Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, June 27, 1896, Page 1

+ &%} Vou IV.—No. 44. sha V ‘ WON LL LLL le le i The Immigration . Convention time to write ads. Itasca Mercantile Has attracted so muck attention during the week that we have had no something interesting to sav. + , Grand Rapids Herald Review. Granp Rapinps, Irasca County, Minn., SaTuRDAY, JUNE 27, 1896. © Next week we will have Company _ HeraLtp—Vot. Il, No. 41. 8% OO ee e® LLL LL LL MM, hh hl CUM N N : \ se | N N i | \ \ } N | N N v= * N | Ly | | \ a Oy Mr. Farmer, monkeying around with an old, out of date cultivator, and don’t think of tackling such a looking fleld with a hoe. To do business properly, you need one of our new Fe Il Guiti owe Ultivators. ] They cost little, do more and better work than any other and are } altogether the most satisfactory cultivator on the market. But we have other kinds if you want them. * . . Come in and Look us Over . . : W. J. & H. D. Powers. ? Grand Rapids Ladies a Keep apace with the prevailing styles, and our experience with the trade here has demonstrated that no exception is made to this rule in the line of Jewelry. ‘ Belts are worn this season, and to meet the demand and to please every artistic taste, we have a carefully selected stock of % Ladies’ Latest Leather Belts, Woven Wire Belts in both Gold and Silver, es Dress Sets, Silver Buckles, Belt Pins and Skirt Supporters. They are welj worth a careful inspection. Nisbett & Warriner, ‘ o & OQ The Jewelers. SLSLSLSISLSWSLSISOSLSOSLSLISISVSISLSS Dealers in all Kinds of =— FRESH AND SALT ALL THE DELICACIES bk OF THE =" Méats Leland Avenue, GRAND RAPIDS. Choice Cuts of Sirloin and Porter- house Beef steak. Legs of Mutton.and Ribs of Beef. Alt Kinds of Sausages. Spring Lamb. Fish and Oysters in Season. Lake Superier Trout. Shad. __Cove Oysters. Canned Salmon, Mackerel and Clams. deme ae 7 petet erie, Be ig’s Feet. wT S f, Fresh Latd Eggs. is “Whitefish. | Summer Sausage. Pineapples | White String Beans | Tomatees Strawberries | Lettuce | Onions | CGucoumbers Piepiant | Celery | Radishes WE SELL THE FAMOUS “EMPIRE CREAMERY BUTTER” Caste & Lipsy. Prompt Free Delivery. ere ] Progressive Men of Minnesota Meet in Conven- tion at Grand Rapids. IMMIGRATION CONVENTION A GRAND SUCCESS Prominent Representatives From Many Sections Address Large Audiences and Set Forth the Varied Resources of the Sixth District of Minnesota---Steamer Excursion on the Upper Mississiqpi. This has been an eventful week .in } number of the visitors from going to the history of Grand Rapids and no|the new experimental sub-station and local event has ever been of more sterling worth to this vigorous young scorcher than the immigration ‘con- vention which began its sessions here at 10 o’clock a. m., on Wednesday. Merry music and cordial courtesy greeted the expectant visitors when the train arrived Tuesday evening and their unanimous verdict 1s that their highest expectations have been. much more than realized. In this ‘import- ant gathering there has been ‘another grand lesson that in earnest; united efiort great results can be achieved. It is a reminder of the initial work toward securing the northeastern sub- station of the state experimental farm when those who presumed to know said, “It is impossible, that valuable institution can never be located here,” and yet, itis located here. The ac- ession of such an educator has been a prime factor in swelling the success of this week’s convention, and Divinity only can calculate what the future has in store for this progressive people of the North, through the spint of earn- est, judicious, united effort which has now been inculcated. Most of the convention visitors ar- rived Tuesday evening, escorted by Hon. D. M. Gunn, A. G. Bernard and E. C. Kiley, the committee ap- pointed for that duty and the recep- tion committee here, Messrs. D. W. Doran, E. A. Kremer, John Beckfelt, W. R. Baumbach also looked after the welfare of the guests. The depot ptatform crowded with interested citi- zens, and the music by the Grand ‘Rapids Brass band was evidently ap- preciated by all. The Hotel Pokeg- ama soon afterward swarmed with the delighted strangers, while some went to the Hotel Gladstone and. others were cared for at the homes of friends. Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning were cloudy with dashes of rain, but this did not deter quite a other points of interest in and about the county seat. The star spangled banners were. all flying to the breeze Wednesday morn- ing and, in the unavoidable absence of Dr. C. A. Kesley, president of the Sixth district Immigration association, its third convention was called to order by Secretary Bernard of the Itasca County Immigration committee. The opening prayer was offered by Rev. Charles Campbell of the Presby- terian church. The address of wel- come to the visitors was delivered by Judge Charles Kearney, president of the “Grand Rapids Village council. An announcement that Hon. Theo- dore L. Schurmeier, president of the Interstate Immigration association was present, elicited applause and a motion was at once unanimously car- ried that Mr. Schurmeier act as chair- man of the convention. He accepted gracefully and addressed the meeting substantially as follows: Mr. President of the council, ladies and gentlemen: It is a source of special pleasure for me to meet with this convention to- day in your thriving young city, which, though now, in its virgin con- dition, will, with development, prove to be one of the most prosperous sec- tions in our country. When we reflect that only a few short years ago the city of Brainerd was the outpost of civilization, and all to the northward was practically an unknown land ex- ee to the adventurous hunter, and today we find a prosperous city like Grand Rapids, almost at the very head waters of the Mississippi, withgbeauti- ful public buildings, fine hotels, solid business houses doing a thriving busi- ness, well attended public schouls, and all the other accessories of a most advanced and refined civilization, we may well view with interest the im- pressive lesson taught by the fact, that, comparatively speaking, Ameri- can enterprise, American push and American energy is sufficient within itself, to develop rapidly andsubstan- tially the resources of our country. Yet how many_.of our citizens are really acquainted with the houndless resources of Northern Minnesota? How many people, even in our own state, are fully aware of what Minne- sota’s northern empire has or offers? I am often asked ‘‘Are there any virgin lands left in the United States where one can take a government homestead from the public lands; land witha tertile soil, timber, water, and a suffi- cient rainfall to mature crops?” These questions have been asked me in our own state, with over 20,000 square miles of goverument, railroad and state lands, of the very best quality, awaiting the settler, within less thau a day’s travel of the ‘Twin cities. How great, then, is the necessity of makiug your advantages known, and how great the ueed of such a meet- as we have today? “With a population of over 1,500,- 500 souls Minnesota yet has the most desirable body of public land in the United States. The day that’ millons of acres of desirable government landg were available throughout the west has passed. Of Ube few tracts remaining Minnesota posseses more government land, suitable for general settlement, than all the other parts of the United States combined. These facts swe should make known to the overcrowed east. Minnesota’s northern empire occupies a magnificient natur- al position in regard to transportation and markets. The commanding posi- tion of the Twin cities creates a mar- ket for your surplus products, while the head of Lake Superior makes a good vutlet to ship, by water trans- portation eastward. Your lumber products, both in hard and soft woods will find a limitless market in the great prairie sections. How great, then are such transportation advan- tages when combined with the mil- lions of acres of farming lands in- viting homeseekers to occupy and de- velop them and create homes, which, with proper effort, will be the seats of plenty and prosperity. Here you have a virgin territory of 20,000square miles, an area equal to three states the size of Massachusetts. At a mod- est calculation, this vast domain will make farms of 80 acres each, for 160,- 000 families and sustain a population of 1,000,000 people. I firmly believe that the time is near at hand when northern Minnesota will be gridiron- ed with railways: and dotted .with prosperous and flourishing cities and villages. I well remember when it was the general opinion that South- ern Minnesota was only fit for wheat raising and capable of very limited settlement and development. Yet today we see its prosperity fully equal to that of the more favored sec- tions of our country, with a dense population and a capacity for diversi- tied production not inferior to that of any other part of the Mississippi val- ley. What has been accomplished there will take place in even greater measure in the northern empire of this state. Your varied and exten- sive forests make certain a rainfall that insures crops. ‘The native grasses here insure a great live stock and dairying industry. Your clear, cold water is also an element toward success. “Most valued results should arise from this convention. In this, my first visit to Grand Rapids, I must confess my astonishment at whatI have seen, and I am especially im- pressed by the opportunities which are unfolded before my eyes. Your enterprise and ae spirit so promptly pigl sand , leads me to be- lieve that there is no fear that the light of your advantages will, in the the future, be hidden under a bushel. “T thank you for your courteous attention and for the cordial recep- tion which I have received in your belgat young and handsome city. he hearty applause which met the remarks of Chairman Schurmeier, | showed that the sentiments expressed were highly appreciated. When it had subsided, he began the introduc- tion of the speakers beginning in the regular order with Col. E. C. Gridley, the well-known and popular orator of Duluth, who was also received en- thusiastically. The characteristic points made by the entertaming speakers of the general program are given in the following report } In opening his addres$ Col. Gridley referred to the comparatively recent discoveries of the great iron ranges of Northeastern Minnesota and of the magnitude and value of these beds of minerals. He pointed out that these deposits are only in the initial stages of development, in fact that most of them have merely been exploged suffi ciently to determine with reasonable accuracy the extent and quality of those ores. He gave abundant rea- sons why these accessions to the de- veloped resources of Minnesota are, and will continue to be, of great and substantial value to the general wel- fare. ‘Their relations to the agricul- tural interests of this section are all- important. The mining already fur- nishes large markets for the food pro- ducts of the north, and these two in- terests are bound to grow with ever- increasing vigor, and to move forward hand in hand in the progress of this region. Valuable facts and figures emphasized Col. Gridiey’s remarks. He laid specie] stress upon the very favorable effects already realized, with vastly more benefits to follow soon, in the manufacturing industries of the state. These have been felt in a most desirable manner in the installation and upbuilding of great iron manu- facturing establishments at the head of the lakes, and what the near- by future holds in these lines for the people of Northeastern Minnesota is great and beyond the power of finite mind to foretell. The natural powers of this grand district—such as the magnificent Altamonte water power which has attracted so much attention and which is practically unlimited in its capacity to furnish energy equal to that which is furnished by harnessed Niagara—will soon become subserv- ientto the uses of men, and manifold advantages will accrue to this pro- gressive people from the development of these varied resources. It is needless to say that Col. Grid- ley’s address was given marked atten- tion throughout, and frequent ap- plause gave evidence of the earnest- ness with which he portrayed these important factors of presentand future prosperity. of Minnesota’s Sixth dis- trict. Prof. Thomas Shaw of the state university, spoke upon “The Adapt- ability of the Sixth District to Live Stock Husbandry.” He dwelt upon the fertility of the soil and its varied character, upon the great diversity in crop production and splendid charac- ter of the climate for live stock pro- duction, and upon the nearness of the markets to every part of the district. In his judgment, some of the finest soils in the world are to be found here. The vanety of these soils permit variety of crops—a great desiderium Continued on Page One.