Ho! Gogebic County!
By Supt. Charles R. Cobb, M. A.
Bessemer
"Backward, Turn backward, O Time, in your flight, --make me a child again just for tonight," sang the poet with the vanishing visions of youth. But time has never turned backward; none of us has ever been a child again even for a night. We have passed the parting of the ways and there have been many partings. We assemble now and again to renew and record the memories of the yesteryears.As I stand before this assembly of pioneers it seems but fitting that I should bow my head in silent reverence as I visualize the trials and tribulations, the struggles, the sacrifices that have made possible a history of the Upper Peninsula. If in our schools we fail to give the cost in life and limb and sacrifice of the civilization, which our fellow citizens and we now enjoy, we shall have failed to completely teach respect of law and order.
We assemble today that we may go back on the trail of passing events to that time when the warrior in full stature stood beneath the tall hemlock on the hill-top and sang to his mate in spirit and perchance in truth, "Arowona, on my honor I’ll take care of you, I’ll be kind and true in a wigwam built for two," and then made her chop all of the wood, carry all of the water and bear the numerous other burdens that he might see fit to thrust upon her.
From the stage of ancient life to this day of gas, running water, electric lights, washing machines, automobiles, and airplanes is a long, long journey, the cost of which only those know best who have been active participants in the passing of events.
Gogebic County is situated at the western extremity of the Upper Peninsula with Lake Superior on its north, the State of Wisconsin of the south, Iron River on the east, and Hurley on the west.
It has as area of 1,150 square miles with approximately 725,000 acres of land, about two-thirds of which is suitable for agricultural purposes and susceptible to the highest state of cultivation. The surface is a rolling plateau of glacial origin, interspersed by many beautiful lakes and streams. Some of these lands have been cut over by the lumbermen who cut the pin and left the hardwood standing.
Again there are thousands of acres of virgin forest, which have never felt the woodsmen’s ax.
The soil is a rich black sandy loam with a pervious clay subsoil varying in depth from a few inches to many feet, containing a large amount of nitrogen, potash, phosphoric acid and lime content, the essential