Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-07

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point between ST. Paul and New Or
leans, its elevate being 1850 feet above
sea level. Iron Mountain in Missouri, is
the only higher point in the Mississippi
valley, but it need hardly be considered,
it is so far west of the river.
"Ore occurs in bed at Iron Hill
varying in thickness from twenty-five
to forty feet, covering the whole of the
hill. 1t is not all of good grade as
some is mixed with clay and other i'm
purities There is, however, very
large amount of excellent ore, an anal
ysis of which, made by the survey chem
list, shows that a portion, at least, is Il
Bessemer ore, although probably very
little of such high grade.
Result of Tests.
"The analysis resulted as follows:
"No. 275-Iron 54.32 per cent; sui
phur, none; phosphorus, 100.
mo. 27s-Iron, 66.920; sulphur, .047;
phosphorus, SOB.
mo. 279-Iron, 5s.6s per cent; sui
phur, none; phosphorus, LIS.
Iowa Ores Are Bessemer.
ssWhat is Bessemer ore? It is one
which can be used as a basis for the
manufacture Of steel by the Bessemer
process, and brings usually the best
price of all grades Of iron ore. You
see the value of iron ores is influenced
first by the per cent. of actual iron in
the ore; second by the amount of phos-
phorus it contains, and third by the
amount of sulphur. A comparatively
small amount OF either sulphur or phos-
phorus, particularly the latter, renders
the ore unavailable for Bessemer work.
The Allamakee county ores, while rum
s,s,, rJ,n
limits, are not so high in phosphorus
as to make it Impossible to use them by
mixing with richer ores. In fact, their
chief value will be for furnace mix
lures.
They carry, when cleaned, from 81
to 66 per cent of metallic iron while
the ores from the lake Superior region
run in most cases over 60 per cent. In
modern furnace practices, however, the
greatest economy is obtained by mixing
the different ores, and Allamakee coun-
ty, while not so rich as that of the lake
Superior mines, has certain other quail
tiles which render it valuable in MAX
ing up furnace charges.
Use of Furnace Charges.
"Don't know what furnace charesI
are? will tell you as best can. When
iron is made in the blast furnace, GER
tain proportions of coke or other fuel
are mixed with certain weights of lime
stone, known as fluX, together with
varying rdoin aroi of different. sorts of
iron ore. This whole mixture is called
charge and the different elements en-
tering into it and the different proper
tons of each are controlled by the
character of the ore. For example, in
smelling gold or silver ores, lead or
iron, or both are mixed into the charge
and help to reduce the gold and silver.
1t has often happened that lead ore
mined near Lansing, Allamakee coun-
ty has sold for more than lead itself
was worth after the ore was reduced,
the reason being that smelters. needed it
to make mixtures.
Iowa Ores to Michigan
''Waukon iron ores are so far from
fuel and the difficulties of transporta.
ton are SO great that it does not seem
likely at present they will ever lead TO
the estab lishment of local furnaces and
rolling mills. They are of the same gen
eral character as much of the ore min
ed near Birmingham, Ala, but the lat
z ter not only, have ore and flux at hand,
as is true of Waukon, but have ex-
cellent and very cheap labor. Iowa ores
will probably go to lake Michigan fur
naces, and if proper arrangements can
be made in regard to price, there is no
reason why extensive mining may not
be carried on for number of years.
ut present the mines are not near any
railway and it would require an eX-
tensive bit of track to connect with the
Milwaukee, the nearest road. The ore
is now hauled by wagon over bad roads.
Several car loads, / understand, have
been shipped out for trial. 1t is re-
ported that as much as $3.50 per week
is being paid now in wages there.
Former Dubuque Find.
SIT may be interesting TO recall that
some two years ago similar body of
ore as the one in Allamakee county,
though apparently not SO extensive nor
SO accessible, were opened up in Du-
buque county. A switch was put in by
the Great Western road and a tunnel
driven into the hill some 1,7O0 feet.
Large amounts of good ore We're open
ed IN and ten or fifteen car loads ship
ped out and tried in the Calumet fur
naces near Chicago. The Illinois Steel
company, after thorough examination
of the properties, made the owners an
offer which ran into the thousands, but
was not satisfactory. As result the
mine closed down. Just now it is being
prospected for lead, with excellent
prospects for success.
Iron ore in all Iowa mines is OF the
kind known at brown henatite or lem
onite. 1t is graded over with a decreas-
ing per cent of iron into an ochre some
of which has been tested by the geo.
logical survey and found to afford an
excellent base for mineral paint"
Beecham's Pills for Stomach and
Liver ills.