The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-05-30
Mines Being Depleted By Tariff
Protected Barons-Future
Needs Uncared For.
EUROPE COULD RELIEVE
PRESBYTERIAN FORBIDS
Prices Are Kept Up and Revival
of Business Activity Greatly
Handicapped.
Written for the Labor World by Allen
.....u.-. p. AlIensworth.

Written for tho Labor World by Allen
-. ....~.--P. Aliensworth.
Elbert H. Cary. chairman Of the
board of directors Of the United
States Steel corporation, asserts that
the corporation does not aim to con-
troll the output, prices or distribution
Of iron ore and steel products ana
that its only interest in the value OF
those articles is to maintain prices at
a level sufficient to avoid fluctuations
that would depress and weaken the
market.
AS to the tariff, it is sufficient to
say that the United States Steel cor
poratfon does not favor reduction OF
the tariff Of 40 cents a ton on iron ore.
AS to monopoly. Mr.. Gary denies
absolutely that the United States
Steel corporation Is In control OF the
vast iron ore deposits Of the Lake Su-
perior region, to the detriment OF the
American people, in view Of the un-
natural market resulting from such
monopoly.
A discussion of some merit was re-
Gently participated in at washington
by the president Of the United States.
governors Of the states and we'll
known men in industrial and scientific
life. The subject was the conser-
walton Of the resources Of the coun
try.
Conservation Of Iron Ore.
If there is any mineral wealth In
the United States which Of necessity
must be conserved 1t is the iron ore
deposits, from which more than 52,
10000 tons were taken last year
while less than 100000 tons we're i'm
ported We are drawing on our ore
supplies at a rate which will exhaust
a high tariff wall prohibits our own
manufacturers from access to the
mineral wealth Of Europe A penalty
has been placed on supplementing our
own supply from that. in the hands
Of our~SHeighbors. .7-':~' i-s~>~.s. :
Most OF the ore deposits sight
are on the Mesaba range where more
than O00,O00,000 tons are untouched.
Eighty per cent OF the ore Is shipped
to the Lake Superior docks from open
pit mines. The cost Of taking ore
from these propositions will be eluci-
dated as leading up to the argument
that the tariff OF 40 cents on iron ore
is unnecessary; that it aids the
United States Steel corporation to
maintain the advantages derived from
a monopoly Of the iron ore supply and
that the tariff, even from the ultimate
standpoint of the corporation, is a
piece Of short sighted folly.
From 80 to Is feet Of dirt or "over-
burden lies on the iron ore deposits.
This overburden is removed by means
of steam shovels and the ore, which
is soft and easily mined, is loaded into
steel cars by the same process. For
the sake of example let us take a m1ne
where the overburden is 80 feet deep
and the iron ore deposit Is 100 feet
deep. At present the average depth Of
overburden is more but the iron de-
posits are deeper than 100 feet, so
whatever the variation toward the
larger numbers, 30 feet Of surface and
100 feet Of ore Will serve as an aver
age and equitable example.
Costs Of Mining.
When the Mesaba range was being
opened up stripping contracts were
made at the rate Of 40 cents a cubic
burden and 100 feet Of ore 1t is appa-
away, about eight tons Of ore was un-
a ton the stripping charge on the ore
was thus five cents ton. .
When Mesaba ore is stripped 1t is
mined by two methods-by steam
shovel directly into the cars or by
milling the ore down through a
"winz~' or "raise" into tram cars
which run to the shaft and are hoisted
and dumped in the usual manner. The
labor cost is somewhat great in the
milling process and the fuel cost IN
the steam shovel method.
Assuming that ore can be mined as
cheaply by one method as by another
1t is interesting to note the elements
OF cost OF steam shovel mining when
the price of ore was 81 less a ton than
now. Open pit mining Is considered
here because 80 per cent Of the ore
sent from the Mesaba range IS mined
by that method.
Price Of Human Labor.
It was found that one steam shovel
attended by locomotive and a. rane
Of 45 men could load on an average OF
1000 tons OF ore day, provided car.
were furnished as required, and could
load 1000 tons in an emergency
Wages to laborers varied from 31.1t
to $3.50 a day. At the latter deure
the labor cost was 1886 cents a ton or
an output Of 1000 tons day. Time
was lost however in waiting for car.
and breakages SO five cents a ton wa.
probably a nearer average.
One steam shovel and one locomo.
tive together were found to use abou,
50 tons Of coal a month or about 81
a day for fuel and oil, thus making 8
fuel cost Of about half cent a ton
The cost Of tho powder to shake tn,
ora WIS Dnohah1v %xuo c>nfs ~, mn