Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, March 31, 1900, Page 32

| i | GRAND KAPIDS, ITASCA COUNTY, MINNESOTA. 21 THE EASTERN MINK: RAILWAY. The Eastern Minnesota railway is part of the Great Northern railway system. The Great Northern trains, whether they approach the head of the lakes from the northwest or from the southwest, must go over the East- ern Minnesota lines. To the. travel- ing public the Eastern Minnesota is the same as the Great Northern, and yet it has a separate organization. Samuel Hill is president of the East- ern Minnesota, and L. W. Hill vice president. This road has the same excellent service that is characteristic of the Great Northern proper. Its sine extends northwest from the head of the lakes 156 miles to Cass Lake, and southwest from the head of:the lakes to St. Paul, 160 miles. There is also a branch line that runs from Swan River twenty-nine miles to Hibbing. reese epeglliindocaeeenes THANKS TO ENTERPRISING CITIZENS. The compiler of this book wishes to offer his thanks to the enterprising citizens who have made possible such a fine showing of facts in relation to the advantages and resources of Itasca county. It is one of the finest publi- cations of its kind ever issued in any county, town or city in this state. It will accomplish much for Itasca coun- ty, as will be seen before the present season is over. The citizens who by their financial support and by their influence have been instrumental in creating such a comprehensive show- ing of facts deserve the thanks of all who are interested in the development of the resources of Itasca county. THE LARGE HARDWARE STORE OF W. J. & H. D. POWERS. W.J.&H. D. POWERS. The hardware firm of W. J. & H. D. Powers is one of the most prosperous mercantile concerns in Grand Rapids. This firm came here from Brainerd, Minn., in August, 1890, before the completion of the railroad to this point. The trip from Brainerd was made by steamboat on the Mississippi river. The firm had been in the hard- ware business in Brainerd, and the boat brought the large stock of hard- ware that had been in the store there. The business was started here in a wooden building, but the following year it was moved into the brick build- ing at the corner of Second street and Kindred avenue. Trade increased rap- idly, and in 1892, it was found neces- sary to have more room, and the store CAMPING SCENE NEAR GRAND RAPIDS. was increased to its present size, occu- pying a floor space of 50 by 70 feet. As the business still continued to increase warehouses were secured for the stor- age of hardware, and an addition was built for a tin-shop and bicycle repair- ing shop. At present three large warehouses are used besides the large and commodious double salesroom. The firm carries in stock hardware, iron, steel, stoves, tinware, paints, oils, glass, lumbermen’s supplies, ag- ricultural implements, sleighs, wag- ons, bicycles, guns, cutlery, fishing tackle, etc. And the proprietors are public spirited pushers for the welfare of Grand Rapids and the development of the resources of Itasca county. SERS eet A GOMPARISON. Comparisons are said to be odious, but nevertheless it seems proper to re- fer to the fact that at the time of this writing wheat in the Dakota markets brings a price per bushel only a trifle higher than the price of Itasca county potatoes in the home market. Itasca county potatoes yielded from 200 to 275 bushels per acre the past season, at no necessary cash expense, while wheat cannot be raised, harvested and thrashed without a considerable out- lay of money. Wheat-growing is a great branch of agriculture, and annu- ally brings many millions of dollars into the Northwest, and yet it is not apparent that those who passed by the cheap but rich land of Itasca county to go further west and buy -prairie land at $30 or $40 per acre to raise wheat on have done wisely. i