St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-11
WORTHY OF NURSING.
A Legislative Committee Wis.,
its the Mesaba Range Ore
Mines.
Surprise Expressed by Solons
at Developments They
Behold.
Millions Of Tons Of High Grade
Mineral Exposed to
View.
Towns Springing Up Along
the Range at All Avail
able Points.

such sanguine spirit that strangers to
the facts have been inclined to consider
the statements exaggerated, This Is
not the case, and the reasons for this
assertion will be given in this article.
Saturday last the house committee on
mines and minerals went to the range
to see for themselves the exact condl-
ton of affairs. On the train that left
the union depot over the Eastern Min
nesota division of the Great Northern
were Chairman Merritt, Messrs. A. b.
Kelly, Hopkins, Nilsson, McDonough,
Winston and Hunck, of the committee;
Representatives Horton and Markham.
ex-Lieut. Gov. Gilman, Sergeant-at-
Arms Basil Smout, Assistant Clerk
Bowling, Cloak Room Keeper Good
speed, Mrs. McDonOugh and son and
the GLOBE representative.
Arriving at Duluth, the party found
that the hospitable citizens had heard
of their coming and prepared ban
quet. 1t was spread at the st. Louis
hotel, and comprised everything the pal
ate could crave. MeSsrs. Butchart &
Michaud. of st. Louis, won the COM
mendation of all hands for the splendid
spread they furnished and served i'll
taultless style. Speeches we're made by
Chairman Merritt, PLAIN and earnest;
by Mr.. Winston. sound and cOnServa-
tive; by Mr.. Horton, happy and de-
bOnuair, but refraining from wit; by
Mr.. Hopkins, fluent and intereStlng: by
Mr.. Markham. blunt and logical; by
Mr.. Gilman, experienced and wise.
Nm Incl aIcn Sn0CQ
reviewing the history Of the range from
its earliest development. and present
ing many facts for the consideration Of
the committee. The banquet over, the
party again boarded tue special car,
waking up next morning at
Mountain Iron,
where breakfast was eaten under cir
cumStanceS novel to most of the crowd.
A generous meal, made up of the most
substantial kind of food, was served in
the mining camp, and the cooks were
more than surprised by the way the
visitors planted the fodder in the right
place. The town of Mountain Iron is
located at some distance from the mines,
in order to nave the future city located
off the ore deposit.
At this point collection Of wooden
buildings was found, some of them at
IractiVe in design and substantially
built. There are three hotels, but they
serve no fancy dishes from printed
menus; several general stores and
drug shop; likewise sufficient saloons
for all purposes. A bank with close to
$4,000 on deposit is feature Of the
place. 1t is provided with an admirably
constructed vault, containing a safe of
the latest pattern. Mr.. Merritt estab-
liShed the Institution to accom-
modate the residents on the range,
but its rapid growth has sur
prised him. Some idea OF the business
done in this town of. as yet, implanted
DO ;rdS may be had from the fact that
the bank now makes 81 to IS day from
the two items of exchange and dis
count.
The town OF Mountain Iron at present
comprises but one street, with limited
amount of sidewalk. One of the COM
mendable features of this street is a
printing office, where j. Adam Bede is
the presiding genius. There is an army
press, few cases Of type and unlimited
ambition and capacity for development
i'll Mr. Bede'S humble journalistic home
in the shadow of the SOughing pines,
whose roots in many places rest in COW
cred wealth. Half-a-mile from the town
| is a saWmill. 1t was not built until
February, but there is respectable
group OF buildings and great piles of
pine logs. The mill will turn out lum-
Der steadily, but will at once be rein
forced, as the demand exceeds the sup
ply.
AT the mine itself vast deposits of
! fine ore are being rapidly uncovered.
| Right back of the shanty where the
h-n l-facf iS Xx-bnra
| Cassius Merritt. while prospecting with
a pack on his back, found the first lump
| of good ore. 1t was many weary days
| and months after this discovery. how
ever, before the real limits of the ore
| deposit were defined with anything like
! accuracy. At present steam ShOvelS
| and fiat cars manned by gangs of men
| are stripping" the ore beds and put
ting the railroad in shape to handle
| future traffic.
a TWO Months Town,
From Mountain Iron the train ran over
| to Virginia, the greatest town of its
kind and size, for It's age. in the United
! States. About sixty days ago piles OF
lumber were streWn all over the town
site. AS fast as men could put up the
| frames and nail OH the boards, stores.
with rooms for housekeeping above,
| and separate dwellings were erected
along the two sides of the main street,
at the head of which are located two
fresh water lakes of generous size. -.
Sunday, when the legislative party
viewed the town and were told it was
two months old, they were aStOunded.
| Most of the buildings have been put up
"fOr keeps" just as there are in ST.
Paul today scores of buildings erected
as long ago as the late sixties and early
seventies. The only street yet built on
is of good width, and the other street
will cross it at right angles. Lots are %
by from 100 TO 40, and the stories told
| of the increase in price in sixty days
would appeal to the Imagination of the
| jOlliest boomer that ever dropped his
| pile. There are thirty saloons i'll run
ming order and one church under Way.
Stores are numerous, barber is hand
| lily located; likewise Chinese fortune
| hunter, who manipulate5 Soiled clothes.
| 1t is understood real estate agent or
two can be found by prospective pur-
| chaserS of lots, and while compelled to
wait their pleasure several hotels will
act Hospitality to strangers. Virginia is
pointed to with pride by the toilers on
the Mesaba range. 1t certainly is "a
corker."
Close to the town the best mines are
to be found. In some instances strip
ping" with steam shovel and fiat cars
is the rule; in others a perpendicular
shaft is sunk, up which the ore Will bt
raised by machinery. The Mesaba
Mountain mine property has On it test
shaft timDered to depth of ia feet
solid ore to the bottom, and no one
knows how much further. The Lone
Jack, hard by, has perpendicular shaft
and next to that the "Ohio property
which ex-GOv. Campbell and party Wis
tied some time ago, lies still undevel-
oped. There are countless tons of ore
in sight and located in this spot. 1t is