The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-07-13
.ELY's BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
AT Present not of the Brightest But Strong
Hopes are Entertained Of the Future.

heaving Of the freight rate case which
began in Duluth yesterday will have
some bearing on the opening of the
Pioneer, But, if this important case
drags through the courts as long as
all other cases do, many will be a.
waiting long and anxiously a decis-
| ion, for or against the reduction Of
of freight rates. The action Of the
state board of railroad and warehouse
commissioners will be fought long and
hard should the decision be in favor
of the independent mine owners, and
the latter are equally sure Of fighting
to be bitter end should it go against
them. There are heavy forces array
ed on both sides.
The Pioneer company claims they
lost money during the time the
mine freight rates. Should the rates
for transportion ore come down few
cents on ton, % or 80 or even less,
they could exist so they say. The
fight is being made for a Accent re-
dQction but the independent mine
owners would be satisfied with much
less, but put the figure down to 40
cents so as to give the commission
figure to work on.
Tower and the Mesaba range are en-
j0ying the higest degree Of prosperity
with the exception of Hibbing where
several of the mines have closed.
The Minnesota Iron company is con-
tinuing tn exploratory work on the
edge of the townsite at Tower. and is
getting good results that may lead to
the development of new mine in the
near future. There is a very plain
outcrop Of iron along the side ridge
extending from the Lee mine to its
property. Some exploratory work
was done along there in the early
days, but it was abondaned for the
richer deposits where the Minnesota
mines are now located. The mines of
this company are shipping ore at a
steady rate, and will have no trouble
in filling their allotments. In and
about their mines at Tower there are
about 800 men employed.
Biwabik is at present one of the
liVeliest little towns on the ranges.
The Biwabik mine at that place has
recently been sold to the Brier Hill
Iron & Coal company and the Youngs-
town Steel company. The mine has
been granted reduction of lease
from so to 80 cents, which will pro-
badly result in much more extensive
working of the property. A large
force of men is employed stripping for
the Drake & Stratton company, and a
considerable number OF men is en-
ployed by the mining company. 1t is
said that another large contract for
stripping will be let as soon as the
present contract is complete. The
mine VIII ship in the neighborhood |
of 100000 of ore this season,
The Duluth mine at Biwabik is put |
down for an output of about 100000
tons this season. This property for
merly belonged to Franklin Rookie
Teller, but has been absorbed by the
interests. 1t is worked
by the milling process.
EVeleth mines present healthy ap-
pearance. The Fayal employees a
force at about 400 men, and will ship
about 100000 tons of ore this year.
TO present progress, no
trouble will be experienced in getting
out this amount.
1.-THE Hull, Burt and Rust mines at
remain idle, 1t was Thought
when they closed that they will pro-
badly remain idle for the remainder
OF the season.
In ore shipping circles there is a