The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-08
LARGER ORE DOCKS.
Extensive Additions TO the AliOnez Ore
Docks TO be Made

Since the publication of the fact that
the Eastern Minnesota Railway com
pany will extend its ore dock at AL
| louez Bay and otherwise prepare to
increase its facilities for handling ore
the coming season, it has been learned
from reliable sources that the inn
provements contemplated are on a
much larger scale than at first re-
ported.
The dock extension will have 100
new pockets so on each side. This
will provide on increased dock capa-
city that will easily make the East
ern's ore dock one Of the largest in
the world.
Not only will the dock capacity be
increased, but the railway company
has ordered 1000 more Of the large
steel ore ears Of 60 tons capacity. and
a number of engines. This purchase
is along the line OF the Eastern's policy
to secure the hauling contracts from a
still larger number of the independent
mines. Last year the Eastern com
pany, with all its handicaps of defec-
tive bridges, sink holes and car short
age, hauled a larger ore business than
it has ever done before since the docks
were built at Allouoz Bay. The ship
ments from the docks last year were
100000 tons, an increase of nearly
500, 900 tons over the year previous.
During the season of 1902, it is
claimed that the railway company will
make every effort to increase the
amount of ore hauled to 4 SOC, 900 tons,
instead of 5000, 600 as has been stated
mark, but the company expects to
have sufficient equipment to do so.
When the road first began hauling
ore to its docks at the Head of the
Lakes, wooden cars, 1900 in number,
were put into use. SO rapidly did the
business increase that The company
about two years ago began purchasing
steel ore cars which had an increased
capacity, about 80 tous. All these
ears are practically in the trade now,
and with the 1000 new cars Will give
the railway company q rolling equip
ment of 200 ore cars.
With the new engines, which will be
locomotives of the large type the
Eastern COM any will be in an excel
lent position to do a tremendous ore
business. The work of improving the
road and getting it into condition for
the business of next season is being
pushed along rapidly and it is pre-
dicted that the Eastern Minnesota's
road to the mines will be one of the
busiest roads in the Northwest next
summer.
1t has been the policy Of all the ore
roads TO replace the wooden cars, as
fast as they are disabled, by steel cars
The Duluth & Iron Range road has
279O wooden cars, some of which have
since gone to the scrap pile, and $50
steel cars. The wooden cars have an
average capacity Of about % gross
tons and the steel cars have a capacity
Of 1890 pounds.
The Missabe road h as $500 ore cars
all told, of capacity of 25 to 35 gross
tons. This company is operating but
five of the 5O-ton steel cars.
With the Eastern Minnesota roads
dock extension, that will be completed
in time to be used part of the coming
season some Interesting figures can be
given of the total iron ore dock capa
city at the Superior. The old dock of
the Eastern Minnesota road had $50
pockets with a capacity Of 125 toLs
each. The new dock had $50 pockets
with capacity of $50 tons each With
the 100 pockets on the dock extension
to be built, the total capacity of the
Eastern docks will be increased to
lis. $50 tons.
The Missabe roads docks have $50
pockets with a capacity of 1876, 900
tons. The Duluth & Iron Range roads
new dock at Two Harbors has 26S
pockets, while the capacity of the
docks old and new, is 900 tons
The total dock storage capacity,
then, of all the Head of the Lake
docks will, the coming season, be Ala,
$50 tons-Leader.