The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-29
YEAR A. REVIEW. OF
LAKE SUPERIOR
lRlONORETRADE.
Greatest Activity and Largest Pro.
ductton Ever Known In the
Districts Of the North. 4
MARVELOUsGR0WTHO TRADE,
Carnegie Steel Company in the Lead.
( Master Of the Iron and
Steel Industry.

Copyright, 1900, by Horace ]. stevcns.)
I ISHPEMING, Mich, Dec. 2s.-rhe
year 1900 has been marked by the
greatest activity and the largest pro-
ductlon in the history OF the Lake Su-
perior iron district. The year now
closing not only ends the century, but
Is practically the ending of the first half
century Of, the Lake Superior ore in
dustry. now incomparably greater than
that Of any competitive district In the
old or new worlds. With five great
iron ranges producing ore from the
southern and western shores Of the
lake. and with q sixth range making its
first shipments from the northern, or
Canadian shore. a brief retrospect may
be permitted.
Iron ore '-as first found,in the vicin-
ity OF La&e Superior In the summer OF
1914, under an uprooted stump, by E. S.
Rockwell and S. T. Carr, on territory
now owned by the Jackson mine, In the
city OF Negauuee. A corporation or
ganized at Jackson, Mich. for the min
ing of iron ore, took the name of the
town Of its inception and in 1916 the
first ore was taken from the Jackson
mine.
Industry Not Successful.
Crude bloomeries were built midway
between Negaunee and Marquette, and
excellent iron was manufactured by the
rough process employed in reduction.
The industry languished. not because OF
any lack Of quality or quantity on the
part Of the ore, but simply by reason OF
the impossibility Of marketing the pro-
duct Of the mines. either raw. as ore,
or In crudcly manufactured form. as
blooms, because OF the inadequate
transportation facilities then at the
command Of the district. Half a CEN
tury ago the iron and copper mines OF
Lake Superior were further from the
Atlantic seaboard. Judged by facilities
os travel and transportation, than Cape
Nome or Hong Kong are to-day. 1t
was not until the first ship canal was
completed, in 1865, at sault Ste. Marie,
permitting continuous navigation be-
tween Lake Superior and the lower
lakes that the mining Of iron became q
permanent and prosperous industry. A
limited amount OF ore had been mined
before that date. but usually at loss,
despite its wonderful purity, which set
all the furnacemen on edge,for more Of
the wonderful stuff, II Il could but be
furnished them at reasonable prices,
and steady supply guaranteed.
Small as the first ship canal at the
500 would seem to-day. if placed be-
side the latest artificial channel OF that
point, through which more than double
the tonnage Of the Suez canal is locked
annually. It was n great undertaking
forsy-five years ago. Built by the state
at q time whensfunds were scarce, amid
many complaints of ptofigatc sauan-
dering of the states money on hare
Drained experiments. itN,ps the precur-
sor Of the later canals. each greater
than its predecessors, and which will,
within another fifty years, give place to
thlrty-foot channel, through which
will sail the salt-sea ships from many
far-off lands, bringing TO the opulcnt
cities OF the inland ocean the wealth of
nations. In exchange for the mineral
treasures wrested from the granite
hills which rise up from the waters of
the lake.
Its Marvellous Growth. ",
The following table speaks more elo-
quently than words of the marvellous
growth of the iron mining industry of
Lake Superior. The figures show the
ore production of the district for every