The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-05
MINNESOTA
ORE MOVEMENT FOR 1909
Figures Given by Ranges-PreparatIon for
Another Year.

1t looks like a total movement of about
26,600,0O gross TONS which is an enor-
NOUS volume and about 5000. 900 tons
more than the. highest preceding year.
Ranges have produced about as follows to
make this immense total:
Mesaba Minnesota "a 400 ono
xermillion. Minnesota ............. 205O,0oo
M. sUs, Mt MiH. 3,3O0,00o
Menominee. Michigan ............ 10000
The Marquette range has been shipping
steadily for fifty-five years and is now as
great a producer as ever.
Seven Big Mines.
Among the mines there are seven that
have reached a total of more than l. 900 900
tons each. and of these all but two belong
to the United States Steel Corporation
The largest of them all. and the largest
mine in the world, in any ore. is the
fayal, whose production for the past eight
months has been more than 1900, 900 gross
tons. The Stevenson. which is a new
mine, and whose first large shipment was
only n year ago, has made the wonderful
record Of producing 1,450, 900 tons this sea-
son and may next year make an even
100000 The Mountain Iron. Mahoning
Adams. Chaplin and Norrie have all passed
the million ton point. All but the latter
two are on the Mesaba range and all but
the latter three are steam shovel open
pit mines.
Cha pin, and Norrie should have made
such record IS more notable than that
the steam shovel properties have done So
There Is not a mine of the lot that cannot
do as well another year and several Of
them can do much more should occasion
demand. as it is expected to.
The largest contracts for earthwork ever
let by mining companies have just been
closed by the Minnesota Iron company
amounting to about 1900. 900 cubic yards.
This Is TO come off two mines. though one
ore body. on, the western Mesaba range
and follows a. contract Of 600 yards
just completed at the same property. A
surface Of from twenty to forty-flve feet
IS to be taken off the Burt and Day tracts
which join, and the work will consume
several years.
The Penobscot mine is to strip to
depth Of sixty feet over its ore body at
Hibbing and thereby raise the bottom Of
tho mine 100 feet and likewise increase
the output materially.
Four new ore shipping docks will be
built on the upper lakes this winter, and
at lea st one other will be repaired and In
creased in capacity. Only one Of these
docks takes the place of an old one de-
stroyed, the rest either additional or
are old ones increased and rebuilt. The
railroads evidently expect a large increase
of business the coming year. Each Of
these docks will cost in the neighborhood
OF 100000 and for each several million
feet Of Pacific coast timber will be re-
CURED at once.
Ore Under Race Track.
The United States Steel Corporation
owns and will probably open in a short
time a large ore deposit in the old race
track at Negaunee, on land 1t bought last
year. 1t is supposed that one OF the most
important mines of the Marquette range
will be opened there. This land is close
to the Mass and Negaunee and adjoins
a large tracts bought for ore by the Cleve-
land Cliffs company short time ago for
large sum.
Explorers are at work close to Lake Su-
perior in Lake county. Mimi, claiming to
have found iron ore there, though as vet
OF low grade. They are sinking pits and
hope to find deposit Of value. Biologists
and most mining men doubt the possibility
Of finding anywhere near there body of
ore Of Importance, and so far as known
none Of the large mining concerns is in
terested in the work.
At the Sharon mine Of the new Union
Steel company. they are preparing for a
far larger output another year and will
strip the mine extensively during the win
ter. This is the largest ore body owned
by the combination and is easily mined
and reduced. It has made an output of
about 100000 tons this year which will
be greatly increased.
Jones & Laughlins. Of Pittsburg, have
mined this year on the Mesaba range
about 100000 tons, and are preparing to
make this $50, 900 tons another year. They
will take 100000 tons Of this from state
school section they have leased and the
rest from free lands.
The Minnesota Iron company has made
some very large stripping contracts for its
EIibbing mines. One Of these is the
stripping Of the Day mine. just north of
Hibbing, to the extent of 700, 900 yards.
This contract was let this morning to the
Drake & stratton company. which has
been the leading stripping firm of the
range for some years. In connection with
this contract the company have let an
additional contract for stripping the Burt,
adjoining the Day, to Winston Bros. &
Dear, the firm that commenced the work
there last spring. This Is for about $780,
zoo yards and is in addition to about $780,
wards let the same firm some months ago
and on which it has been at work all
summer.