The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1894-12-07
AMONG THE MINES,

! ~F~H ~ "Ae A~AAA0SOsss ~VAA1 P""y
Ore Shipments-Peroentage
Of hesaba ProfitabIy
Employed.
Notwithstanding the heavy
output of ore. there is as has al
ready been noted, every pros
pect Of lower lake docks con-
taiaing less ore next spriag than
for three years past, The heavy
manufacture of pig iron in fur
mace districts supplied by Lake
Superior ores continues unabat-
ed, and although there has been
some accumulation of stocks
within the past few weeks, the
amount piled in furnace yards is
not great by any means. The sit
uation is such that there is apro-
liability of something of an ad-
vance being obtained in prices to
be paid for next seasons ore,
and it seems quite certain that
sales, as we'll as contracts for
carrying the ore, will be made
much earlier in the winter than
has been the case for two or
three years past If there is
any truth to the rumor of o
break in the steel rail combina.
tion.. which is prompted at a
banquet in New York by Mr..
Carnegie's utterance q few days
ago, then there is an additional
reason for expecting increased
production of steel, as the lower
prices that would result in the
rail market should prompt pur-
chases from railway companies,
though they might be compelled
to borrow money in order to
take advantage of low prices.
A recent statement credited to
Manager Shields, of the Girard
Furnace, at Girard.> o., does not
exactly correspond with the
ideas advanced by those self
assumed authorities-the Iron
Trade Review and the Iron Ore.
Mr.. Shields states that at the Gi~
rard furnace they have this sea-
son used t;'ree-fourths Mesaba
Biwabik ore with good success,
and that as soon as the present
stocks are worked OF none but
Blwabik ore viii be used in this
furnace. The same gentleman
is authority for the statement
that one of the Carnegie furnaces
has been using five sixths Oliver
ore with good results:
The Minnesota Iron company
has closed the negotiations men,
toned IN the columns of The
Enterprise some time since.
whereby a six months option is
obtained on twenty~tw forties
owned by the Security Land g.,
Exploration company, situate in
the southern part of 50 II. and
the northern part of 57-17, a
short distance south of Eveleth.
The Minnesota company will
explore the lands and by a pay
ment of 5000, 600 can secure title
to any ten of the twenty-five for.
ties.
A few men are given employ
ment at the Hale this winter,
test-pitting.
The Consolidated has leased
stripping outfit formerly used
by David Sisk at the Biwa0ik,
and the plant has :been transfer
red this week. to the Adams.
where it is to be usec. At the
Adams one shovel is stripping
day and night, and is making
good headway.
The ore shipping season at
the port of Two Harbors, closed
November % with the clearance
of the steamer Philip Minch.
There were 598 ore clearances
232 miscellaneous clearances.
The total amount of ore shipped
is 1873, tons. Railroad
weights divided as follows: Yer.
million range, 948.517: Mesaba
range. 424, 1856.
The new shaft G at the Canton
has always been productive of
considerable water, but a regular
gusher was struck at depth of
about 20 feet at twoo'clock Tues
day afternoon. The men climbed
up onto a plank about six feet
from the bottom and before the
bucket could be lowered to hoist
them out the water was up
around their knees, although the
powerful pump was working all
the time. This morning the
water was within 30 feet of sur.
face.-Range.
The closing of the ore season
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