St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-04
tn E DULUTH
And Iron Range Railway and the
Great Vermilion Iron Mine.

the great gram producing states, very few
are aware of the fact that it is I'm a fair
way to become widely celebrated for its
mineral wealth at no distant day. For
years it was believed by the best informed
in sucn matters that there were considerable
iron deposits somewhere near the ''divide''
separating Hudson Bay from Lake Supe-
rlor but no one suspected the existence of
mines so rich and so nearly eXhauStlesS as
those of the ''Vermilionr range are now
known to be within our state boundaries,
and but comparatively small percentage
of the American people are yet aware that
Minnesota possesses such treasure.
The location of the mines was one of the
results of an exploration undertaken by
Mr.. Tower, of Philadelphia. who sent a
party into that inhospitabe wilderness
about six years ago for the purpose of veri-
flying or dispr0ving the stories which had
become current concerning the riches said
to be hidden there. For once rumor had
whispered less than the truth. and the pros
pect0rs wereuentirely satisfied after care
fully looking over the ground that the region
contained some of the most extensive iron
deposits in the world, if they could be
worked. and facilities secured for the
transportation of the product to market.
iiAo w 90 q piOOtOHl Olly Cdplbdl COulu
solve. Therefore. Mr.. George c. Stone set
OUT in search of capitalists. These it was easy
enough to discover In the Eastern cities
but it was not so easy to induce them to
venture their millions among the rocks and
mOraSSeSs of an almost inaccessible coun-
try on the extreme northern confines of our
national domain. But the man was
freighted with eloquent facts, and he knew
how to present them. Mr.. Charlemagne
Tower. the elder, with some other Phla-
delphla gentlemen, was. finally convinced
that the enterprise was one from which
great returns could with certainty be count
ed upon, and then the funds were found
for inaugurating it and pushing it steadily
on to completion. 1t was StupendOuS I'M
dertaking, and corresponding amount of
capital was Indispensable. A careful sci
entifc exploration of the iron-bearing dis
trict had 10 be made, works erected and
last, but by no means least, railway con-
structed about seventy miles in length
through formidable country for the most
part. equipped with rolling stock, differed
and manned Skill. determination and
money. however, constitute powerful force.
These were all untedly employed upon
the enterprise, and it progressed as rapidly
as the most Sanguine could antici-
pate. The Minnesota Iron company
for under this name was the concern incOr-
porated-secured by purchase the title to
5000 acres of land, which embraced the
best of the iron bearing district, and the
site now occupied by Tower. and then
proceeded to construct railway from Two
Harbors, twenty-seven miles north of Du-
luth. to the mine. In aid of this work the
state generously and wisely made large
ia fIn1 of loVh in, fI,kN
finished to Two Harbors, where extensive
ore docks were erected. and then mining
operations began in earnest. How these
operations have succeeded an able writer
described in recent issue of the Pioneer
Press as follows:
THE first shipments from the mine were
made by railroad July 3. 1884. and the first
cargo of ore was shipped from the ore docks
on Aug. 10, 1884. The shipments that year
were 81. 124 tons. In 1885 the shipments
reached 225. 4S4 tons. and this season Q8S6) |
up to Aug. 81, inclusive. 1913. sol tons have |
been shipped. The total for the season will |
in all probability be 800, 900 tons. This |
beats the record of any other mine on Lake |
superior i'll the same stage of development. |
In less than three years it has reached an |
output in excess of any other mine in that |
region. With its pits now open and its in |
creased facilities, the Minnesota Mining |
company can make an output of $50. 600 |
tons with greater ease than it could produce |
300. 900 tons this year. 1t already con-
tributes one-tenth of the entire iron product
of the Lake Superior region. and there is no
limit to its capacity, except the
conditions OF the market. Nothing but a
visit to the mines can give any adequate
idea of the extent of the operations which
are there carried on.
mine pits have been opened in these iron
the vast uncovered halls and
walls are dyed in richer
tints than those of the Pompeian palaces
Of a prodgiOus treasure house. where Ma
iure has stored wealth enough. perhaps. to
pay the national debt. Each of these
pits is furnished with all the appliances for
aXcavating, handling and hosting the ore
ana transferring 1t to the ore cars. They
all bear the names of gentlemen connected
with the enterprise. The Stuntz pit Is the
most eastern of the exposures. The vein
At this point is from twenty to forty feet
wide. The pit is 400 feet long, A tunnel
has been driven in from the south to uni
water this pit at depth of sixty feet. The
Ire is also brought through this tunnel and
losted to the railroad cars. Stone pit is
about an eighth of a mile west of the
otuntZ. 1t is opened to length of about
200 feet. This pit is worked i'm three
slopes the width of the deposit VARYING
rom 25 to 125 feet. The deepest point be-
ow the surface is 100 feet. The ore is
AIKEN from this pit with mine cars going
ihectly into the pit and hoisted with a pair
1f powerful drums. Ely pit. which adj
ons the Stone to the west, is opened for
distance of 200 feet. A shaft has been
sunk to the second level, and at this point
he vein shows good ore 1879 feet wide.
Tower Pit No. is now at a depth of 100
eet. 1t is opened for a distance of $50
eet on the length of vein, and is now over
100 feet in width. Tower Pit No. Q has
)een stripped of the ore for distance of
100 feet The ore shows clean the entire
ength. and measures from 60 to 100 feet in
width. A shaft has been sunk in this de-
)osit to a depth of 60 feet. The ore is
aken through tunnel from the bottom of
he shaft to the railroad cars by an
endless rope attached to nine cars,
With capacity of two tons each.
The Tower pits are the most elevated of de-
,Osits IN either of the iron ranges. The
3reitung pit lies south of the Tower. and is
70 feet wide and 100 feet long. A da-
nOnd drill is in operation here, and, though
nothing of Importance has vet been discov-
cred, it is expected that large bodies of ore
will be found in this pit The Lee pit.
which is on the southern range, is sunk to
he depth of fifty feet below the first level.
The vein at this point shows we'll. and is
about fifty feet wide. A large amount of
is employed in these mining op-
eratiOns. Near the Ely pit two air COM
oressers are in operation for working power
irilis; also pair OF engines and drums for
hosting purposes. Here, too, is the cleo
,ric light machinery. consisting of two
lynamos of twenty lights each. These
furnish light for all the pts trestles and