Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-08-24
MODERN IRON MINING
ON THE MESABA RANGE
Continued from First Page.)

mine The slicing system is the
modern method OF mining, but the
old square set rooms are still to be
found in some mines.
In Itasca County at the west end of
the Mesaba range, and near the head
waters of the Mississippi river, the
ore is badly mixed with sand. In
order to improve the grade it was
found necessary to wash out this un-
desirable element, so an immense
concentration was built near Coleraine
| had opportunity, week ago, of
visiting this plant in company with
my uncle, William Nichols, who
was at one time resident of Grant
county. Mr.. Nichols designed the
CoI9raine concentration, and is now
the superintendent
/ was much interested in the pro-
cess employed in Kidding the iron of
sand. The ore is first dumped into
huge bins, each holding 800 tons. It
then descends by gravity over num-
Der of inclines of different character.
Streams Of water thrown against the
0Se wash the light sands away and
the iron with it's less Objectionable
elements falls finally into cars ready
for shipment and wonderfully i'm
proved in grade.
:, The plant is not entirely completed,
but even now it washes sixty Of the
100 cars of ore shipped daily from
the Canisteo district. This is a large
output. when we consider that an
ordinary ore car holds fifty tons.
The shipping docks for Minnesota
iron ore are located at Duluth, Mimi,
Superior, Wis, and Two Harbors
MINI. The larger companies main
tain their own lake boats The lead
ing railroads that convey the ore from
the mines to the docks are the Duluth,
Mesaba & Northern, the Duluth Iron
Range, and the Great Northern
The railroad companies haul the ore
on condition that they do all their
construction work. Naturally they
are kept busy all the time tearing up
practically new tracks and rebuilding
road beds ETC.
The cities of the Mesaba range are
hustling and constantly on the alert
for opportunities to advance their in
terests.
The citizens are all "live wires"
in the fullest meaning of the term.
About q of the inhabitants of the
range towns are foreigners who are
employed in the mines, the national
tiles represented being Austrians,
Italians. Montenegrins, Firms and
Scandinavians. The Americans, how
ever are leaders in furni shing the
capital for operating the mines.
One peculiar feature of life in
range town is the fact that the iron
mining companies may at any time
take notion to move your residence
and those of your neighbors. to get at
an ore body that hitherto has been
resting undreamed of beneath your
home
Eveleth. one of the largest towns
on the range, has been moved four
times. Sparta, village about the
size of Fennimore, was moved almost
entirely to a town mile distant. At
present, an immense open pit occupies
the space where main street of Sparta
was once located.
Hibbing, is the big town" Of the
Mesaba range. 1t has permanently
constructed business blocks, beautiful
homes and public buildings. It's
population is about 49, 600 Never
theless, the fates. or rather the min
ing companies, which, In this section
amount the same thing decree that
Hibbing will have to be moved some
time in the future. Ore has been
found under the city-and it must
not be lost A short time ago a
cemetery was drilled and found to
contain ore-the bodies were moved,
and what was formerly a cemetery, is
now an iron mine.
Virginia Mimi, will never be
moved. The companies have found
iron ore there, but it is at the edge of
town. This city has the largest saw
mill in the world and is going to
make a beautiful city. The people
take great pride in their homes. The
streets are paved and nicely laid out.
One thing that the people here
pride in is good schools. Some of
the buildings are beautiful, aud are
up to date in every way. A proposal
to build a $3.50, 600 school house in
a range town is met with little OPP
position This is remarkable when
we think Of the large foreign popula-
ton. Most of the foreigners send
their children TO school just as long
as it IS possible keep them there,