The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-08
MICHIGAN
NEW RANGE OF IRON
Vast Amount Of Exploratory Work
in Progress in Marquette and
Delta Counties.
Cleveland Cliffs Company After all
the Land It Can Get in That
Section.
Special to The journal.

lsnpemlng, Mich, July 8.--The indica-
lions are that an important iron range
IS to be opened In the southern part of
Marquette county and extending over into
Delta AS early as the seventies DR.. Ro-
minger. then state geologist, made an in
Vestlgation of the district and reported
that all evidence pointed to the existence
OF deposits iron ORE Since then ex-
ploratory operations have been conducted
at various times, but without important
results until few months ago. Now ore
mas been found at several points and the
iron bearing formation is believed to ex-
tend thru to Little Bay de Noque, on Lake
Michigan, in Delta county
West OF Little Lake, Marquette county,
the Cleveland Cliffs company is develop
ing property on lands owned by ex-C Con-
gresham Stephenson of Marinette, that
has been demonstrated to be worth the
building of a branch line from the Esca-
na.ba & Lake Superior road in order that
the ore may be shipped to the Escanaba
docks. Ore has also been encountered by
this company on several Of the adjoining
sections.
the Snyder interests of Pittsburg, and on
other tracts In the same region explora-
tory work Is in progress. The ore SO far
found averages go per cent in metallic
iron, or better, and the deposits are ap-
parently of great extent. Significant of
IAAo value lloW pldCcu Oh ldnQS Deu6VeO TO
lie in the new mineral districts Is the fact
that the Chicago & North Western rail-
road has Withdrawn it's holdings from the
market after having for years offered
land for sale at a dollar or two an acre,
and is paying up taxes long delinquent.
The Cleveland Cliffs company is in the
market for all the land it can get within
the supposed iron area, and Is even, 1t Is
said, contesting numerous claims filed
within recent months under the timber
and stone act. All government land In
the district concerned has been taken up
during the past year, at one time YER
table stampede having occurred among
the prospective filers. and from all reports
it Is next to impossible to find a forty
for sale for miles along the range. Many
Of those who have taken up government
land will probably be disappointed in their
expectations, being too remote to the iron
formation; but others appear to have good
prospects Of becoming very wealthy.
.--.,-- 81 The Mas and Moore.
| In all probability the Cleveland Cliffs
Iron Mining company will have spent a
million and a half of dollars before the
| first ton Of ore Is raised from its Mas
mine property at Negaunee, which it pur-
chased from George Mas and associates
about two years ago for a reported con-
sideration of s550,00O or more. In view
Initial cost of the property, and the work
still to be done, the estimate that the
first ton Of ore hoisted will cost $500, 00(
| Is conservative. .." 81.
| Indications are that the Moore mine
which passed into the control of the stee
trusts Oliver Mining company last year
win be one of the largest producers or
the Cascade range. The mine will be the
only, steam shovel proposition in Michigan
For SIX months the work Of stripping
the ground covering the ore body has
been in progress with q large force Of
men and will be continued until the prod;
uct can be handled by the new ore-crushe1
being constructed at Escanaba. The ore
is too hard to be scooped up by steam
shovels as Is the practice on the Mesabs
range, but must be first blasted anC
broken into small chunks before the dip
pers will be able to load it.
Another Iron Find.
An important find Of iron ore has beer
made on Section TO-" near Iron Noun
tain, on the Menominee range, where loca
men have been exploring for some months
Two small shafts sixty feet apart ant
thirty feet In depth, are bottomed in ore
running close to go per cent in metallic
iron, and the outlook Is considered 81
promising that that v. S. Bond, we'll
known banker of Toledo, who is exten
stvely interested in mineral lands, has
after investiga ton, taken an interest ant
will supply the funds for thoro explo
ration of the tract. A diamond drill plan
has been ordered.
In the Crystal Falls district Of Iron coun
ty, Menominee range, aside from having
recently abandoned the Columbia mine
whose ore bodies are exhausted, the Olive
Mining company has removed from It
Hope mine every vesttge Of portable prop
erty. At the Thomas exploration. cas-
Of, the Armenia mine, the Thomas Fur
mace company Of Milwaukee is still en-
gagged in explora tory work. The shaft Il
down to a depth Of 200 feet and tn
miners are drifting on leads Of ore il
the hope Of locating paying deposits. II
date these efforts have been barren o
results, altho promising leads and bunche
of ore are constantly being encountered
The mines Of the district have for severa
weeks been hampered by shortage o
cars, due to the congested condition a
the Escanaga docks, and shipments ar
being seriously interfered with.
What the. oliver is Spending.
The Oliver Mining company is expend
ing a great sum Of money this year OF
improvements at Is various properties o.
the different ranges in the Lake Superio
district. These include shaft sinking an,
important underground changes at Ely
on the the Verrnillion; the building Of
! great f1reproof shaft and the istallatiol
of electric haulage at the Chaplin min
! and extensive surface and underground
improvements at the Aragon mine, on tn
/ NME@l