Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-21
DULUTH & IRON RANGE RAILROAD.
An important Measure in Consideration by
the Legislature.


An important Measure in Consideration by
the Legislature.
AS legislation is now pending affecting
the proposed Duluth & Iron Range railroad
and the speedy development of the Yer
million iron ore region, we republish the
following article which appeared in the
GLoBB, Nov. 3, 1882, which contains much
valuable information. We will merely add
that the Minnesota Iron Co. and the
Duluth & Iron Range railroad are substan-
TALLY the same, all the stock in both COM
panies being held by the same parties:
In 1871 a swamp land grant was made
by the legislature of this state of ten sec
tons per mile Glands to be selected in st.
Louis, Cook, and Lake counties) to the
Duluth & Iron Range Railroad company to
aid in the construction of a railroad from
Duluth to the iron range, northeast of Du-
luth, and by its aid help to develop this
mineral region.
In 1877 the time of this grant for con-
struction was extended, and later, and some
six months prior to the expiration of the
time of the extension, grant of lands was
made to the Duluth & Winnipeg railroad
company, and in said grant there was
provision giving this grant of the Duluth
& Iron Range railroad company to the Du-
luth & Winnipeg company in case of for
fixture by the Duluth g. Iron Range rail-
road company.
No act of forfeiture was ever passed by
the Legislature, and the Duluth & Iron
Range Railroad company never by any act
of theirs assented to any such transfer, or
abandoned the grant.
1t has, by large expenditure of money
during the past three years by the "Min-
nssota Iron company" been proved and
established that the iron ore at Vermilion
is of very superior quality first class Bes
semer ore), and in unlimited quantity, and
the Duluth & Iron Range Railroad compa-
ny now wish an extension of time under
which they may earn the lands by the con-
struction of the railroad from Duluth to
Vermilion lake, and will seek legislation
this winter which will enable them to do
so, claiming that the original grant has
been forfeited by the legislature or by their
acts.
The importance of the construction of
this road and the development of the i'm
mense and valuable ore deposits in the
state of Minnesota can hardly be estimat-
ed. 1t is matter of great Importance to
Duluth and the head of Lake Superior; but
it is fully as important to the whole state
at large. 1t means cheaper fuel local
brought up by vessels for return freights
and iron ore,) and it means cheaper iron.
The supplies for the mining region must
all be drawn from our state.
Iron ore from these mines must be laid
down at st. Paul and Minneapolis even as
low as ore of equal value can now or ever
be laid down at Chicago. 1t is now in no
sense (although of great value to Duluth)
lead of local interest. No 100 miles of
railroad in the state of Minnesota has as
great general value to the state at large in
the results to be reached byit as the build
ing of this railroad.
The parties asking this extension and
willing to make this development have
been branded as thieves striving to steal
from the Duluth & Winnipeg railroad
their grant, when only endeavoring to
save and earn the original grant made by
the Legislature in 1875, for this special
purpose,to them. The public can see who
are amenable to such charge,
Over 100000 hav1 been expended up to
this time by the parties comprising the
Minnesota Iron company, whose Office is
in st. Paul lover 100000 this year, and
an expenditure of 100000 is required
before one dollar OF return can be had.
The gentlemen in this company are men
of experience and wealth, and it is mat
ter of vast public interest that such de-
velopment should go on, and it is to be
hoped, as no doubt will be the case, that
the legislature will this winter promptly
extend the time to the Duluth & Iron
Range Railroad company. If done it is
their purpose to put the road under con-
tract early in January, the line being To-
Gated and now ready for bids.
Any person taking any interest in this
matter and wishing to see what Minnesota
has i'll the way of iron ore, can call at the
Office of the Minnesota Iron company,
No. II Gilfllan block, st. Paul, and Mr..
Geo: G. Stone, the general manager of
that company, will show them the ore and
analysis. and impart any desired informa-
ton.
The latest analysis of the ore of the
'Breitung mine'' made by the Isabella
Furnace company, of Pittsburg, Pa, is as
follows:
Metallic iron, 1913.
Phosphorus, 1898,
from samples taken from all parts of
stock pile of $500 tons.
1t is useless to say anything to an iron
man in regard to this ore. 1t has no
superior, if it has an equal. in the United
States.