The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-07
MINNESOTA !.
AFTER MORE 70 MINES |: u.
U. s. Steel Corporation Will Exam
inc the Properties Of Jones
g. Laughlins.
Republic Iron & Steel in Position to
Add Materially to Seasons
Output.
Special to The Journal.

( jOsApPlt
. -7----T- 5.,.
Special to The Journal.
Duluth, Mimi, March Ut is rumored
that experts Of the United States Steel
corporation viii soon examine the min
ing properties of Jones 4 Laughlins, in
the lake district in line with the exam
ination being made of their manufactur-
ing plants east. These properties con-
sist of two mines on the Mesaba range
one on the Marquette and one on the Me-
nominee. While Jones &; Laughlins are
very strong financially and have a splen-
did business in steel, they have never
maintained the push in ore supplies that
! others have been remarkable for. They
do. however,, own several Nalua bic con-
tracts with the: United States Steel COR
poration and others, for the purchase OF
standard ores at prices that are very low.
+. These contracts have several years to
run and are of great Importance to the
steelmakerS. They were made by r. Il.
Gates when he was directing the fortunes
4of the Rockefeller iron mines Of the Me-
saba, and at the very time when iron
sOre was selling at its most depressed price.
They provided for the delivery of stand
ard Bessemer ores at a price that was
even then less than it could be produced
for, regular transportation costs consid-
cred. and the cost has not been leSsened
since. There were many other contracts
of the same character and at the same
price, then made by Mr.. Gates, but. most
of them have been bought in by the Steel
+ corporation by the purchase by it of the
companies profiting thereby.
To Spend Million at Duluth.
Under the apportonment Of cash for
Immediate improvement for plant of the
Steel corporation, Duluth is to get about
81, 900 900 in ore docks and railway en-
largement. The, immense betterments
continually being made to mines: ETC., are
not included. as they are charged direct to
operating expenses. =.
The Buffalo and Susquehanna Iron
company has bought a mine near Crystal
Falls, Mich, which is to be opened at
once, and from which supply Of silicious
ores for mixing with non-silicious- Mesa
bas IS to be secured for the company S
new furnaces plant at Buffalo.
Republics New Property.
The Republic Iron and Steel company
will the coming season mine about 100000
tons from a new property on the Mesaba
range, which it has been engaged in OPEN
ing since last September. 1t is an open
pit mine, but shaft has been sunk and
the first years mining will be by the
''n1iling' process. This company will
probably mine more ore from its other
properties on the Mesaba and Marquette
range than it has done in any previous
year. The Republic company has, it is
said, about 10000, 900 tons Of ore in the
ground, which is sufficient for it's fur
naces a great many years. It is not
large consumer of raw material. 1t has
small, works at Minneapolis. '.f
More diamond drills are being sent from
this district to the new iron fields Of
North Freedom, Wis, near Baraboo,
where several companies are at work The
increase in the number of drills. in this
region is something astounding, and seems
s to progress more and more rapidly as the
limit of the available fields for explora-
tion becomes contracted. ~ -,
VermiIion Exploration Stopped.
Several important explorations that have
been in progress on the Vermilion range
in Minnesota have been stopped, without
results, and the drills moved elsewhere
Their are, however, more surface drill:
still on that range than at any preceding
period except for a few months of excite
rnent several years ago. The Minnesota
Iron company, which has always been ii
the habit of drilling from undergoing
into the rocks surrounding its ore lenses a
:. the Soudan mines, has stopped this prac
tice and will probably not resume it. TIL
company has had at times as many a
ten heavy drills working into the surround
Ing rocks from deep in it's mine and. ha
found many new deposits in this way.
Every effort is being made by the larg
mining companies to reduce, the cost Q
se.Sview every most modern appliance is be
~ ing investigated and, if desirable,
adopted. In hosting from great depths
the new plants being installed at all larg
properties are the very best, and will serv
as models for, the whole mining world
Immense sums are being spent in savin
small charge a ton. This work is be
ing carried out almost entirely by tn
United States Steel Corporation and one c
two other big concerns, and no others al
in a position where they can do so muc
without feeling the drain.
More Southern Investments.
Two more large lake development CON
panies have bought valuable copper-beal
ing lands at Bisbee, Ariz., and are CON
mencing to develop them These are tn
Duluth and Pittsburg. composed of tt
biggest men in the mining business, an
the Calumet and Cohise, composed 4
several heavy lake copper country peop1
These make a dozen companies organize
on Lake Superior to explore and develc
mines at Bsbee and between there ar
the Mexican line.
Era of Hotel Building. a.. D.
Within the past week contracts ha,
been let or arrangements otherwise con
pleted for the building Of three large brio
European plan hotels. One is to co
100000 the others Jess. %TWoEother hote
are under construction The %Spalding h;
=: just added three foors each 5Ox115 fee
all in rooms. Accommodations for tt
travelling public will probably be ample.
The return of J. 81. .Hils two EXPIRE
passenger steamers and the a ddition of Il
fine Tionesta to take service Will pro-
ably increase tourist travel ma terially. tt
two Hill boats have been on the, Chicag
Buffalo run two years, but Chicago w
unable to give sufficient business, and t
boats came back here after their expe
sve experiment there. a- - Nt-
DIED OF HYDRoPhOBIA -
Rabid Hogs Attacked Several Childre
Near Fort Ripley.