The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-05-27
LACK OF BOATS
AFFECTS OUTPUT
SOME MINES ARE CURTMLING BE-
CAUSE OF THE CONGESTION
PRICE CUTTING A FACTOR
Some Mines in This Section are
Curtailing Operations Because
of the Low Prices

There is a very serious question in
the minds OF many mining men right
now If the season of 1916 will show the
mammoth output that was promised
before the shipping season opened
and the reason for this condition Is the
evident lack OF carrying capacity for
All of tic orc that can be sent 20 the
docks
From the head of the lakes came
word on Tuesday that the Great North
crn dock nj Duluth held 100000 tons
Of ore enough to load 80 large boats,
that the boats were lacking and that
the mines would have 10 suspend ship
monts until boats were forthcoming
or some method devised to relieve the
congestion
The Escanaba railroad officials com
plain of the same condition and early
in the week the Milwaukee had to shut
off on several of its shippers because
OF the congested condition of the docks
LABOR HamptfN b0als
On the other hand the labor situa
ton hampers the movement OF boats
TO large extent Men are. so we are
told at lake ports quitting the boats
and working on shore because OF the
better conditions that reign ON the
land The boat owners have had few
lean years and are seeking to even up
this year but unless there is some let
up in the conditions Of the labor market
they will not be able To hold their men
without greatly increasing the pay
Marine labor is fretful these days
and as every old boat that can be made
To float is being pressed into service
the men are refusing to take up with
some of them, especially the experien-
ced men who know the difference be-
tween safe and an unsafe boat The
breaking in two OF the Kirby a couple
! a warning 60 seamen The report went
out that the Kirby was overloaded and
the accident was ascribed TO the greed
OF The vessel men and their inclination
to take chances In order TO make the
money This accident, with its after
math OF stories. has acted as sober
ing influence and some OF the vessel
men are revising their dope ON their
probable carrying capacity with re-
suit that estimates are being cut down
rather than enlarged
So minutely is the time os the boats
figured that a certain shipr in this
peninsula who has boat CHI tered tc
haul coal to his dock from Cleveland
was unable 10 get that boat 10 AXE
load OF rock back TO Toledo In p~ofer-
ence 10 iron ore because the necoaeity
OF calling at two ports would mean a
loss Of several hours in the boat
movements. This gives some idea of
the limit to which the carrying feet is
being put and il will not at all surprise
those in position To know II the sea
sons results will be- umch lower than
the pre-seasons aniicipations.
Pricd Cutting. Worries
Another factor that is cutting a hole
into the pre-season's estimates Of out
puts Is the cutting OF prices that oc-
CURED on certain grades OF non Besse-
mer ore. The cutting is ascribed to
certain large Marquette range interest
having a large selection OF ores. one
OF which is not as much demand az the
present time ~ some OF the others.
In order to move this less desirable
ore the price was cut 10 about l5-
""nts under the understood advance of
cents over last years figures.
T'is cut was Immediately reflected
In the market and buyers hnding that
a soft eno' existed. went after the con
cession Sow" or the sellers had 10
meet IL: others who are financially
fortified refused To meet II and when
they were unable 10 make the antici-
pated capacity sales started 10 trim
their mining operations 10 n basis com
mensurate with the sales they could
make AZ compensating prices.
Several independents on the Mesabi
range have done so and on this range
there are conspicuous examples, a
monr them being the VanDyke in
terests AZ Iron River These people
own and operate the James and Kon-
winski and we have boon told that f.
is the intention Of the operators 10
bring these properties 20 ono smfi
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