The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-27
MICHIGAN
new SMELTER SURE
It Will Be Built in Houghton for
Wolverine, Mohawk and Other
Producers. Z
Opening Of Navigation Will Find
Upper Michigan smelters
Bare Of Copper.
Snecial to Tha Ioi1rnal

Special to Tho Journal Essszs-ss1
: Houghton, Mich, March 27.-That an
important new smeItering plant is to3be
built in Houghton this season is certain.
The new smelter will care for the copper
mineral from the mills of the Sta nton
and Stanton-Paine properties. The pro-
ducers in these groups are the Wolverine,
Mohawk, Atlantic, Baltic, Champion and
Winona,' with the Phoenix soon to enter
the ranks of copper makers, and likeli-
hood that the Michigan may also become
a producer before the close of the year.
The site of the new plant is at the old
mill of the Atlantic, on Portage Lake,
about two miles west of the business dis
trict. s..- -'s.----~
hTere are rumors that an arrangement
may be made between the Michigan and
Mass arrangements by which the former
will send its rock to the mill of the lat
ter for stamping. Such a plan would Of
fer certain advantages, among which are
the utilization of the excess milling falli-
ties of the Mass, and avoidance Of the de-
lay and cost Of building new mill by
the Michigan. 3: s=.s Z -. 80.
A new shaft. to be called No 3, will be
sunk by the Winona. 1,650 feet southwest
Of No. 2, the present main shaft. By the
assistance of uprises from the southern
drifts of No. it: is hoped to have this
shaft sunk and equipped to the fourth
level by July I. r ~ ~; 2: - -;.sss=ssc -
The favorable developments OF the past
few months at the Winona have stimu-
lated the hopes of the Elm River and Wy
andot shareholders. Neither of these
properties has a yet secured anything OF
especial promise as the result of four
years exploratory work. The magnificent
results secured by the Champion and the
much improved prospects of the Winona
have turned attentions anew to the Globe
tract, lying next south of the Champion,
and to sundry other parcels Of land be-
tween the developed mines on the Baltic
lode and the Winona property. Much
diamond drilling will be done in this dis
| trict this season. F.
The opening Of navigation on Lake Su-
| perior, but a few days distant. will find
the local Smelters bare of copper. The
demand was unusually brisk during the
| winter, and is more pressing at present
| than for several years. There are cer-
tain brands of lake copper that cannot be
| replaced by electrolytc to advanta ge
| these being the Osceola, Calumet & Hec-
Ia, etc. which are especially tough and
! better adapted to certain industrial uses
! than any other makes of the metal.
Despite the commonly accepted idea,
| there is a great disparity between the
copper from the various lake mines Some
| of the copper is no better than eiectreiy-
| tic for many uses-if indeed it is as good
| toughness not to be duplicated An apt
comparison would be sea-island cotton,
with it's long, silky fibre, and the ordinary
cotton Of the southern uplands, the fibre
| OF which is very short. There is also a
| vast difference In the purity Of the
metal obtained from . different mines.
| Taken all in all the copper produced from
the old Osceola mine is probably the best
| made in this district or elsewhere.
The Lake Superior & Pittsburg Devel-
| opment company has called a final assess
ment Of $3.50 a share. payable on or b.
fore April %. which will make the stock
fully paid at $40 share The market
price is about ten times the par value.
The January earnings Of the Copper
Range railroad were s2s,292 gross and
$3.50 net, leaving a surplus of s1.975 aft
er payment of all fixed charges. The
showing is excellent for one of the worst
months of the year for the railroad busi-
| ness.