The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-06-27
DRAG LINES ARE
EVENLY MATCHED
PREFERENCE FOR THE BUCYRUS
DISSIPATED BY MARION WORK
DIRT IS MOVING RAPIDLY
Armenia Mine is all in," Costs Ex-
ceeding Returns from That Pro-
perty And il is Closed

lub Two Nldk llho nhNhlhoh' AAo
Marion and Bucyrus. have been in
operation at the Balkan stripping long
enough now 10 enable the owners to
compare them and the consensus of
opinion seems TO be tnat there ism I
much difference between the two when
they are each reduced to comomn
factor.
When the work was started the oper-
ators seemed 70 lean towards the Bucy-
rus machine II started out at an exceed
ingly easy clip being very responsive
In a short time it distanced its rival
and everyone said that the Bucyrus
had il all over the Marion.
But time has changed this opinion
very materially The Marion was not
handled as dexterously on the start as
the other, which allowed the Bucyrus
to get the jump on il. A new man,
skilled in dredge line work. was sent
here and he soon cured the defects in
the work OF his machine IL broke in
harder than the Bucyrus but since it
has limbered up it is doing excellent
work, so all claim who have 10 do with
the operations OF the machines.
ON THE SECOND CUT
The Bucyrus is working back on its
second cut along the north side of the
pit The Marion has not turned yet
but will do so soon The Bucyrus has
another cut TO take out along the north
side of the pit while the Marion has a
like amount along the south side
An interesting spectacle was present
cd one day during the week when the
machines were busy pulling stumps.
A cable was fastened about the big
stunips and tho engine started when
the big, ramifying roots would give
way and the stump be lifted clear of
the ground By dropping it a time or
two the dirt would be cleaned of the
roots and then the big crane would
swing the stumps around clear OF the
tracks and deposit them in y pile for
burning II was the original intention
to do some blasting on the stumps but
the machines are working so satisfact.
orily that no powder is needed
WATER GETTING LIGHTER
Until the last week the water has
been qnite heavy and bothered the
work somewhat but IL seems that the
flow is getting lighter right along
The water seems to come by fits and
starts One day the flow will be so
heavy that the four pumps will not be
able to handle 1t and another day the
flow will hardly keep one pump going
The Balkan people are raising mp
from beneath and expect TO have hole
through into the pit by the end of next
week when all of the water will he
cared for underground. The raise is
now far mp in the gravel above the
ledge. The workmen have no trouble
raising up as they CRIB closely and
carry pipe well along ahead of them.
The first opening through will be a
i've inch pipe driven mp from below.
This will drain off the water when the
raise Will be carried mp to the bottom
OF the pit and air circulation secured
A BIO DUMP PILE
II one wants to get any idea Of the
volume of dirt that has been taken
out of the pit he wants TO visit the big
dump where the stripping is wasted.
The entire forty will be covered with
this stripping before the bottom OF the
PIT is reached.
Some pretty tough material was met
with during the week and progress
was not as rapid as il might have
been. The material was a clay and
gravel that pa 'ked tight and didn't
work we'll in the chute. The clay rails
ed hob on the dump where il caused
the tracks TO slip and slide. The wet
weather helped along 70 make things
work meanly but at that fair progress
was made
The two machines are moving about
100 600 yards per month working
night and day At first but 6ne
machine wa3 worked on the night
shift but now both Of them are work
ing two shifts
ARMENIA IS ALL IN
The Armenia mine $ All in and the
closing down process. which has been
in vogue for some time. has oeen hast.
cned 10y the dull iron market that
made the returns from the ore mined
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