The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-16
Glowing Reports Brought From
Southern Country,
MAMMOTH ORE DEPOSITS
ONE LARGE VEIN 500 FEET
WIDE.
Relieved That the Iron Industry viii
Be Inaugurated During the Com
ing Year-Colonel Miner and As
sociates Working Large Force
of Men-Mining Notes.

Colonel s. B. Miner and r. 2. Dear,
the latter Of the Lake Superior iron re-
gions, returned yesterday from Iron
county where they went to make a per-
sonai examination of their coal and
iron propositions, which will Shortly
assist in the building up of a second
Pittsburg in this state. Fred E. Lerch,
the well known metallurgist of the
Minnesota and Pennsylvania iron re-
gions, who is also associated with
Messrs Miner and Dear, will remain
on the ground for an indefinite time.
The two f,nmer gentlemen were seen
soon after their return yesterday and
both were greatly enthused over the
outlook for the future of the new iron
and coal districts of Utah.
Colonel Miner said, Il tell you the
day is not far distant when southern
Utah viii do some big things. The
iron country is going to come to the
front and il will not be very long be-
fore some big developments viii be
started in Iron county"
Mr. Miner and his associates have
grouped together over twenty iron
claims. Development work is being
pushed on them and during the coming
winter no less than twenty-five men
will be kept at work under the direc-
ton of Mr.. Lerch. Enough work Will
be performed upon the claims to pro-
cure patents. Very few have any con-
ception of the enormity of the iron
lodges in the district. A mass of iron
ore. or large vein 500 feet wide, more
than the width of a claim, passes
through the ground taken up by Mr..
Miner and his associates. The top of
it is mostly covered with a crust or
wash, but beneath it is the. immense
body OF ore
Some time ago the vein was thor
pies were taken, representing as near
as could be gotten, an average of the
vein They were sent to the Lerch
Brothers laboratories in northern Min
nesota for analysis. The returns were
more than gratifying. They proved to
contain average values of 81 per cent
iron, with no sulphur or other delete
rioiis substances whatever.
Mr.. Dear says the iron ores of the
district can be mined very cheaply. He
says he is willing to take a contract to
mine and load 5000 tons of ore per
day with one of the mammoth steam
shovels, such as used in the Lake Su-
perior regions, for 20 cents a ton. He
would agree to do this, providing the
crust or wash lying over the ore is re-
moved, in a shift of ten hours a day
In the Lake Superior country approx
nlateiy 4,e00 tons of ore has been re-
moved by a steam shovel in q day.
but 1900 tons is considered a good
days work
So far as the coal lying near to the
iron fields is concerned, Mr.. Dear says
there is no doubt it will meet all re-
cuirements to operate large rolling
mills successfully, so there seems
nothing in the way of the launching of
one of the greatest industries ever es-
tablished in the western states.
Great events ale promised for Utah
and before the close of another year
there is no doubt that Iron county viii
be a center of attraction. Rapid strides
will be made in 1900 towards the open
ing Of the iron mines, the establishment
of immense rolling mills there the
starting of town that viii grow into
a large city. the building of a railroad
To the Pacific coast and various other
things that will add to the prosperity
of the state. in general.
. Mr.. Milnet and his associates have
acquired 600 acres of iron and $40 acres
Of coal lands from which they are sure
to realize an immense fortune.