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: , | | | ! | | | 18 MARINE REVIEW. MICHIPICOTEN IRON MINES. FRANOIS H. CLERGUE OF SAULT WATER POWER FAME IS NOT SPARING MONEY IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT--OLAIMED THAT 500,000 TONS WILL BE STOCKED™ AT ONE PROPERTY IN THE WILDERNESS ABOVE THE : SAULT DURING THE WINTER: The News of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., furnishes the following account of the recent development of mineral and timber lands at Michipicoten on the north shore of Lake Superior, just above the Sault, since Francis H. Clergue of Sault water power fame began operations in that part of northern Canada a short time ago, Allowance must be made, of course, for the enthusiasm that prevails in the towns on both sides of the Sault river falls (Canada and the United States) on account of the millions of dollars which Mr. Clergue is spending in the construction of power -canals. The News says: Less than a year ago a howling wilderness, with an Indian wigwam 'or two; today a busy little town of 800 inhabitants, and many modern 'conveniences. This in brief is the metamorphosis that has been worked at Michipicoten in that comparatively short time by the energy and genius of Amierican brains and capital in pursuit of an enterprise yet in its small- est swaddling clothes, an enterprise that is destined to develop into gigantic proportions within the next few years, in the natural course of events: It means the ultimate development of the vast natural: mineral and forestry interests of Northwestern Ontario, as well as the unexplored expanse of virgin territory north of that and extending to Hudson Bay. The new Michipicoten, as it should be termed to distinguish it from the old Indian settlement about: three miles distant at the mouth of the Michipicoten river, is situated in the land-locked harbor behind Gros Cap, at the extreme western end of Michipicoten bay. It is about 125 miles from Sault Ste. Marie, on the rugged north»shore of Lake Superior, and is now reached by. a steamboat run of from ten to twelve hours. Later, and in all probability next year, there will be railroad connections. But of that, more anon. The harbor is an extensive one, commodious enough to accommodate the entire lake fleet to a safe anchorage. It is a pretty 'spot, surrounded by towering hills and mountains covered with forests. The new village of Michipicdten nestles at the foot of the mountains, and 'here will be situated one of the brightest:gems in the diadem of Canadian cities at no distant day. It will be the entrepot for the extensive mineral and other products of the vast country tributary to it, which has already 'given substantial indications of its mineral wealth, to say nothing of its valuable forests which are in evidence on every hand. It has already no inconsiderable start, for it is one of the terminals of the Algoma Central Railway and the shipping point for the (Algoma Central steamship line, now plying between that place and the lower lake region. On arriving at the harbor, these things are seen: An iron ore dock, 500 ft. long, jutting out into the 'water, with twelve chutes and twelve pockets; to the east of it about 400 ft. a big conimercial 'or merchandise dock; with commodious warehouse and a sfandard gauge railway track laid to its end; freight sheds and railway offices; puffing engines, pulling trainloads of iron ore to the dock, or taking out merclandise to the Helen mine; a fine hotel faced by a broad veranda, a well equipped store, a hospital, new dwellings, and other indications -of a rapid and recent growth. Already the villa boasts of a'telephone and telegraph service, but not as yet to the outside world. That-will come later., Within a short time an electric plant will be in operation for lighting and other purposes, and a system of water- works and sewers will be installed. And all of this at a place as wild and isolated a year ago as can well be imagined. _. If anyone in this section of the. country Fad made the declaration soberly in 1898 that two years later would see a railroad in operation at Michipicoten, one of the largest iron mines in America in operation there, and shipments of ore being made, he would at once have been set down as a harmless lunatic, so utterly improbable would it have seemed. Read- rs of the News all remember the announcement of 'the gold discoveries in 1897-8, that first directed.the attention of the public to that locality, and caused an influx of thousands of prospectors. It was gold they were after, but in the prospecting other minerals were found, and it is due to the discovery of the humbler mineral, iron, that the first large develop- ment was undertaken. Ben Boyer, an old prospector of the Canadian "Soo," found a deposit twelve miles north of the harbor, but of its extent he and everyone else were ignorant.' He staked his claim, and then tried to sell it, offering it at various prices from $200 to $500, but could: find no buyer. At last he attracted the interest of F. H. Clergue, at the head of the water power development in the twin "Soos," and allied industries. Mr. Clergue purchased the property for $500. 'The ore was found to be a fine quality of brown hematite running from 60 to 65 per cent. in metallic iron. Exploitation developed that there was a, vast body of it, a yeritable mountain of iron, reaching down into the earth hundreds of feet. The property was thoroughly tested and adjoining claims pur- chased... It was found to be 'all that it originally promised, and more. One of the principal iridustries projected at the Canadian "Soo" was the reduction of iron ore by electrolysis. Here, right at hand, promising easy development, a short freight haul and cheap water transportation, was the needed natural commodity. It was manifestly"a big thing, and the pos- sibilities in connection with it were quickly seen by Mr. 'Clergue. The rest was easy to a man of Mr, Clergue's genius and rare grasp of gigantic business enterprises. Then came the building of the first branch of the Algoma Central Railway, from the shores of Michipicoten, to the iron ore location, about twelve miles distant. BUILDING THE RAILWAY. __In building the line to the Helen mine, engineering difficulties existed - such as' are encountered in 'all mountainous countries, with the further disadvantage of being miles away from a base of supplies. Everything had to be shipped in by water. En route to the mines are a succession of granite hills and mountains, deep valleys, lakes and streams. The country is rugged in the extreme. Under these circumstances it is easily per- ceivable that it was no mean engineering feat to build the road. There were heavy grades to overcome, many rock cuts to blast and bridges culverts and trestles to construct. That this was all accomplished within a year,-and 'ina substantial and permanent. manner, falls little short of the wonderful: Atrifle over a year from the time the work was begun, ship- ments of iron ore.were being. made:to the shore,:thence to the lower lakes.. [October 25, There is a rise of about 650 ft. from the lake shore to the mine, and the railway has a continuous up grade with the exception of a short distance at the northerly end. This makes easy work for the engines in hauling the iron ore from the mine. There is probably no better constructed rail- way in the country. The roadbed is remarkably smooth, and is ballasted with gravel. It is laid with 85-lb. steel rails. That means that each single rail weighs 850 pounds, or nearly a half ton. The equipment for the road is the best that money can procure. Two new engines recently received from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, each weigh 140 tons and are the largest made except for special work. They are monsters and be-~ long to the class used for heavy traffic on the western railroads. The ore cars are of pressed steel and have a capacity of 50 tons each. The flat cars have a capacity of 40 and 50 tons. Then there are passenger coaches and freight cars, all of modern design. There is nothing but to wonder at and praise concerning the equipment of the road. The railroad yards are situated a mile north of Michipicoten proper. Here is located the machine shops and other auxiliaries of a railroad terminal. Place for a big coal dump is being cleared. A fine round house is being built of brick, and will be completed this fall. It will have five stalls. Dwellings are being erected for employes, both at this point and at the harbor proper, that will be supplied with all modern conveniences, electric light, water, baths, etc. The rentals will be nominal, and tenants will be given an opportunity to buy the buildings and property on easy terms. Everywhere is seen evidences of a broad-gauged policy on the part of the company. It is a ride of nearly an hour from the harbor to the Helen mine, in- cluding five stops en route, and a pleasant ride it is. The scenery is picturesque in the extreme and a delight to lovers of nature in her most rugged mood. The road traverses a natural pass in the mountains, and has many abrupt curves. In places it winds around mountains whose tops cannot be seen from the coach window, while on the opposite side one can look down hundreds of feet. Again it creeps over high trestles bridging water courses through the gullies. At the Magpie river, a steel bridge is being built. The entire route is a panorama of mountain, valley, lake and stream, the scenery being appalling at places in its grandeur. On ap- proaching the Helen mine, the road passes over a sharply curved trestle a hundred feet above the level of a lake whose shores are directly beneath. Then the famous mine is sighted, and soon the train stops at the base of the mountain which is a part of the mine. A MOUNTAIN OF IRON ORE. A pen picture of the mine cannot convey an adequate impression to the reader. From the lake at its foot, the iron mountain rises gradually to a height of about 200 ft., thence more abruptly 150 ft. higher. The min- ing operations are being conducted at the base of the mountain. Here the surface has been stripped, leaving a vast body of the reddish ore ex- posed. . There is sufficient of the ore practically in sight to last for many years. At.one point midway up the mountain, a test tunnel was run ina distance of 240 ft. through solid ore. A quarter of a mile on the other side of the mountain a drill was sunk also through ore. At the foot of the mountain diamond drill tests gave the same result at a depth of 300 ft. It is a veritable mountain of ore containing what may be said an inex- haustible quantity, variously estimated at from 50,000,000 to 75,000,000 tons--perhaps more. There is said to be about 2,000,000. tons exposed where the mining is going on. Powell & Mitchell, of Marquette, Mich., have the contract for getting out the ore, and have a plant on the ground that has already cost upwards of $100,000. This includes buildings and mining equipment. A Gates ore crusher is located ona bluff near the mine and above the railway track. An aerial conveyor carries buckets on a cable from the working part of the mine, to the crusher. The buckets have'a capacity of five tons of ore and are dumped automatically. The crusher can take care of 4,000 tons daily. From the crusher the ore is shot.down into the steel cars, ready for transportation. In all at the present time Powell & Mitchell have 350 miners at work, on day and night shifts. The plant is electric lighted. It is all surface mining. A few power drills are in operation, but the major part of the drilling is being done by hand. The method of mining is simple. The ore is blasted out of the mountain side, broken up with sledges, placed in the conveyor buckets, and thence carried by power on the cable to the crusher. About 1,000 tons. of ore are now being gotten out daily for shipment. This winter's product will be placed in a stock pile that will be located about six miles down the railway. It is expected that 500,000 tons at a minimum will be mined this winter. Powell & Mitchell are adding to their mining force every day, but are experiencing difficulty in getting men.. The lowest wage paid is $1.75 per day, and board is $3.50 per week. The men are well treated, the work is not hard, and they are well-fed and housed. Commodious quarters for the miners are being built. The contractors have already in operation their mammoth culinary and dining building, the main part of which is 40x200 ft. in di- mensions. There are accommodations for 690 people at a single sitting. The culinary department is located in the middle section and is presided over by Steward Thos. Connelly and a force of twenty-five assistants. Everything is cooked by steam that can be, the most modern apparatus being installed. Mr. Connelly informed the News representative that he had recently completed the herculean task of making out a list of grocer- ies and food products for the winter's supply, amounting to $80,000. In connection with the enterprises at Michipicoten, the Algoma Cen- tral steamship line was organized. Last year the steamer Minnie M. was purchased and placed on the route, making regular trips between the Soo" and Michipicoten, carrying passengers and freight. Then it be- came necessary to secure ore carriers. Owing to the unusual demand for carriers, Mr. Clergue found it impossible to secure any upon reasonable terms on the lakes. Agents were sent to Europe, and purchased four steel steamers. Two of them, the Paliki and Theano, were built for the Greek ore trade, and the others, the Leafield and Monkshaven, for the Spanish ore trade. They have a carrying capacity of 2,500 tons each. They were there in readiness to carry ore in the early summer. The first shipment was made from Michipicoten in July, the ore being taken to Midland, Ont., where a Canadian company erected a large furnace to take care of the ore. In all about 40,000 tons of ore have been shipped there this season. On the closing of navigation the four steamers will be sent to salt water for the winter months. Next year will see the carrying fleet augmented by four steamers, of larger capacity than the