THIS YEARS DEPOT DAYS WAS A HUGE SUCCESS! WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR INCREDIBLE VOLUNTEERS! WE HOPE THAT EACH YEAR IT GETS BIGGER AND BETTER AND HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
FIRST LOAD OF IRON ORE SHIPPED FROM MINNESOTA
The following is taken from an account by Engineer Tom Owens
On July 30th 1884 at 7:00 am the first train consisting of 10 empty ore cars, the R.R. President's passenger car and caboose #21 left Agate Bay (Two Harbors) for Soudan. The passenger car carried Charlemagne Tower Jr..and 12 guests. The freshly laid tracks were being tested for the first time and the train must return loaded with ore to meet the deadline of July 31st and earn the $50,000 bonus for the contractors.
Mr. Tower, President of the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Co., was very anxious that the deadline be met and had been doing all he could to help. With one day to spare, all haste was made to reach Soudan and load the cars. It was so important that the final rails were being laid near Soudan that very morning.
As Engine #8 pulled into Soudan with all cars in tow, the guest were greeted by most of the town and entertained with a pow-wow. Engine #8 was the first coal burning engine on the system and the ten cars of ore was considered a fair load. The cars used were the first 20 ton cars ever built, and the cars were loaded from a platform even with the top of the car and wheelbarrows were used to load the cars. John S. Wolff Sr. the contractor, was honored by being permitted to dump the first barrow load. The 20 ton cars were then filled and Capt Elisha J. Morcom was to measure each carload by counting wheelbarrow loads. His guessing was not too accurate as each car was overloaded by an average of 10 tons. As Tom Owens stated "Captain was noted for his generosity. "
When the cars were loaded the train headed back to Agate Bay for an 11:00 banquet that evening.
According to engineer Owens "the train load of ore was difficult to handle over the steep grades and a heavy hill leading into Agate Bay with nothing but hand brakes and hauling ten overloaded cars." Upon reaching the St. Louis river now called Skibo, Mr. Tower sent a telegram to his father in Philadelphia that the train load was en route to the docks, and according to the contract the bonus was paid.
On Saturday August 1st 1884 the cargo was unloaded unto the dock at Agate Bay. Loading at the mine continued until a full cargo was accumulated. And thus began in Minnesota an industry that would help build a nation, win two wars, and convert a wilderness into prosperous communities, with many happy homes
NOTES
* The first engine to come into town was the "3 Spot" a wood burning engine hauling the ties and rails.
Some accounts tell of the citizens of Tower and Soudan taking part by throwing in pieces of ore into the cars.
* The 31st of July was a Friday ,and it was believed that a project started on a Friday would be bad luck. So the ore was loaded on Thursday and unloaded on Saturday.
DEPOT DAYS
2009SCHEDULE
Moonwalk sponsored by
Rapid Rental and Kerntz Funeral Home in Ely
Classic Car Show sponsored by Good Ole Days in Tower
Friday, July 24th Noon:BEST
(Babbitt/Embarrass/Soudan/Tower) Marching Band
1-3:Doo-Wah Daddies
from Cook (3 piece 50s & 60s band) sponsored by State Farm Insurance in
Cook, Tim Johnson
3-4:Bois Forte Boys
& Girls Club:drummers & dancers
under the direction of Donovan Strong
4-6:Cowboy Angel
Blue Band sponsored by the Vermilion Club
Saturday, July 25th
9-11a:PikeRiver
Swamperssponsored by D'Ericks &
Benchwarmers in Tower
11- Noon:Marybeth
Reller sings the Star Spangled Banner, Al Reller introduces Miss
Tower-Soudan and her court who read a message from Tim Palenty, our Governor
and introduce special guests, relatives of the Charlemagne Tower family and
speakers, Jim Oberstar and Elisha Morcom.
Noon and all afternoon:Chuck the Magician and Balloon sculptor, strolling
12:30-2:30:Blue Wolf
Band from Eveleth sponsored by FRONTIER.
