St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-11
THE MINES. OF MINNESOTA.
The Groirih If Great Industry ia the
Northern Part IF the Sratc-.Im Iron
Niue aud u RutiT0nd.

Niue and RatToad.
Geo. G. Stone, general manager Of the
Minnesota Iron company. with office in the
Gilflan block, in an interview with GLOBE
reporter yesterday, impaired the following
information, which, TO the people of the
northwest, will be interesting:
''The Minnesota Iron company was organ
lied over two years ago, and during the time
! elapsed, has developed and put in operation
portion of its immense iron deposits and
inauguratcd new era in this state which
bids fair to be OF vast importance In the
near future. Already Minnesota iron
ore has, by the shipments last season in
| September aud October, OF $1,000 tons
to Lake Erie ports, been in
troduced and distributed to various furnaces
| and iron works in Ohio, Pennsylvania
and Virginia. in every instance it has given
| satisfaction. and 10y actual tests has proved
its superior quality. The ore is very rich
and pure, high in metallic iron; and smclts
| well in the furnace TO the satisfaction Of
seven or eight different furnaces now using
| It, These results and determinations have
taken much time and required large ex
! pcnditurc Of money. Tine buildings, ma
rhinery aud plant at the mines involved an
| outlay Of fully $500, 900, and the ore docks
at Two UarbOr fully $3.50 600 more. These
| improvements have been made at most
inauspcious time, during a season of the
greatest depression in the iron business ever
known in the history Of the trade"
NEXT SEASONS PROSPECTS.
''The prospects for next season are not so
promising. Prices are very low and can
see nothing TO expect any great change.
do not look for any material improvement
in prices, but for close dull season. or
course 1t is too early now to
tell what the company will actually
mine aud ship, but probably IL VIII
produce over 200, 900 tons. II Is now mining
at the rate of $4,000 tons per month. The
product could be easily increased to %, 900
or 30 600 tons per month by increasing the
help from 400 men now employed, and this
would be done If the state Of the market
would iustify or warrant US in doing II. The
low prices will most likely decrease the gen
era output Of ore, and uonc but those mines
having high grade ores Of superior quality.
and favorably situated t. mine and ship it
cheaply would be able 10 operate 10 any
great extent The character and quality Of
the Minnesota iron ore Is now fully estab-
the mines Of Minnesota will soon give the
state an important place in the list Of iron
ore producers.
"A REVIVAL WILL COME
sooner or late-, and the iron trade will again
be prosperous, and when it is the general
business Of the country will revive with IT,
For some reason or other, which / viii not
attempt 10 explain, the IRON trade is d good
thermometer, indicating in It's rise and fall
Invariably the rise and fail Of the
business aud prosperity Of the country.
At present Drariy all the iron ore shipped
from Lake Superior ports gOrs % Lake Erie
p0rts, whence Il is distributed 10 furnaces in
Oaio, Pennsylvania aud Virginia, and gen
era.ly mixed with the poorer native ores Of
those states"
1.-THE COST or FUKL
IS the only drawback - such development in
this state. Coal is now brought ~ the lake
ports very cbeapiy and 4 large quantity Of
ore for down freigbts will tend to eth greatly
reduce is cost. The whole state Of Mime
sOia has already derived much benefit from
our ore shipments 10 the cbcapening Of
coal lreighis up and would realize
Il still more in 1855 and thereafter.
The future 81 iron manufacturing and de-
veIJpmrut in Minnesota Is simply question
Of cneap fuel. II We can only aud natural
gas bere, it would at once be solved and /
imnk IL a matter worth testing.
TIE DULUTH IRON EASGE RAILROAD CON-
PAST,
Of which Nr. C3arlemague Tower. Jr., Of
Duluth, Is president, and Geo. {. Stone, Of
81 Paul, is vice president aud treasurer, has
its main Offices At Duluth. Il is closely cou-
nected ritb the Minnesota Iron company
and it, road vas built for the express purpose
% Transporting its iron ore 70 the lake. This
i nov done over the oDpieted portion Of
the read. from Tower a. the mines on Lake
Vermlliuu, 10 Two Hzrbors OF Lake Superior,
where the Iron conpaBy's extensive ore