Its location and rapid growth.—­Who named for.—­Enterprise of its people.—­Its fine harbor.—­Duluth Bay.—­The steamship connection with eastern cities.—­Pleasure travel up the lakes.—­The Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad.—­The shortest route East for grain.—­Public improvements.—­The fishing, lumber, and mining interests.

Away at the head of our lake system stands a most marvellous illustration of the rapid growth, in population and power, of the American people.

It is less than ten years since the nearly impenetrable forest was levelled to make way for the infant city of Duluth, which, under the inspiring hand of genius and capital, has grown to the importance of chartered rights and privileges more quickly than any other city with which we are familiar.

It is situated on the immediate shore of the lake, and across the shoulder of what is known as Minnesota Point,—­a long scythe-shaped sand-bar, six miles in length, caused by the action of the waves, separating the waters of Duluth Bay from those of the lake,—­and extending along the shore of said Duluth Bay.

From the lake back to the top of the bluff, a mile distant, the ascent is easy and regular, affording one of the loveliest sites for the foundation of a great and beautiful city.

Duluth was named for Daniel Greyson Duluth, a native of France, who was the first white man to explore the head-waters of Lake Superior.  He landed here in 1679, and advanced far into the interior, westward, toward the Mississippi, cultivating friendly relations with the tribes inhabiting this portion of the country.  From his time to the present little or nothing has been done toward the founding, at this point, of a place suitable to the great possibilities of trade and commerce.  Thus the spell which seemed to shut from view this key-point of a vast interior country remained till the prophetic eye of capital discovered and possessed it.

That this wilderness, heretofore so wrapt in mystery, should now blossom into life, seems quite plain to the commonest observer of us all.

How faith is given us when success walks hand-in-hand with enterprise.

Though the city of Duluth is only ten years old, it boasts a population of over three thousand, with many of the conveniences of older settlements.  Its streets are laid out with great regularity, and the principal one, next the lake, full a mile in length, is lined along nearly its whole extent with stores and warehouses of every kind and description.  The sound of the hammer and saw may be heard on every side.

Buildings so crowd upon the forest that the woodman is hard pressed to clear the way; and thus the brave work goes on of transforming this wilderness into gardens where roses in their season bloom abundantly.