The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-05-27
CAME TO LOOK OVER THE MON
ore POSSIBILITIES OF SECTION
NOT SEEKING IRON MINES
Seeking information So as to Know
How to Talk to interests That
Have Approached Company

Mllldn IL. GInlli VI lptAiplit l'
preventative OF Henry Ford was in
Crystal Falls last Wednesday and
visited the mines in this vicinity. lie
came here Tuesday evening and the
following day he went TO Iron River TO
look >pNer the mining outlook in that
sectibu During the forenoon Mr..
Smith visited Alpha and looked over
the mines there
When seen by representative of
The Diamond Drill at the Lockwood
after dinner Wednesday Mr. smith
made It plain that ne was not here
seeking iron mines for Mr. Ford to buy.
He came here for the purpose Of get
ting informed upon the future proba-
bilities and possibilities OF this section
as we'll as every other section Of the
Superior mining districts. lie came
here from the Marquette range where
he spent Monday and Tuesday and
from here ne intends going TO Iron
Mountain and the Gogcbic range after
which il was his intention 10 go north
and visit the Mcsabi ana other ranges
in Minnesota.
Looking Long Way Ahead
Mr.. Smith says that it IS the policy
OF the Ford company to look long way
ahead for their supplies and to get
fully informed upon the probabilities
in each line that enters into the make
up of a Ford car
The Ford Motor Co will manutac
ture 100000 ears this year That mum
Der OF cars calls for about 100000 tons
of iron ore which is about equally III
vided between Bcssemer, low phos
non -Bessemer and high phos non
Bessemer. Likewise II takes 10000
acres of land each year to grow the
Action used in that number of cars It
require 100000 tires to equip that
number Of Fords And, 80 on down
the line. the amount of material that is
required is immense in the aggregate
and ii is the business Of one depart
ment to keep informed upon these diff
ferent items for many years ahead
Not Buying Any Mines
1--WE are nor buying any mines and
Il Is not my purpose to look over this
country with a view 10 buying any
mines" said Mr. Smith We are Ia the
business of manufacturing automo-
biles. not smelling iron or making
rubber goods Many people say 10 as
why don't YOU manufacture tires your
selves" our answer is that we are
being well served now aud 10 manufac-
ture enough tires to supply the Ford
factory Is big business of itself.
likewise Ia the iron line, we are
we'll served now and il is not our in
tention to enter any line where We can
not by so doing serve ourselves better
than we are now being served.
"However we are not looking az this
year or next year simply. We are look
ing for years ahead and It Is our pur-
~pose to get so informed that we will
know to a certainty how TO figure on
faturc requirements.
1--WE have submitted 60 us many pro-
positions In this iron ore supply mat
ter We made answer to all that we
were not ready to take any OF the pro-
positions up for tile reason that we
arg not well informed on them. My
business here Is TO get such tnforma-
ton that when we get ready We can
talk intelligently to all who have sub
mitted any propositions to us
Economies Rule Future
Asked II he was not OF the opinion
that sooner or later the fellow without
an ore supply in the Lake Superior
district will be AZ a disadvantage, Mr..
s.ith replied:
.rhat all depends. do not believe
Mat the future OF the Mesabi range. for
instance. cuts so much OF figure as
many accord 10 a. | believe that the
economies that are possible Is to be
,the dominant factor and not the supply
~ one point"
For examples, centers located upon
water have the advantage Of eight or
\ ni6eNenths In freight For that reason
the water fronts have economic advan-
taeesf whether II Is more economical
10 bring coal here or ore there Is an
open question but Il is generally a.
greed that Il Is the most economic 10
fContfnued on pare AZ