Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-02-11
TIE ORE TRADE WARFARE.
iron Orc AsSCClal lon in The Path Of
The cyclone


CHICAGO, Feb. TO- The Tribune
says:
the iron ore association which has
controlled prices and fixed the oatput
OF Lake Superior iron mines, stand3
directly In tho track OF the cyclone
which has swept away every combina-
ton and pool In the iron anu steel
trade for the division of business and
the maintenance OF prices.
What tho Rlckeieller-Csrneg
combination will uo in the ore pool
VIII become manifest In fortnight.
Toe hrst announcement, 1t Is said,
will be- in the shape Of large GALES OF
ore for delivery curing tue coming
season OF navigation without REGARD
TO the pool. Even more important
than the collapse of the steel rail pool
Will be The termination OF the ore pool.
1t will mean terrific war on prices
by all the iron mining companies in
northern Michigan and Minneapolis.
Among some there Is SERIOUS ques-
ton II the iron ore pool has not al
ready gone. ln previous winters the
production OF every important mine
In the Lake Superior region had been
ing season. Meetings. have been held
ut Cleveland, hut they have been
Ruthless in reaching an agreement.
On all sides ths sentiment is general
that the ore pool cannot be saved and
that iuenticalIy the ssme IL fuences
which have wrecked every Iron anu
steel cum DIN alton IN existence at the
beginning OF the year will prevent the
iron mining companies from reaching
III agreement.
In tue war the two great companies
will be the MiunesOta Iron company,
with headquarters in this city, aud
the Lake Superior cons 1lidatej mines,
controlled by John ID. Rockefeller.
Both operate in the MesabA range,
ABOVE Duluth, in Minnesota. although
the Minneapolis company has heavy
interests IN the VeImllilon range also.
Their railroads reacn in tue same re-
zion, anu some OF tneir properties M.
Join escn other. The iurtner to tho
Westward 10 the MahOning mine
owned 10y Pennsylvania iron manu-
iaclurers. While every range IN the
Lake Superior will be- vitaily affected
by the outbreak OF hOstiities the bat.
tie gIound will be the Mesabs range
where the leaders meet.
President d. ii. Bacon OF the MIN.
DesOla lion company says ne knows
OF no agreement covering the outpu!
Ut tue mines Or prices Tor 1897. he
expected larger sum TOR steel anu
perhaps al export trade. This would
certainly cali on the mines for more
ore.
All Mr.. Bacon would say regarding
the impending struggle In the ore
trade was:
"rhere are 800, 900. 900 tons of ore in
sight in the MesaDa range. The RJcke-
feIlaer, holdings, either IN lee or under
ease, inclu uing the Tee VI the Mouu.
lain iron mine, mich has been receni-
Iy leased to Tho Carnegie steel COM
pauy, no doubL appfs xlmste 100, 000,.
900 tons. Tnt rect Is geld by peJp.e
VINO have no connection with Mr..
RocReielIer's interest
1.-TWO tous OF IRON U1e can be mined
now In the Lake Superior region Tor
every one that can Du sold. Over Two
IONS OF steel rails can De made Tor
every one used by the railroads.
at IL this unlimited capacity which
will give sucn nounliess OPPORTUNITY
ior warfare. Either Of the great
companies on the Mesaba range could
tiood the market with ore once tue
contest has bsgun."
One marked effect o the collapse OF
the steel pool has been TO stop ali talk
about raising the tarlh un iron ore, iron
anu steel.
Pilttburg manufacturers are reported
as not disturbed by the report thaE the
Merchah bar ron association had
gone the way OF the rail pool. Ii was
eaid the efforts OF the association To
maintain prices had been Intellectual
from the TINS 1t was organized, Two
years ago. The PHtsburg bar iron
mill owners rssuteu to JOIN the assoc
citation anu matte 1t dldcul, II was
asserted, Tor ths organ'zsu nanulac-
tureIs 10 maintsIn tneif compact.
Ihe association InciuIed all the
mills in the NJ anoning anu Snenang0n
valleys.