The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-08-23
NEWS FROM THE IRON MINES.
INTERESTING .Ne,4HS Rk,L4T1HE TO
OER PRINCKPiL INDUSTRY.
Mes0ba and Other Iron Ranges.


In St. Paul Monday Judge
Sanborn of the United States
|'circuit court in chambers, heard
the demurrer TO the answer of
the American Steel Barge Co. to
the action brought against it by
ALFRED and Lon Merritt of Du-
luth. Suit was brought for
$50O,000 damages, alleging tue
conversion of stock in the Lake
Superior Consolidated Iron
mines. The American Steel
Barge. Co., of which Rockefeller
is the chief owner, has a large
holding in the Consolidated
mines stock. It is claimed that
the answer does not set up a
legal defense. a. A. and FL. E.
Harris of Duluth represent the
Merritts IN the action, and Jas.
H. Hoyt of Cleveland and F. B.
Kellogg appear for the barge
company. The demurrer was
argued and Judge Sanborn took
the matter under advisement,
rendering q decision in favor of
the Steel Barge company, to the
effect that a Judgment. growing
out of g lien of the company on
$500, 900 worth of stock held by
the Merritts, is a bar to the suit
Of tho Merritts to recover.
Hon. Neil McInis was over
from Eveleth yesterday, and in
conversation with an Enterprise
reporter stated that ore had
been found on the explorations
conducted by Messrs. Adams and
McInnis on the Mckinley town.
site, aad that a diamond drill
had been put to work to test the
extent of the find. These gen
tlemen are also conducting ex.
ploratory work on 5-57.17. near
the Fayal, where promising in
dications are beng encountered.
During the recent visit of Gen.
eral Manager Cole, orders were
given to open work on the Com
modore, and small force of men
arc now employed at that prop
ertJy--the first for the season of
'95. From the fact of this mine
having lain idle so long. the old
shaft and underground workings
have flied with water and cave1
until it is considered a piece of
economy to sink a new shaft
Ia her than try to repair the old
one. This work has now been
commenced and the Commodore
will be in shape to furnish en-
poyment to quite crew
throughout the coming winter.
Winston Bros. & Dear, who
have recently been awarded a
new stripping contract at the
Auburn, and making prepara
tions for aggressive work. One
trouble with which this firm will
have to contend at present is
the great scarcity OF men on the
range.
The Pioneer mine, Ely, has
Received instructions from their
general Office to commence ship
ping ore at once, and will send
forward from 500 to. 800 tons per
day for the balance :of the sea-
son. The Pioneer was discov-
cred long before the great
Chandler. but records show the
total shipments from the proper
ty in all these years to be but
20, 1886 tons.
Three new shafts will be sunk
at the Lake Supe rior the CON-
ing winter.
The diamond drill at the Nor.
man has been taken into the
mine, where it is at present be-
ing used in testing the depth of
the ore body. -.
The Cleveland Cliffs and Lake
Angeline mines or Tuesday
pulled their fires, preparatory to
shutting down. The mines are
fast filling with water, and it is
not at all probable that work on
the properties will be resumed
before next spring. +: r
The Drake & Station company
will soon place two shovels at
work on the Lone Jack proper
ty, and will continue work with
the one at present employed on
the Ohio. This will mean a
place for one hundred new men
IN the near future.
The Duluth, Missabe & North.
ern road has reported it's earn.
ings to the state auditor, for the
first six months of this year. A
gain is shown over the preced'
ing six months, as Indicated by
the following: 1895 earnings,
ia16Q S2d 40. tAvac $Ge I'd HSS AZ