July 1957: Letters to Hubert Humphrey and Others about Wilderness Bill Uproar in Ely

In the spring of 1957, conservationists for and against the creation of a national wilderness preservation system began a new round of debate in Congress. The summer and fall of 1957 became very difficult for Sigurd in his hometown, where most residents strongly opposed the idea, fearing it would destroy the local economy and take away their freedom to use the wilderness they loved in the ways they had used it for decades. The letters below give a sense of the battle as Sigurd saw it in July 1957. To see Sigurd's correspondence from later in the summer, click here. For more complete background, and to see these letters in the context of other events during the first crucial period in the wilderness bill campaign, read Sigurd Olson and the Wilderness Act: 1956 and 1957.

Ely, Minnesota
July 17, 1957

Senator Hubert Humphrey
Senate Office Bldg.
Washington D.C.

Dear Hubert:

By now you will have received a resolution from the Ely Chamber of Commerce condemning the Wilderness Bill. The whole town is in an uproar because of a speech of the city attorney, Willard Domich and radio broadcasts. In today's Ely Miner is a long statement in opposition written by the Editor, Fred Childers. It is full of misinformation but because people do not know, a lot of them are taking it as the truth. The title of the editorial is "Humphrey Bill a Threat to Ely's Economic Life."

I sent the only copy I have to Howard Zahniser urging him to contact you immediately and help draft a forceful clarifying reply. It is very important that this be done at once and copies sent to the Minneapolis, Duluth, Range papers and also radio stations or the situation may get serious.

P.S. I am leaving in the morning for an expedition into the Canadian Northwest and will be gone about three weeks to a month.

Because of my connection with the Air Ban and other issues, it is best that I say nothing and that the questions be answered directly by you.

Kindest regards.

On the same day he sent the above letter to Senator Humphrey, Sigurd sent the following letter to Wilderness Society executive director Howard Zahniser:

Ely, Minn.
July 17, 1957

Dear Zahnie:

I am on the verge of taking off for the Athabasca Country but felt I must write you immediately regarding the local uproar in opposition to the Wilderness Bill. It all started a week ago when at a local banquet one of the young lawyers in town, Willard Domich, got up and proceeded to condemn the bill. His talk was followed by several radio broadcasts over WELY the Ely Radio station repeating what he said. Feeling is running pretty high and everyone is wondering what it is all about. By and large the cry is that the bill is subversive no one being consulted; that it will stifle the economic life of the community, cut out resorts, ban outboard motors; that the Roadless Areas can be enlarged to include the town of Ely and the Recreational Resort Areas. Read the attached clipping that appeared today in the Ely Miner.

I feel that Hubert should answer this immediately and reassure the people otherwise the situation will get out of hand. I cannot answer personally because of my long history with the area and its problems. The information should come from the Wilderness Society or the Senator, preferably the latter. The article is so full of misinformation, it is no wonder many are puzzled and upset.

The young attorney in question stated publicly that he had written Senator Humphrey for information but did not get a reply. George Somero, local banker stated he had written both [Rep. John]Blatnik and [Sen. Edward]Thye but had been given only evasive answers. In short Ely feels it was left out of consideration and is smarting because of it. This affair can be cleared but it will take a very strong and clearly formulated statement. In addition to the Ely Miner, copies should go simultaneously to the Minneapolis, Duluth and Range papers as well as radio stations.

Finally, Sigurd sent a copy of the above correspondence to Bill Magie, head of Friends of the Wilderness, a Minnesota group formed in 1949 during the fight to ban airplanes from the Quetico-Superior canoe country. Sigurd attached the following note:

Dear Bill: The fat is in the
fire again and perhaps it is
a good thing I am heading for the
bush or I might get shot.

Anything that happens up here I get blamed for.

Do what you can to clear things up.

Sig