The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-10-04
NEWS FROM THE iron MINES.
NOTES RELATIHE TO
OUR PRINCIPAL INDUSTRY.
Mesaba and Other Iron Ranges.

Mesaba and Other Iron Ranges.
At the Franklin there is but
little change; a lively appear
auce is presented at all times,
and what is more cheering than
this is the fact that the property
will be worked to it's fullest ex-
tent during the entire winter.
The payroll now shows about
$50 men, an increase over former
months. The company made
known it's pay day on Monday
and distributed about $4,000
among the employees. The new
power house is not as yet quite
complete but the new machinery
therein was started to work yes.
terday, after little trouble. The
stockpiles are cleaned to the
boards and the Giant steam
shovel, Vulcan make, is laid up
for future use. The old Jackson
& Co. store which has been cut
in two and moved to Bessemer
and Franklin avenues, one for q
boarding house and the other
part to be- used for a store.
Some good stockplle work will
be done this season.
The Norman, from all accounts
will close this seasons ship
ments tomorrow. But this does
not mean the closing of the
mine, as the trestle way leading
south Of the shaft house is being
extended and planks. are oein g
laid on the ground beneath which
would Indicate that some heavy
stockpiling work would be done
this winter. A diamond drill
was put to surface prospecting
on the east of the Office building
and began drilling Wednesday
afternoon, under charge of r.
H. Charming. The company put
on an extra shift Monday, pre-
|sumably to rush the work for
the. close of the season, anu dur
ID the: week 18 cars per
day was the record, 60 men be-,
/ ing employed. Pipes have been
connected from the boilerstosthe
dry house this week and the EN-,
.ployes, when washing :. up enjoy
steam heat.
|. The Victoria is loading ore
this week temporarily, as small
drift: some Is feet, is being
worked through to connect with
the future working shaft on the
north to furnish air for same
when in active operation. The
ore now being loaded assays a
little better that 64. About 30
men find employment there, a
double shift beng worked under
Capt. G. H. Whitford, who is an
experienced mining man and
when the mine is in first class
working order there will be no
room for doubling this statement.
The property will be worked
all winter and every preparation
made for active shipping next
season.
The Commodore is still tIoubl.
ed with water and this fluid is at
the same heighth as our last is
sue stated. A No. 9 Cameron
pump has been brought from the
Franklin, however, and Supt.
Hooking states that the bottom
of the pit will be seen tomorrow.
This pit is at a depth of 120 feet
and the shaft has a meas
urement of 6x5 feet. A small
crew is still employed.
The Bessemer. adjoining the
Franklin on the east, is pound
ing day and night and is sending
ore out over the Missabe road at
the usual rapid rate. The new
large dry house is almost com
Epleted. being the finest building
on the property. Stockpiling
is the next order of business
here. About 100 men find EN-.
ployment at this new shipper.
The Volunteer mine at Pal.
mer, six miles north of Negau
nee, of which Gen. Russell A.
Alger of Detroit is principa
owner, is cleaning up it's stock
piles. The mine will be unwat.
cred and active mining resumed
befo1e the close of the year
The Volunteer employs ovel
300 men when running at full
capacity and has been idle two
years.