The diamond drill., 1921-12-24
TRIBUTE TO LATE
JAS. ID. IRELAND
'SkIllIng's Mining Review Published
A Review of his Life Written by
An Intimate Friend


We take great pleasure In publish
ing tribute TO the late James ID. Ire
land written by zone who knew him
well" In which the great work OF Mr..
Ireland in the development OF the iron
mining industry OF the Lake Superior
district is fully outlined.
In this connection. an interesting
fact In relation to Mr.. Ireland's
ancestors has come to the knowledge
OF the public since his death. Mr.. Ire
lands great. great grandfather. a
man named Duane. was the first mayor
OF the City OF New York under its
City Charter. II is from this illust-
ious ancestor that Mr.. Ireland's mid
die name Duane" comes.
The tribute mentioned IL as follows.
His activities in the mining field
commenced In 1902 when after COM
pleting his studies at the Massachu-
setts Institute OF Technology he was
employed at the Camp Bird Mine In
Colorado. where he gained expert
ence in the various phases OF the min
ing and milling of gold ores. With a
Aview TO further broadening his ex-
erience. he left the Camp Bird Mine
hnd spent the next few years pros
1pecting In Arizona, Southern Cali
tornia and Northern Mexico. Return
ing from this venture. he accepted
position In 1907 as mining engineer
with M. A. Hanna & Company of Cleve
land. Ohio. and took up his duties on
the Mesabi and Michigan Ranges.
In 1908 Mr.. Ireland was appointed
Manager OF the Iron Ore properties OF
this Company, and opened Offices in
the Sellwood Building. Duluth, MINI
At this time the holdings Of the Com
pany consisted of few small mines
in Minnesota and Michigan, and II is
of interest to note the great expansion
which occurred under his management
up to the year 1917, when he was made
member OF the firm and left Duluth
for Cleveland.
II was during the period OF his
managership that his exceptional ex-
ecutive ability. progressive nature and
rboadmindednes were demonstrated.
and resulted in the successful devel-
opment and carrying TO completion
of number of ideas which were both
original and radical Tin their nature>
Among these should be classed:
Drying iron ores befoe shipment
from the mines. as means OF rend-
ering commercial number of ores
which, on accaount OF excessive mois-
ture are not merchantable. The first
plant for this purpose, which was OF
an experimental nature, was built
Ia 1909 at the old Hollister Mine near
Crystal Falls. Mich, and was followed
Mp by large plants built at the Brunt
AIine near Mountain Iron, Mimi, and
At the Wakefield Mine, Wakefield,
Mich. A number OF drying plants have
also been built by other companies
The first mill in the Lake Superior
region using jigs for the concentra-
tion OF banded ores. This Mill being
built In 1911 at the American Nine
near Ishpeming, Mich. Also the meth
Cd OF stripping on the Mesabi Range
by means OF large revolving drag
line machine, In such way as to
overcast the spoil from the first cut
and then recast this material so as to
make room for depositing the spoil
from a second cut. All this being ac-
complished without the use or To-
comotives and dump cars. Also the
use OF the first all electric shovel on
the Mesabi Range.
Mr.. Ireland was among the first
to recognize the advantages of using
electrical apparatus at the Iron. ore
mines In the Lake Superior region.
and to adopt policy OF complete cleo
trffcation.
After Mr.. Ireland moved TO Cleve-
land he devoted a large portion OF
his time and energies TO the exten-
sive holdings In the anthracite fields
which his company had recently ac-
ouired and under his direction a COM
plete rehabilitation was undertaken.
nhis was undoubtedly one OF the
eAeatest projects OF its kind ever at
tenn pted. and involved the complete
electrification OF fourteen collieries,
with the construction Of three Cen
trail power Stations, each having n
canacity OF $1,000 X. w. and one OF
1000 X. w. The sinking OF new shafts.
and building new breakers as n means
~ eliminating old and inefficient ones.