and the township came into actual administration as an organized area. The state auditor found, however, that there was another Township of Roosevelt in the state, and consequently requested the county commissioners to cause to be selected another name for the organized township 61-21 .. The commissioners appear to have then themselves selected a name, that of Morcom, probably to honor the long service to the county of Commissioner Elisha Morcom, of Soudan. The name was confirmed by the residents of the township.
In 1904, Morcom Township had an assessed valuation of $48,732; in 1919 its valuation was $66,657. Its taxes increased in the same period from $1,481.45 to $3,912.76.
The federal census showed only one person as having residence in township 61-21 in 1900; in 1910, the population was stated to be 76; and in 1920, 125. They are legitimate settlers-agricultural pio- neers, who are clearing wild or cut-over lands, and bringing them gradually into good farming acreages.
The present township officers are: Ole H. Johnorud, chairman ; Theo. Helm and Gullik Fosso, supervisors; Ole J. Eid, clerk; L. E. Sellberg, assessor; A. A. Olson, treasurer.
The township is the area covered by School District No. 48. There are two schoolhouses, both of frame, valued in 1919 at $3,000. Apparently, however, only one schoolhouse is in use, as during the school year 1919, when the enrollment of scholars in the township was 26, only one teacher was engaged, she being paid a salary of $95 a month, for the school year of nine months. The school levy in that year was $1,486.45. The school board is at present constituted as follows: Herman Thompson Cook, clerk; A. A. Olson, treasurer ; Mrs. E. E. Pixley, chairman of directors.
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Morse .- The Township of Morse, which embraces four congres- sional townships, is particularly historic. Its organization dates back to 1887, and its history to the pioneer mining days of Northern Min- nesota. The City of Ely, and Village of Winton are within its bor- ders, and some of the richest mines of the Vermilion Range. Its valuation (assessed) has increased from $41,693, in 1887, to $6,768,738 in 1919, the last figure including the City of Ely, the assessed valua- tion of which in 1919 was $4,767,996. The Township of Morse contributed to the taxes of St. Louis County in 1887 only $366.90. In 1919, the tax levy (including Ely and Winton) of Morse Township was $522,148.77. It will therefore be seen that Morse Township is a factor of importance to and in St. Louis County.
The township was organized by the county commissioners at their session of July 9, 1887, such action being taken in response to a petition dated June 16, 1887, said petition having the signatures of H. R. Harvey, J. H. Hopperton and others, and seeking the organiza- tion as the "Town of Morse," of congressional townships 62 and 63 north, range 12 west, "and such portions of townships 63-11 and 62-11 as are in St. Louis County."
The election, or first town meeting, was ordered by the commis- sioners to be held on July 28th of that year, "at the Post Office Building in the Town of Ely."
Thus, the Township of Morse came into being. There had been an earlier attempt to organize township 63-12, as the township of "Odanau," a petition to that effect having been prepared in May, 1887, signed by Thomas Ross, D. A. Ross, and others, and dated May 31st, but whether this petition came before the commissioners earlier than that dated June 16th, upon which they acted, is not clear, the record stating that the petition of Thomas Ross and others was referred back to the commissioners without recommendation by the com- mittee appointed to examine and consider it. It came back to the commissioners at the session of July 9, 1887, and was "laid on the table," the commissioners on same day granting the Harvey-Hop- perton petition.
Ely, Village of .- Ely became a village in 1888, and a city in 1891, as will be elsewhere reviewed in this work, and now has a popula- tion of 4,902.
Winton, Village of .- The Village of Winton was' incorporated in 1901, a petition, dated May 22d, of that year, and signed by C. O. Bystrom and John L. Olson and others then resident in the territory concerned, sought to have incorporated all "that portion of the SE qr. of NE qr., and the NE qr. of SE qr. of section 24 of township 63-12," as the village of "Fall Lake." under authority of chapter 145 of the General Laws of Minnesota, 1885, said land having been platted, and the plat filed with the Register of Deeds, at the county offices, Duluth, on October 5, 1899, and marked: "Plat of Fall Lake."
The petition was filed in the office of the county auditor on June 1, 1901, and came before the county commissioners for their con- sideration and action on June 10th. They ordered a special election to be held to ascertain the will of the voters of that territory, desig- nating the "lower room of building on lot 4, block 5. of plat of Fall Lake" as the place of assembly for voting, and setting July 23d as the day of election.
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