The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-04-22
RAILROADS HAVE MORE BUSINESS
THAN THEY CAN HANDLE
ICE WENT OUT LAST MONDAY
A Bridge on the Escanaba Line
Went Out Sunday and Blocked
The Milwaukee Road

| 'NN FNaA ANAN - RAbh TIC AllAl-
thisis OF 1914 and early 10. in that the
roads serving the ore ranges now have
more business than they can manage
whereas two years ago and as late as
last June the roads were crying for
more business in order 70 make both
ends meet
The beds Of The average railroad
officials in this iron country IL not
strewn with roses these days by any
means In fact thorns are the rule.
Every road superintendent and under
official Is at his wits end TO keep
things going and this Is Just the begin
ming Of the troubles
Blocked Docks Against GOerblc Ore
For the past month or two a propos-
ed movement of ore from the Gogebic
range to Escanaba was heralded over
the wires and through the papers The
interests having mines on that range
and mills on Lake Michigan were al a
disadvantage and il was proposed to
usurp some of the advantages held by
Menominee range producers and ship
the Gogebic output Via Escanaba until
the ice went ont Of Hay Lake and other
had spots in the 500 River. The move
ment was postponed from time TO time
until last week when il burst with
full blast But, Menominee range fell
lows had not been sleeping They
didn't propose TO have their advantages
usurped by Gogebic range mines and
so just as early in the game as they
could possibly get ears they started
| ore TO the docks from this range with
the result that when the Gogcbic fell
lows got around to send down some orc
they found the docks plugged and dock
officials we're at loss TO know what to
do with the extra ore thrust upon them
and at the same time cars for their
regular patrons.
II was a bright move Of the Men
ominee range fellows and as result
Of II this range had free swing when
the time came to get their boats going
and Gogobic had 10 take what was left
lee Went out Monday
ON Monday OF This week the Lord
tempered the wind TO the shorn lamb,
by raising up strong wind that took
the ice ont OF Escanaba harbor, made
/ II unnecessary for the ice breaker TO
work and allowed the ore companies a
chance to get their ore into bottoms
without any storage
The ice breaker was ready TO turn
its attention TO the Escanaba harbor
but its services were not necessary
and II was relieved 10 work in the
Straits OF Mackinaw and later on in
the 500 River
Several of the mining companies
had orders TO have cargoes Of ore al
Escanaba Tuesday and boats were al
the docks 10 take out ore for lower
Michigan ports as soon as the ice |
went out.
The Ice in the Superior harbors
went ont also but the Ice al the river /
sul delayed navigation Marquette
harbor was clear OF Ice Iast Sunday
Train Service Troubles
The ore shipments from the
Gogebic didn't move as rapidly or as
smoothly as il was thought they
would and the officials viii be tickeld
when the traffic Is stopped
In the first place the track between
watersmeet and Iron River Is an I
antiquated affair with light rails that
were put 10 about quarter Of a cen
tury ago. The ties were old and tie
road bed had not been kept up be-
cause there is as a general thing. but
little traffic over H. As a result of is
neglect there were places whore lot
OF shimming was necessary But
twenty-five cars were hauled 20 a
train and a positive order Of iS-miles
per hour was put IN AFFECT With six
teen trains per day moving over this
section OF the road Il was impossible
to keep up an eighteen hour schedule
Then there was the lack of accom-
modations 10 contend with The
territory Is practically uninhabited and
when Il came TO caring for the oper-
ators and pump mes that Il was found
necessary 70 send mp along that line
the task proved one OF more serious
ness than L appeared upon the sur
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