The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-07
northwestern
MANY NEW SHIPPERS
Increased Traffic If Old Producers
Hold Their Own.
WHAT HILL is DOING FOR EASTERN
Systematic Buying, Leasing and OPP
IS ton Taking to Secure Perma-
s. nent Business.

Special to The Journal.
Duluth, Mimi, Feb. THE number of
mines to be opened in the lake region for
shipment the coming season is increasing,
and II it were not for the fact that out
puts at some of the great properties of
several ranges We're likely to be dimin-
lshed 1t would appear that an enormous
addition to the shipment of preceding
Years was to result. On the Mesaba range
Jones 4 Laughlins, have let contracts for
the sinking of working shaft on their
Grant mine. in section 20, township SIS,
range ~, and expect an output there the
present year of $4,000 tons. This mine
adjolns the Sharon Of the steel company
OF that name, and is a large body of ex-
oeilent ore. Two small ore bodies in Sec
ton 81. township IS, range 20, both be-
longing under lease to the Eastern rail-
Wa! or Minnesota, are to be opened and
VIII make shipment, and it is possible that
other shipments will be from still other
properties that have never had a shaft
sunk into them. On the Menominee range
the same is true. and several mines that
have not yet been shippers will add to the
output of 1902
While anotments for the coming season
have not yet been made 1t is understood
that some of the biggest properties, like
Fayal, Chaplin and Others will not equal
the production of 1901.
~Pickands Mather & Company Of Cleve-
land, have an option on the WIZ Of the
swA OF section 80, township IS, range 20,
from A. Maitland, Of Negaunee, who
bought the lease year ago. The present
price is $4,000 for the lease which lat ter
is on the basis of % cents ton Mr.
Maitland completed small shaft running
fifty feet into the ore to give an oppor-
tunity TO test physical structure, and it
Is probable that the option holders will
take the property. There is one hole on
10 10r rod L.
on the Aesaba range, AGO feet below sur
face.
Hill FOrtifies Himself.
Perhaps the most interesting develop
ment OF the past year Oh the Mesaba
range has been the struggle OF the East
ern Railway of Minnesota j. ]. Hill or
ganization, 70 assure itself of perma-
nency for it's ore traffic. With the forma-
ton of the United States Steel Corpora
ton, Mr. Hill saw that his investments
IN ore roads AMI terminals, as we'll as
the exceedingly remunerative ore traffic
itself, were menaced for the reason that
the two roads controlled by the corpora
ton would be likely to handle at least all
OF its business and to take from his road
traffic from mines that were the property
of concerns becoming constituents Of the
combination. SO he at once set about
taking lands on the range, buying fees and
options on leases OF every character.
This policy has been continued and is still
vigorously pushed. The road has bought
great many tracts on the formation,
has explored and bought many more, and
has taken leases right and left. 1t has
secured the capital stocks of companies
owning we'll located lands, and in every
possible way has fortified it's position.
Once these lands are secured In fee the
road withdraws them from eXplorat ton or
purchase by mining corporations, except
in cases where these companies have
lands of their own on which ore is known
to exist, and the traffic arising from which
can be turned over to the Eastern Rail-
way in return for the privilege OF lease of
some Of it's own properties.
In other words, the road is rapidly put
ting itself in 81 position where it can
control the ore situation so far as new
corners in the mining and steel business
are concerned. The great Importance Of
its position can therefore be readily seen.
By it's original purchase of the Wright &
Davis interests the road secured not only
the Mahoning and Stevenson mines, but
an immense area of WE'LL located lands on