The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-05-31

couraging aspect as an iron ore pro-
Queer was the fact that the Duluth,
Port Arthur & Western road has
never become an ore shipper. Itbuilt
spurs To newly opened mines, but the
development of the mines was discon-
tinued, and the spurs leading to them
were abandoned. But that was sew
eral years ago. when the urgency of
new iron ore properties was not as
great as now. The Atichocan iron
range which runs from Canada down
into Cook county, is said tn contain
large deposits of iron ore, and If, as
reported, the Objectionable titanium
disappears as the shaft is sunk in the
ore body. there can be nothing less
than a wonderful future for Cook
county as an iron producing section.
The people of Grand Marais are count
ing much on the development of
mines in Cook county, for they have
a very good harbor, and the rail haul
from any part of the iron region Of
the county is much nearer than Two
Harbors. It is confidently expected
by some Duluth mining men that
Cook county will be the next great
iron producing region of the Lake
Superior country.
The iron and steel interests would
gladly take 100000 tons OF Mime
sofa ores this season if they could get
that vast amount. But a late open
ing Of navigation and the delays Incl
dent to the Buffalo strike, have made
it impossible to figure on getting that
much forwarded. The insurance COM
panies have cut week or ten days
off the last end of the season, and
taken altogether, it looks as if it will
keep the lake fleet busy to equal last
seasons record. One prominent min
ing man takes an optimistic view of
the situation, however, and says he
thinks Minnesota will ship at least
1000, 900 tons. which would mean an
increase of about 100000 tons over the
aggregate shipments last year from
this state. Vesselmen, owing to the
urgent demand for iron ore, hold
fancy views as to rates before the sea-
son ends. By 'fancy" rates is not
meant that they expect to get $3.50
to s1.75 which was paid in the fall of
1895, but that they may get 90 cents
to 81. These are fancy rates in these
days of big boats and deeper water.
A prominent official Of one Of the
ore handling roads said last evening
that he did not believe there is
pound of merchantable iron ore in
Cook county. Continuing, he said:
1.-The ores of Cook county are what
is known as titanic. They are mag
netic ores. strongly charged with tit
anium. 1t is possible to eliminate
the titanium, but it costs more than
it is worth under present conditions.
If iron should become twice as val
uaLle as it is now, these ores might
have some value. This report that
the titanium disappears as depth is
attained is not a fact. l understand
on good authority that the Johnson
people have drilled to depth of ], 100
feet, and the titanium was still in
the ores in a very marked degree. But
there is lots of undiscovered ore in
this region. 1 have lost faith in the
traditions that iron ore is found only
under certain geological conditions,
next to granite, for instance, and
that sort of thing. But Cook county
will never startle the world with its
iron ore production"
And thus views differ as to the fu-
ture Of the Cook county iron deposits.
One man says there are no deposits of
iron ore in that county, and says it is
a sort of s'sore thumb" on the north
east corner of the state. Another
says Cook county has a great future
as an iron ore district. Still another
says there is plenty of iron ore there,
but it is not merchantable. It is a
matter Of some speculation just how
much is actually known about Cook
county. AS trees are found above
ground, and iron ore beneath the sur
face, more is known of the timber re-
sources of the county than OF its min
eral wealth.-News Tribune.
Commissioners Here.