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| October 24, 1973 The Ely Echo |  |
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October 24, 1973 |
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Oct. 21.27 Is National Forest Products Week
e Largest
Newspaper in
Louis County
/
O
At
by Bob Cary
Rauger Ra~ ('hase squinted watery eyes in the thick,
flicke(i a hot ash from his orange fire jacket and '
shrilly ahmg tire edge of the crackling flames. 1'he dim
|ire fighter .lira Tande hmnwd uI) ahead, the eerie ligM
from his 3ellou hard hat.
it look over on the other side'!" Ray coughed.
one place," Jim replied tersely. "Nol moving any
of In'ush nearhy fh, red nil, the intense heat hacked the
a h'%% steps. "Keep' 'era going for another hour," the
"%%'e've got ahout an hour h,ft."
was Stony Point. adjacent lo Bh'ch Lake. south ol Ely,
fire had been ranging over 80 acres of forest hind. But
of trying to put it Old, the U.S. Forcst Service crew was
~to keep it going.
an area which had been logged-clear cut. Slash piled
the field was dry and flammable. Crewmen in
jackets moved over the rough ground carrying
each equipped with a flaming nozzle. At each pile
they squirted a CUl)ful of the burning oil, feeding the
fire.
another hour," Ranger Ctmse pointe~ out, "the sun will be
the humidity will be going up and we won't be able to
We will have to come back in here tomorrow and finish up."
area being burned once contained a stand of mature
After culling, the slash and brush is bm'ned to provide
seed-bed for jackpine re-seeding. Chase noted that
g used m preparing and re~olantmg
area was based on research conducied by Clifford
Wilderness Research Center near Ely.
are learning more about seeding and re-planting," said
We will let this area alone until abopt next March. Then we
it h'om an airplane, spreading the seeds over the surface
snow. As lhe simw melts the seeds work down into the
y will germinate.
acres won't look like much for a year or two, but in flwee
can walk through here and it will be covered with little
In 70 or B0 years there will be another crop of choice
uflpracticed and watering eyes of the reporler, it didn't
much excep! a lot ot flarne, smoke and confusion. The
moving in and out of the thick smoke, coughed
It was obviously not a joh for the faint-hearted'or
!,With weak lungs~
by were all of the apparatus of fire-fighting: tank truck
numerous back tanks with hand pumps, and dozens
Fire lines were set and back fires lighted to coniain the
within the designated area. Just across a small road
fire was a mature sland of pine not yet cut. The forest
fful to see that no flames jumped into this area.
noted that the Forest Service was currently purchasing
from various people who pick them in the fall. Sonic
,s would he ohtained and the seeds extracled at
Nursery. Jackpine cones, which will nol ()pen up
unless sul)jected to heat, are baked in large oven. In the natural
stale, research has shown that jackpines will usually not
~erminale unless the cones go through a fire.
The seeds arc tiny, some 35OO to the ounce. Four ounces, or
] 4,oo0 seeds, ;ire spread on each acre of area to be reforested•
Under present I I.S. Forest Service sustained yield practice, the
cut, slash-burn and re-plant program is a continuing one, spread
ov(!r Inany years.
"When you work 7(i to 81) years ahead," Ray Chase pointed out,
"yon never gel to see the results of your work. I'll be long dead
when the seeds we plant here furnish another timber crop ..... hut
we know that crop will be there for the future."
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WA'I'CI! TIIAT ROAD-Ray Chase, Forest Ranger for the ilalfway
l)istrict, points out a danger spot to Jim Tande, Ely, in clear-cut
area at Stony Point which was burned this week in preparation for
Christmas Trees,,
. Triple Crops
sells wood products.
is nothing particularly startling about that. As manager
Lampert Lumber Company in Ely, he handles dimension
plywood, paneling and a host of other forest-relaled
same as lumber yard managers all over Minnesota.
Schlitz is different in one respect• He also grows timber
miles west of Ely on Route !69 is a post with a
sign with the legend "'TREE FARM, Member
Farm System". Behind that~ in a grove of stately
lines, is the Schlitz home and on the surrounding 53 acres
fines and spruce in various stages of growth from
to limber size.
¢ lane winds from lhe house through a solid grove of huge
to the shore of Shagawa Lake where the family has a
collage.
was built from trees we grew here." Bill noted.
and the cabin. This winter we wilt be doing some
~, ..... thinning oul the pines for better growth." The
down will be sawed into two-by-fours lot adding a second
the house.
the firsl pines 25 years ago," Bill pointed out.
planted over 30.0(X) since then....all hand planlx, d ....
of work."
the tree farm with Bill's son Joe. age
13 and the family dog. Brutus. The boys were
self-conscmus but were also proud ol the family
15 cents
'Volume 2, Number 43,
Phml 25(i 1o 300 trees a )'ear," said Joe as we walked
rows of young trees. "Most of the trees we have been
are blue spruce for Christmas trees." t
that the Christmas tree operation accounts for
sale~each winter. Mosl of lhese are taken by regular
who depend on the Schiltz tree farm for top quality
poinled oul spruce and pine plantings which had been.
sheared and shaped each year until ready for market.
which will be sold this winler had been marked with
Non-marked trees will be allowed to grow unlil they
Able Christmas tree size• Trees not sold for
be allowed to grow into poles and timber
a slack of poles which had been cut from a stand of big
"These are trees we thinned oul of the woods last
will be sawed up for lumber."
a part of the American Tree Farm Systems.
future timber supplies on
There are 1400 such farms scattered over Minnesota
continuous wood crops. In addition lo the Irees. these
side benefits such as wildlife and recreation.
is one of the recreational pursuits of the Schlitz
ori inallv been purchased by Bill Schiltz's father
Ely homesleads, grubbed out of the foresl.
crop potatoes and the surroun.ding woods were
growth Norw~Jy pine. It is in the former potato
Bill has his younger tree crops coming and tbe alder
Norway's are being carefully Ihinned and cut for lumber.
¢
reforestation. U.S. Forest Service
shovels, back pumps and a tank
within the prescribed area,
ELY TREE FARMER--Bill Schlitz points to the official tree farm sign that marks the entrance to his
REAI)Y FOR MARKET--Thirteen year-old John 8chiltz ties a
seven years and will be sold this
Wednesdayl October 24,
personnel, equipped with
truck stood by to contain fire
53-acre p!antation west of town.
winter for a Christmas tree.
1973. Ely, Minnesota 55731
- And Still Growing
t
IT'S OPEN HOUSE AT THE ELY ECHO TODAY!
To celebrate our first birthday, the Ely Echo offices at 429
Sheridan St. will be open from 2 p.m. to 4:30 ll.m. today,
Wednesday, Oct. 2,1, with cake, coffee, cookies and prizes for our
readers and advertisers.
Ely area people who would like to come in aad see our facilities,
see how the newspaper is put together and meet the staff who puts
out the paper, are all welcome. In a very real sense, the Ely Echo
is your newspaper, the voice of your town. And while you might
like to meet us--we certainly would like to meet all of you•
Born on Oct, 25, 1972, the Echo came out with Volume 1, Issue l,
16 pages, and featured the Merigo Cersine story concerning the
saving of five nuns from drowning. Governor Wendell Anderson
and President Richard Nixon both sent congratulations to Cersine
and Mayor J,P. Grahek proclaimed Merigo and Ora Cersine as the
1972 Ely Citizens of the Year.
From a circulation of zero, the Echo jumped to 2216 subscribers
by November 7 and was granted a second class mailing permit by
the U.S. Postal Service. The original staff consisted of Lolita
Sehnitzius, advertising manager; Doris Adamic, business man-
ager, Connee Schmidt, composition; Ron Fletcher, editor; Mary
Jean tfendrickson, advertising, Byron Moren, consultant; and
Miles Aakhus, publisher. From time to time staff changes were
made, new names added, including: Irene Grahek, columnist;
Bert Arvilla, sports; Joyce Baird, Babbitt news; Charles Ingersol,
history; Louis Leoni and Steve Myntti, New Creations; Vicki
Anderson, school news; Millie Simonick, columnist; Tess Koski,
editor; Marie Banovetz, advertising; Barbara Avikainen, news
editor; Todd Aakhus, graphic arts; Doreen Aakhus. news; Janeen
Aakhus, society editor; Alice Moren, composition; Bob Cary,
managing editor; Steve Novosel, sporls columnist; Gayle Meskil],
sports; Jack Jensen, sports; Earl Bulinski, sports; Dick Rohloff,
sports; Cheryl Maki, Girl Scouts; Mary Braun, foreign
correspondent; Sandra Saberniak, Isabella news; Jess Sharp,
Tower news; Sue Sigel, Isabella news; Dorothy Aakhus, editor;
Pat Smith, Ad composition; and many others who contributed
single stories.
In a continuing effort to upgrade the quality of the newspaper, a
new $5,00(| Compugraphie 720t) head line machine was added to tbe
$8,0o0 Compuwriter typesetting machine which was part of the
original equipment. These two electronic, computer-controlled
devices have aided the efficiency of the staff and are responsible
for the crisp clarity of the stories and advertisements.
In February, 1973, the newspaper moved to 429 Sheridan St. as
additional space was required for an expanding operation, In the
new building, a complete darkroom was constructed to improve
quality of the pictures and reducecosts.
Some of the "big stories" of the year included: The Sled Dog
Race special issue of Jan. 17. complete with full color photo:
Kindergarten Class visiting the Ely-Bloomenson Hospital;
exclusive interview with Sid Howell. General Manager of the
Reserve Mining operation in Babbitt : Mayor J.P G rahek's historic
address to the Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota
concerning the solicitation of funds for MPIRG: the series on the
City of Babbitt and how it came into existence: the series on the
copper-nickel discoveries and developmen! near Ely; the
historical story on Ely as seen through items owned by James
Drug; story on the minister who was lost for three days in the
wilderness: photo story on the concrete floor pouring at the Ice~
Arena~ the series on the BWCA management plan controversy;
and the recent special on Veteran's Day.
In addition, the Echo began the first comprehensive @orts
coverage in Ely's history, with seven writers contributing stories
on football, outdoor sports and shooting.
The response of the public, not only in Ely, but all across
northeastern Minnesota has been gratifying to the members of the
staff. Circulation reached 3,649 as of the Oct. 17 issue and is still
climbing. This fall the Echo became the largest, weekly newspaper
in St. Louis. Cook and Lake counties, reflecting growing interest in
the news coverage and editorial content.
Most important, the people of this area now have a voice where
their own welfare and future are concerned-and it is a voice
which is being listened to in Duluth and in St Paul.
We salute you. our readers and advertisers for making this
possible. We will continue to serve you with as sincere and
' complete news coverage as possible.
If you are downtown today, stop by and see us at ore- Open House.
Time Change Sunday
Readers are reminded that clocks should be turned back oue hour
before going to bed Saturday night.
,tff . ribbon on a Norway pine which has.been shaped and sheared for #, ,,, , , .. ,,. , •