The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-06-28
NEWS FROM THE IRON MINES.
INTERESTING NOTES REL.iTIVE TO
OUR PRINCIPAL INDUSTRY.
0fesaba and Other Iron Ranges.

ana hatnOOn mines or since the
closing down of these two i'm
mense iron properties, that an
Enterprise scribe felt it his duty
to give a synopsis of what he
CLEANED while there Wednesday.
It is indeed a sudden change
to bring the mine and people to
over there and as there are no
prospects of re-opening soon
men with families and otherwise
are coming to Virginia and 9TH
er range towns seeking employ.
ment. In detail, our columns
are too we'll taken up with our
local news and we could not un.
dertake to reproduce all we saw
and heard in long stretch, but
will endeavor to give it in a con-
else form. In wandering around
the Mountain Iron mine we met
Capt. John Gill, formerly of
Tower, who has been at this
mine since it's incipiency and
who was kind enough to put us
on" The Captain says things
are very quiet and so different to
what he anticipated for the sum-
mer months, and lays it to the
litigation now in court.
A large Barnhart steam shovel
is loading ore night and day at
rate of 120 cars per two shifts,
while locomotives No. 9 and 4 do
the traffic work, the mine now
employing 100 men. The ore
is at the present time taken from
the east cut. but by the middle
of next week the shovel will be
put to work on the "ditch," or
original cut, being down to the
water level, the track through
which is now receiving repairs
at the hands of IS men. At this
mine will he found the very best
Bessemer ore on the Mesaba.
ranging from 81 to So in metallic
iron and from .017 to. 028 in phos-
phorus, which can be seen is
good, although resembling 9th
er properties on the range; the
grades vary considerable and a
difficult time is had occasionally
in putting the good. middle and
third grades in their respective
cars. The Helmer. good ore
was loaded during the week.
There is no prospect now of
resuming work at any time dur
the summer at half or full capa-
city, but the shovel now n op-
Grafton will remain 50 during the
shipping season, but can in no.
wise do duty to so many idle
men in that burg. Before finish
ing We must mention the stream
which has been flowing at a
rapid rate for the past two
months. This water, coming as
it does into the ''ditch" from
the ore at depth of 1925 feet, is
as pure as could be if filtered,
having been analysed ard found
chemically pure and not a parti.
Gle of iron to be found in it, be.
ing the only water on the range
that can be used at the mine ia
boratory without going through
a chemical process. The elec-
trio lights are still running full
blast, but they do not seem to
throw much light upon the much
important question as to when
the mine will be opened without
a hinderan ce.
Capt. Hogan, who has been
exploring in 15.58-19, is strikingt
good ore. w. G. LaRue, one of
the earliest of Mesaba explorers,
and other Dulut! parties are in
terested in the property.
Capt. G. H. Whitford is now in
charge of a crew for Corrigan,
Mckinney & Co., exploring on
25, 58-17. The property will be
thoroughly explored by test-pit-
ting.
The Hale, at Merritt, under
charge of Capt. Trezona, is ship
ping a few cars daily. A shaft
is being sunk and preparations
made for more extensive opera
tions in future.
Capt. Harry Roberts, who ex-
plored the Mckinley property
and has had charge of other
work on the range, is now ex.
ploring on rs, 1918, using a dia-
mond drill. The work has been
IN progress for four months.
The Lake Superior is now
raising from one shaft and ship
ping ten or twelve cars daily. At
this mine there are now employ.
ed about $50 men, several crews
being engaged in exploratory
work on the western portion of