The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-02-10
THE FLORENCE CLOSED.

he + FLOnENSG X OIO
Prospect OF Free Iron Ore Wos Like the Last ,
straw 20 the Burdened Camel.
The Florence mine has finally sue
cumbcd 10 the inevitable and closed
down. Orders TO suspend mining opcr-
tions we've received by Supt. 5. I. Benttie
from President John Scott, oi New YORK,
on Sunday last and the company's in-
structions were carried out on Wednes-
the last day OF January. While the
closure will fleet all interestsin Florence
and eventually cause, in all probability
no little suffering in the city, yet at the
snme time il has occasioned no great
amount OF surprise in the community.
Indeed Il shut.down was expected by
nearly everybody two or three months
: opo. when scores oi mines throughoutth the
Lake Superior region were compelled TO
cease operations because there was no
demand for ore at any p,ice. Notwlth-
standing the fact, however, that noun
: tain OF ore was lying upon surince in the
Z mine yards and that there was no I'M
Y mediate nor remote prospect Tor selling n
. mound Of the immense stock, the com
many brayely continued 10 operate its
< mine, although every day added many
0 GOOD dollars TO the already laige outlay
: Of money which had been spent In itS
:. accumulation. The company, 1t may tie
g said, has practically sold no ore since
e the senson Of 1892. The writer cannot
e helm believing that President Scott and
oi his associates have kept the Florence
)i ruunine during the past few months more
r, 10 give the mon in their employ work
'r than anything else. Certainly they must
=, long since have realized that the chances
u for selling even portion oi their FLOR
81 ence product were among the dim uncer
pe taintics. II this be true, then surely
'n there are good grounds Tor the Mining
~ News making the above assertion. But
y, ofcourse, the Florence Iron River com
=. pany, or no other corporation. especially
Hn one owning an iron mine during th'
ol prcsent unfortunate depression, coult
he stand the strain of operating big non
u, Bessemer property at n loss Tor mn ~
definite period. II would take the wealth
mt 81 Rothschid to do IL. The sturd!
oi company, like the camel in Tabled lore
IA finally receiving "the last straw" 9TH
no prospect OF free iron orel to it's nlmad.
'ei heavy burden, became exceedingly wear
n and called halt.
'st The Florence Iron River company
% owner Of the Florence, will surrender 1t
TX lease 10 the Iron River mine, at Stan
'st bnugh. This contemplated action
en- principally due To the excessive royali
oo- thirty cents per ton-which the con
TO pany is obliged TO pay whether operatir
lor the mine or not. The leascholders a.
my cording TO the conditions OF the lcas
res nre compelled to pay several thousand
ing Of dollars annually in royalties. III
Iron River yields very low grade
ets non Bessemer ore, and has not bee
mes wrought since 1891 IL would seem th'
pun the fee holders have acted unwisely
eet' not long ngo reducing the royalty to
ON much more reasonable figure, inasmu'
ana M the best Bcssemer properties, nothb
cry the Chaplin, have cut down royaltl
'he from fifteen to twenty-five cents per TO
ing, The pumps and other machinery will
lose taken out OF the mine mt once, broug
ans TO Florence and slowed away for iuiu
Tor snle or use. II Ia doubtful II the In
De- River will he worked again. The
rom owners are w. III. Selden, Louis stegn
eve Ter and others. Mining News.