Northeast MN Historical Center Collection Information Form

COLLECTION INFORMATION FORM

PRELIM 1. Catalog No. S2280

___X_ FINAL 2. Accession No. 2379

NORTHEAST MINNESOTA HISTORICAL CENTER

3. COLLECTION TITLE: Alger Smith & Co. Eight Cancelled Payroll Checks.

INCLUSIVE DATES: 1910

4. DONOR (name & address): Walter Heiney, 2107 W. 3^rd St., Duluth, Mn 55806

5. Date Received: 2-13-1979

6. Restrictions: none

11. Number of Items (Small Collection): 8 items

12. Donor Agreement Form Signed (date): not yet signed

ABSTRACT SUMMARY OF COLLECTION

Russell A. Alger, governor of Michigan 1885-1887, later gained national prominence as secretary of war in McKinley's cabinet at the time of the Spanish American War. He started his lumber business in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1860. In 1903 he was elected to the U.S. senate.

Alger-Smith, a Michigan lumbering firm, built a large mill in Duluth that started production at the head of the lakes in 1898. It became the largest of the Michigan companies with vast timber holdings north of Lake Superior who moved the bulk of their logs by rail. Its common carrier railroad, the Duluth & Northern Minnesota, was chartered on May 31, 1989, under the laws of Minnesota. In the course of its 20-year life span, it became the most important logging railroad in the state, constructing over 99 miles of main line and about 350 miles of branches and spurs. By 1919 the Alger-Smith's cutting in the Minnesota woods was over. On July 15, 1921, the D&NM received permission from the Interstate Commission to abandon its line. A short time afterward, the northern portion of the D&NM road was sold to the General Logging Company of Cloquet, Minnesota. [F. A. King, p. 63-75 Minnesota Logging Railroads , 1981

8 cancelled checks for 1910 for the Alger Smith & Co. Some of the checks say "Rice's Point Mill" which may mean the work done and worker's pay was not for work in the woods at all, but in their mill right in Duluth.

The checks were issued to: Mrs. William Haggett, Chas[Charles] Sundeen, Chas Gates (camp #1) (James McLeod, foreman) Ole Brenden (Bergman Rock Cut) (Jno Bergman), G. M. Falls, Fredinand Sabrean (Wm Hibke, foreman), Ole Brenden (Bergman Rock Cut), Ed Harris (Geo McLuyhhn, foreman).

P.Maus update 8/2004