The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-28
NOPthWe SlePnMIEleS'
RUSH In AFEW DAYS
Tremendous Ore Movement Will
Soon Be in Full Swing.
FLEETS OF CARRIERS WAITING
Spur Roads Building to Mines-Ex-
tensive Explorations Through
the Entire Summer.
Special to The Journal,

Special to The Journal
Duluth, Mimi, March 2S.-There is now
scarcely steel-unaking concern in the
east and north of the Tennessee and
Alabama fields that is not interested in
mines in Minnesota. While this move
lnent has been going more or less Vlgor-
ously since the Carnegie company began
buying mines in 1896, it was not universal
until the formation Of the United States
Steel corporation year ago. Since then
the demand for ore propeTt les has been a
scramble.
There is big fleet of ore carriers be-
longing to the Pittsburg Steamship COM
pany Omitted States Steel corporation)
on Lake Superior this spring awaiting the
opening of navigation. These ships will
be in commission in a few days and will
all load ore for Lake Erie delivery. Lake
Superior harbors will be open April 1. A
mine or two Is shipping to Lake Superior
docks already. but the greatest movement
will not begin until about April Is.
When the movement Of ore does begin
1t will be with a tremendous rush. 1t is
expected by the officers of the Duluth &
Iron Range road, which belongs to the
steel corporation, that they will handle
not far from 100000 tons in the season,
of eight Or nine months, and that durin g
a month Or two Of the height Of the sea-
son they will deliver to docks and ships
from 100000 to 100000 tons each
much, but the three Minnesota lines to
the lake will probably haul Is, OOO, 900 gross
tons.
The Clergue syndicate, operating on the
Canadian side Of Lake Superior, has char
tered six large ships for the season to
carry ore from the Helen mine, at Michi-
picoten to the American side at Clevela nd
The syndicate already has four ships of
British registry that will carry Helen ore
to both American and Canadian furnaces
Combined, they will move about 700, 900
tons in the season.
Explorers have been running diamond
drills since last August with great secre-
ICY at point twenty miles north of the
Mesaba range and on the general strike
of the Vermillion hard ore range. What
they have found has not been learned, but
the drills are still busy. There are some
surface indications of ore in the neighbour
hood. but no thorough prospecting has
ever been done there UP to this work.
The Oliver Iron Mining company has
made another purchase of silicious ores
In the Primrose township of the Cascade
range. This gives the company larger
ownership there than any other concern.
The Eastern railway, property belong
Ing to James j. Hill and associates, will
build eight spurs to mining properties
near It's line at once, and probably several
more during the summer. All these are to
Germs, and all are on the Mesaba. The
Eastern has strengthened it's position
wonderfully since ore hauling ceased last
year.
The Duluth, Missabe & Northern road
Is also building to new properties, nota-
bly, the Snyder and the Glen, both in S.
~. The Duluth & Iron Range will have
tracks to the new Stevens mine In 59-l5
The sum of $4,000 has been paid over
TO bind the bargain for the Arcturus prop
erty In ltasca county. 1t is presumed the
deal Will be closed, but the payment of
I per cent is not enough to make it a
sure thing. if unexpected things should
happen. Mr. Rockefeller at one time paid
$l35.O00 In cash on a Mesaba DEVELOPMENT
and then forfeited it, in the hope of max
Ing better deal later. By FORGETTING the
Sl25,00O he afterwards made $3.50, 900 on
the same property.
There will be an immense amount of
exploration on the western end of the
Mesaba range this year, and probably 100
drills will be operated there In a. few
weeks.
There are in the neighborhood of 2.OOO.-
ooo tons OF ore in stock at surface at
mines of the Menominee range to be
shipped this year, in addition to what NAV
De mined from now to Dec, l.