The Virginia enterprise., 1907-08-30
DEVELOPMENT OF EASTERN
MESABA, IN ITS INFANCY
Territory Betweea Bangor Nine and Mesaba Being Exten
siveIy Driled.more Than 100 Independent Option
Holders Eater the fjeld--Corei9an Mckinney
May Lease "Oam'' Property.

| But other and richer finds were
made and ultimately. all work
ceased on the original mine, which,
1t would seem, has lost it's name
since another Mckinley mine has
been opened nearby. This proper
ty is certain to be operated in the
near future, and it's working in.
wolves the moving of a large mum
ber of buildings.
While work has not been as gen.
[eral around Mesaba this year as
was expected, the immense amount
of drilling in this territory warrants
the belief that developments will
soon be announced. Drills are en-
countered at every turn, aud while
no definite announcements have
been made it can be put down as
indisputable that drills do not stay
in territory if they are not finding
ore. There is every reason to be-
heve that this. extreme end of the
Mesaba range, so. far as develop,
ments have determined, has a great
future. Some of the old mines are
being worked more extensively.
Their development will be contin.
ued next year.
: For the first time the entire terri.
tory lying between Aurora and
Mesaba is being gone over virtually
foot by foot. 1t is known that ore
has been found in several instances.
Options throughout this territory,
most of which have elapsed during
the past month or two, have been
renewed on a Accent basis. This
marks quite per cent of increase.
The standard option price upon the
part of the fee owners for years was
IS cents ton. Two years ago the
Robinsons and others, heavily in
terested in the fee of property in
this section, declined to give
options for less than 40 cents, and
their cause has. been generally
followed. New leases are being
constantly made pnd not one. of
note abandoned. ssr'ng the entire
summer. "<ts~t -,
There is but one feature that
holds back the development of this
section. This is shortage of men.
tits practically impossible to secure
the services of persons having a
knowledge of mining. Even labor:
ers are scarce. This is illustrated at
Basset, where is located the saw
mill of Colviu & Robb. Within the
last week it was necessary to close
down this mill because it was i'm.
possible to get the necessary labor.
Men will not work for $3.50 a day.
Operators and prospectors would
welcome a touch of hard times.
believing that this would make men
more plentiful. A peculiar feature
-is that there is no shortage of men.
They simply will not work regu
larly. Apparently a couple of days
of work satisfy them, when they 20
to nearby town and spend what
they have earned, knowing that
they can get another job when their
funds are exhausted.
AT least a hundred options in
this territory are held by persons
or associations of men who have
never before engaged in mining.
In several instances business men
have combined to beer the expense
of drilling. This proves the falsity
OF the general belief that there are
mo further opportunities for men of
zmoderate means in the iron coun.
try. Such Old prospectors. as Neil
Mcfnnis believe that the develop
sment of the eastern Mesaba has iust
started. The ore was too deep, for
the old test pits. but the diamead
drilla find NO difficulty in penetrat-
ing 600 to 1000 feet and often bring.
ing undiscovered ore to tight.