The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-06-12
The Eariy History Oh the aosebic
RanpS,

The Early History Oh the aoKebic
Range.
The Iron Age.
To the Editor: In your issue OF May there APP
pears an article entitled 1.-THE Gogebic Iron
Range" which article, while giving the present
standing of the range correctly and creditably,
does not deal SO fairly with the past history of
the range. The writer is evidently not gov
erned by any Ill will, but by incorrect informa-
ton, or possibly the lack OF information. The
statement herewith send you is prompted by
desire to do honor and justice to the man whose
persistent efforts resulted in opening up the Go
gebic range am not willing to see an injus-
tice done to Captain N. D. Moore while 1 have
the ability to correct 1t.
The writer of the article, in a labored manner
seeks to give the world some new information
regarding the discOverer of the range, and en-
deavors to transfer that honor from Captain N. D.
Moore to "Old Dick Langford." Now those who
are acquainted with the early developments of
the Gogebic range find nothing new in regard to
Dick Lansford having lived in the solitudes Of
Northern Michigan for great many years past
nor is there anything new in the fact that he
was conscious that the country was evidently
rich i'll iron but he is no more the discoverer of
the Gogebic range than are the scores of In
dams who also knew the same facts that MIR.
Langford knew. 1t is not true that Mr.. Lang
ford ever took from the range specimens of
clean ore to Ontonagon, Rockland. Houghton,
or any other town in Northern Michigan. He
simply took what any other man could find to-
day in various places, float and groupings indi-
eating ore deposits. His knowledge of this fact
however, never did the world any good, and If
only Dick Langford and the Indians had known
of the existence of iron indications in that wild
country the Gogebic range would be absolutely
unknown to the world to day.
1t is to Captain Moore and to Captain Moore
alone, that the honor justly belongs for discov-
ering the iron deposits of the Gogebic range
He is the first man that ever showed to the world
clean, merchantable ore. The writer Of the ar
ticle is very much mistaken in saying that it was
only a little previous to 1884 that Captain Moore
heard of the GOgebic iron deposits. Let me
state to you as a matter of history that Captain
Moore explored this country in search OF iron
ore as far back as 1872, and that while Superin-
tendent of the La Pointe Iron Company he en-
tered the lands of the Northern Chief Iron Com
pany and also tho land on section IT, which is
now known as the Colby mine. in the same year.
Other lands were entered by him in 1874 and
again in 1875. Think, therefore, am warranted
in saying that had it not been for Captain Moore
the probabilities are that the Gogebic range
would be unknown to the world to-day. Lang
ford was never looking for iron ore. He was an
was much more interested in locating occa
sionally valuable strip of heavy pine timber
than he was in iron matters.
1t is claimed, you know, by the Norsemen that
Left Erickson discovered America, but if he did
it never was known to the world and has never
done the world an 1ota of good yet many would
like to take the honor from Christopher Column
bus and transfer it to the Norseman, but the
universal sense of Justice in the world will
always recognize c. lu nbus as the real discov-
erer of the new world, and although he never
set foot on this continent yet he in truth its
dlscoverer, and the honor is all the greater be
longing to him because he discovered it after
having spent years Of hardship in theorizing
upon what proved to be great truth, and in the
heroic determination to prove or disprove his
theory, he discovered the New World.
Captain Moore made several Journeys to the
Gogebric country and endured hardships which
few men could have lived through, and he did it
bee ause he had noticed after heavy showers all
the creeks and small rivers of that section were
red with the oxide of iron, and because he firmly
believed that there was an immense deposit Of
iron ore somewhere in that section, and he per-
sstently continued, and I may say lerQicallY
continued his explorations and researches until
he discovered clean ore on Section 10. From that
time on he became an enthusiast, and it was
this enthusiasm that enlisted my attention and
crystalized my faith in the great possibilities
that were then before us.
Whatever the early history Of the range may
have been, whatever mistakes may have been |
made the big, solid, indisputable fact remains,
that through the effort of Captain Moore and
his associates the Gogebic range is now known
to the world, and has and is proving itself to be
the largest deposit Of high grade Ressemer ore
to-day known to the world, and will doubtless
ship a,G0Q,tDd,Q60 tnna Of merchantable ore this
Year. 1t IS a matter of Just pride to both Michi-
gan and WfSoonsin, and whatever honOrs and |
credit may be given to Mr.. Langford, they need !
not and cannot In any way tarnlsh the wei |
earned honors which belong to Captain Moore
for he was and is and must be known in history |
as the pioneer and discoverer of the Gogebic |
range.
Allow me to correct another miSstatement of |
your correspondent, in which he states that |
Captain Moore is now in charge of iron mines
i'll Canada and assigns me to South America
Let me say that Captain Moore Is now engaged |
in the iron business at Stannton, Va, and that I
am not in South America, never have been and |
neYpr expect TO be, hut am still at the old stand
in Milwaukee, and have no apologies to make to
the world far the part have taken in the de-
yeopment of the Gogebic Iron range. 1t was |
done earnestly and enthusiastically, and while |
some of the results were discouraging for the
time being the final outcome has Justified every
statement ever made by me regarding the prop
erty. never was connected with mine thai |
has not proved to be a valuable proverty. nei
ther was Captain Moore, although a score Of
opportunities presented themselves to me to
have made almost any amount of money had
been disposed to favor questionable schemes.
II there is justification and satisfaction to the
mind Of man in Shakespeare's statement that
'anis well that ends WELL" surely everybody
connected with the discovery, early explorations
and final Development Of the great Gassbic
range should be happy and satisfied with the
preaent results and proud of the great future
awaiting the range.
ITO lose with high endeavOr Is to win;
They only fail who build success on sim"
Respectfully yours,
JOHN E. BURTON.
MILWAUKEE, Wis., Nav q 1890