Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-02-22
STRUCK 1T RICH.
An Enterprise in which Mr.. a.
w. Wright is Largely In
tereSted.

to be almost beyond belief, for who
can realize the statement that the
owners of these lands will derive an
income in the next twenty years oil
at least five million dollars year.
Years ago, when the Mesaoa
country, as it is known, was valuable
only for its pine, timber estimators
and loggers tramped over the
country looking up into the trees
and not at the ground, where the
vaster fortunes lay, satisfied with
what they were making out of the
pine. This profit was three or four
fold and was thought to he good
enough. Three or four years ago an
explorer, more observant than
others, saw in the roots OF an up
turned pine tree what he knew to be
iron ore, and then began the devel'
opment of the Mesaba.
In the early days OF the range
some Of the numbering companies
and timber owners sold their lands
outright reserving only the pine;
the majority, however, kept their
titles, leasing to the mining corpora
tions at a specified rate per ton and
at certain minimum tonnage per
anpum. Others sold their Interests
in what are now some of the finest
, mining properties in the region to
men who agreed to develop them
for a little more than the cost OF de-
} yelopment. The remainder OF all
the lands in the region, except a few
mines owned by the state OF Mime
} sofa, are the absolute property oil a
few men.
OF these, Wright & Davis, of
r Saoinaw. of which firm a. w.
Wright, OF this place, Is principal
owner, own iHole lhdh i"'0NN
on the west part of the range, and II
T. is on their lands that the Mahonlng
j mines, where over 100000, 900 tons
Il of ore have been proved up, lie, al
Z well as some OF the properties oil
Bennett & Longyear, Hibbing q
: Trimbale and other operators. 1t Is
: expected that the Mahonipg com
E. pany will mine from 100000 to $50,
D. 900 tons annually for the next q
= years, and they pay royalty OF 81
. cents OH every ton taken from th'
q ground. Aside from the total o
y $50, 900 that Wright ~ Davi
g and their heirs will get from TIN
! mine. the lands Of the same nrn
. leased to Others have already show
Ii up not less than % 100000 tons, o
t. which the royalty will be the sam
II per ton, and explorations are ia
le from ended. 1t is safe to say tina
$4,000, 900 as an annual average 10
the next 20 years is none too muc
k. to figure for this fortunate firm.
en- Aside from the lands owned b
re- Wright d Davis, there are tho
IN sands of acres owned by other lun
ed Der dealers in Saginaw, Bay Gil
TO and Detroit the returns from wine
NJ will net the owners several mllilo
III dollars each year.
~ MANY of the mines owned /
Wright IL Davis, as we'll as by 9th
i'd firms, are not yet under way, exec
he that their ore body is tested al
- measured, and also that IL son
. om cases the larger royalties will be
are duced, but the figures above are
to close as it is possible TO get at tn
y" time, or for years. If the prese
ms lessees find themselves unable,in al
80 80 of the mines, to carry out tho
j. agreements, the ore If in the groun
he and will not rust or rot, and cor
emf nothing for insurance. 1t mas &C
-o' the lumbermen owners nothing, a.
,ev they can carry it while there is
M demand, which is sure 90 come,
big the quantity of Bessemer ore IN |
de- United States is not large outsi
a u.s. this range. The owners are bar
has ing on sure thing, and all tn
pa nave TO do in the worst case Is
one wait. This they can wei! afford
WI vi do, as they are not out eeal
" their iron land investments, havl
she gotten their money back many f'
of from the pine they have cut a