The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-17
LAKES OPEN AT LAST
Ore Is Beginning to Move and the
Congestion Threatened Has
Ceased.
No Ore Rate Made Yet, as the Steel
Corporation Is Not Bidding
for Tonnage.
Special to The Journal.

finally open, after weeks delay from
strikes and the accumulation of ships at
either end has been broken. Ore is pour
Ing out Of docks and the congestion that
was feared has ceased All ore roads are
now moving their tonnage along rapidly.
but summer schedules have not been
put on.
OF the great fleet of United States Steel
ships In winter quarters at Duluth only
very few vessels now remain. and these
will be out in a day or two. There is no
ore rate yet, the Steel corporation refus-
ing to bid for tonnage. 1t Is understood
that outside shippers would be willing to
pay S5 cents a ton, but dare not till the
big company evinces its Intentions. This
1T may not do for some time. It is evil
IDENTIFY to pursue policy quite different
from past years, and is not yet ready to
have outside ships handling its ore.
If rates were fixed to-day. they would
be low, less than last year, when the ad-
dttional cost of operation is considered.
This is an item of from z to cents a ton
OF cargo, making rate for this year of
81 to SO cents--not more than equivalent
to that of 1902. Grain is being chartered
at the equivalent of about IS cents for ore.
Not for Year Vet.
Ore belonging to w. p Snyder and as
sociates will not be coming from the Me-
sabi range in quantity before another year.
Their st. Clair mine IN 22-5S-2O is oper-
ating and will ship 100000 tons this year.
The Minnesota Iron company is operating
this mine under contract The Shenango
will not be shipping until August and its
tonnage for the year cannot be large. This
mine has been in progress Of development
for eighteen months, but owing to unfore
seen circumstances has been delayed time
and again. Their Webb mine will be
opened this year. but can scarcely be a
shipper until 1904. The ore body is deep
and heavily covered by rock. Nothing has
been determined definitely as to their ore
bodies on the west end of the range.
- Arcturus Looking Up.
The Standard Mining company, sub
sidiary concern, has been exploring the old
Arcturus property, and it Is understood
that the lease provided for will be taken
and the mine opened. There is already
shown up an enormous tonnage Of ore that
when washed will be a. very fine grade.
This ore will probably lose about 25 per
cent OF it's bulk in washing. An expert
mental plant for it's treatment will be
constructed this year. The Arcturus has
been explored time and again and has
been persistently turned down. Now thoro
and we'll considered experiments in wash
ing, conducted with view to the disposal
of this property, accurate explorations and
the change in market conditions, will
doubtless bring it into the lists as de-
sirable proposition. Much of this Arcturus
ore is excellent physically and will be.
when washed, fine grade OF Bessemer
hematite.
W. P. Snyder & Co. have just closed the
purchase Of a. lease on the SWA Of the
NWA of section 15-5819, where about
100000 tons of Sc per cent no-Bessemer
property will not be opened at once. Wal
ter Fitch, formerly manager OF the Cham
pion mine at Beacon, Mich, who is to
manage the Snyder mines. has moved to
Duluth and. will make his headquarters
there.
#~r Dlsmantllns the Hope.
On the Menominee range the old Hope
mine, which has been under exploration
by the Oliver company for some time, Is
to be abandoned. The machinery Is nov
coming out. Pickands, Mather & Co. have
been at work two years In the old Cas-
plan mine, near the Oliver company
Dober. Now they have struck ore. A
shaft was sunk 300 feet and in a dr1f
sixty feet long ore was found. The prop
erty was explored several years ago ant
a drill then located the ore body. Th'
mine makes a great deal of water, but {
large pumping capacity has been installed
recently. 1t is now In the hands of thu
Buffalo Steel company. Shipments iron
Briston of Oglebay, Norton & Co. ar
very brisk and the mine will make a ia
bigger record than last year.
Iron and Steel Plant Projected.
An important move is on foot which i
being carefully handled by strong peopl
and which the discovery Of the Highlan
range has encouraged. 1t Is learned tina
the new coke area plant which is to b
constructed by the Zenith Furnace com
pany is but the foundation of the manu-
facture of iron and steel here on an ex
tensive plan.
w. L. Brown, president of the America
Shiphuilding company, is one OF the pr1n
cipal outside men in the deal. The devel
opnnent of the Great Northern Power com
pany's plans Is an important factor wit