The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-12
1T STANDS MILNE OF THE CYCLONE
WHICH WRECKED THE STEEL
TRUST.
WAR ON THE MESABA RANGE
is SURE TO RESULT FROM THE
NEW CONDITION OE' AT
FAIRS.
NO MORE TALK OF A TARIFF
Prices on Finished Products Lower
Since the Break Than in
England.

CHICAGO, Feb. 1.-THE Tribune to-
day says: The Iron Ore association
which has controlled prices and fixed
the output Of Lake Superior iron mines.
stands directly in the track of the
cyclone which has swept away every
combination and pool in the iron and
steel trade for the division Of business
and the maintenance of prices.
What the Rockefeller-C Carnegie COM
bination will do in the ore pool will
become manifest within a fortnight.
The first announcement will be in the
shape of large sales of ore for delivery
during the coming season of navigation
without regard to the pool.
Even more important than the col
lapse Of the steel rail pool, which was
scattered to the winds on Monday, will
be the termination of the ore pool. 1t
will mean terrific war on prices by
all the iron mining companies of
Northern Michigan and Minnesota
EFFECT OF ORE POOL COLLAPSE.
Towns now prosperous in these re-
gions will be affected. Mines which
have produced mountains and made
millionaires may be given over to rot
ting timbers and rusty pumps. The
population of the iron mining regions
of the north will be shifted in the
migration Of miners to new fields. The
stories of privation and suffering which
the iron districts Of the north have
several times given to the world since
the panic of four years ago may be
retold in the working out of the
changes which must come with free
competition between the great mining
companies.
While the end of the steel rail pool
brings a reduction of wages it also
brings more work, but in the mines
new fields of labor are far away, and
In the development of the Mesaba
range far less men are required to
produce the ore than in the old mines,
which have furnished largest employ
ment to miners in the past.
QUESTION AS TO ORE POOL.
There is serious question if the iron
ore pool has not already gone In
previous winters the production of
every important mine in the Lake Su-
perior region had been allotted and
prices fixed long before this time in
February. AS yet no allotment has
been made and no prices fixed for the
coming season. Meetings have been
lIc1u dI SlCNGldllu, OuL llcy nave D06n
fruitless in reaching an agreement.
The larger companies, believing gi-
gantic war cannot be averted appear
to be Indifferent over the results CT
these sessions
On all sides the sentiment was gen
eral yesterday that the ore pool could
not be saved, and identically that the
same influences which have wrecked
every iron and steel combination in
existence at the beginning of the year
will prevent the iron mining companies
from reaching an agreement
PARTIES TO THE CONFLICT.
In the war the two great companies
will be the Minnesota Iron company,
with headquarters in this city, and the
Lake Superior consolidated mines, con-
trolled by John D. Rockefeller Both
operate in the Mesaba range, above
Duluth, In Minnesota, although the
Minnesota company has heavy inter
eSts in the Vermillion range also. Their
railroads reach the same region, and
some of their properties adjoin each
other Further to the westward is the
Mahoning mine, owned by Pennsylva-
MIA iron manufacturers.
While every range in the Lake Su-
perior region will be vitality affected
by the outbreak of hostilities, the bat
tie ground will be the Mesaba range.
where the leaders meet.
President d. H. Bacon, of the Min
nesota Iron company, said yesterday
that he knew Of no agreement cover
ing the output of the mines or prices
for 1897. He expected larger demand
for steel, and perhaps an export trade.
This would certainly call on the mines
for more ore.
PRESIDENT BACON'S VIEW.
All Mr. Bacon would say regarding
the impending struggle in the ore trade
yesterday was:
There are 3oO,ooo,OQO tons OF ore in