The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-31
OPENING new MINES
oliver Iron Company Challenges
Traditions by Taking Options
OFF the Accepted Trend.
It Has Found Ore, but How Much
and of What Quality Is #
Not Known.
Special to The Journal.

Duluth Mimi. March 31.T--A surprise
has been sprung on. the, people of the Iron
river district. Menominee range, by the
work of the Oliver Iron Mining company
and Pickands, Mather & Co., in taking op
tions off the generally accepted trend Of
the formation down the river. The Oliver
company has cut with drill in the
Baker homestead, which is to the north
east of and at right angles with accepted
ideas of the forma tion What has been
met there. except that, it is ore, Is not
known. At Henlock the company has
its shaft another level and is drifting on
a long level to open the ore. but it will
not be possible TO mine in this new level
this year, so great is the development
work
On the Mesaba the Zenith Furnace COM
pany of Duluth is opening mine south OF
the. old Cincinnati property at Biwabik
calling it the Cass. A shaft is being sunk
and mining will begin soon. There Is lit
tie surface over the ore and no great
thickness of ore. the total tonnage being
In the neighborhood of 100000 tons.
Through the Winter.
The Minnesota Iron company has main
tanned steam shovel operations during the
winter at three mines; Mountain Iron.
where one shovel was in operations; Ste
phens, with two, and Sauntry. with one
all double shift, At Mountain Iron 1t IS
erecting large and very modern shop,
with about $500 square feet of floor space,
of steel construction. and filed with ma
chimes capable Of handling 100-ton shovels
or locomotives. 1t is the policy of the
Steel corporations mining officers to
equip each of the mining locations-Hib-
bling. Eveleth. Mountain Iron. ETC., on the
several ranges, with shops and shop equip
ment capable of handling the biggest re-
pair jobs in the shortest time, which will
give a market for tools and will result In
a great saving of money and time to the
mines of each district.
This company will open the Higgins, a
lease property northeast from the village
of Virginia, at once, and stripping con-
tractors are now on the ground. Strip
ping contracts have been let at the La
81, range %, northeast from NashWauk,
where considerable ore will be mined this
year.
Another entirely new mine will be the
Tesora, which is to be opened by Yawkey
& Fay for shipment this year. 1t is near
property Other new mines, including
Leonard, in 2S-5s-20; Crosby, in 31-57-22;
Susauehanna, in 6-27-20; Iroquois, in 10
5s-1S; ST. Clair, in 23-5S-2O; Shenango. in
90 $780, and Troy, in S-57-17. are making
active preparations for early shipment
Lincoln, the chief Mesaba mine of Jones
& Laughlins, is preparing to ship more
stockpile is small as yet 1t is driving into
ore from a second shaft and will have en-
larged materially its capacity In few
months.
On the Nern,iIIion.
On the Vermillion range the Minnesota
Iron company is increasing the output OF
the old hard ore shafts at. Soudan, and
will probably put out at least 100000 tons
more than in 1901. New is being
opened into in No. shaft and in No. g.
which has been abandoned for years, min
ing has rebegun. and will be continued
some time. There should be in stock al
the opening of navigation about 100000
tons Crushing that has been done a
this mine will hereafter be at the ore docl
at Two IIarbors, where the company Is
erecting large crushing plant to handle
all hard from their Ver1nillion mines
The plant is similar to that at Escanaba
and the same reasons guided the construc
tion Of both.
Stocks at surface on all ranges ar'
larger than ever before accumulated il
one winter and show an immense activit,
underground all over the district. Ship
ments to furnaces during the winter sea
son have been larger than in any previous
similar period.