Winchell Memorial 85 



Gunflint Lake by J. G. Norwood, as early as 1852, and by E. 

 Whittlesy in 1866. In 1866 also Eames stated that bodies of 

 iron ore were to be found in the northern part of the state. 

 The reports of these explorations made, however, only casual 

 mention of the iron ores. In 1878, Professor Winchell reported 

 the occurrence of iron in R. 14 W., and published two analyses 

 of ores from Towns. 59 and 60, R. 14, showing them to be non- 

 titaniferous P>essemer ores. In 1881 he recorded the results of 

 a trip from Embarrass Lake east to Range 14, where he de- 

 scribed the "Gunflint beds" or iron formation. These descrip- 

 tions antedated the opening of the first Mesabi iron mines about 

 ten years. 



The 10th Report, 1881, calls attention again to the existence 

 of iron ore in Minnesota in large quantities and in this Professor 

 Winchell predicted that a great industry would be developed in 

 the northern part of the state because of them. Says he : "The 

 blast furnace which is now in operation at Duluth, using ore 

 from Marquette, should be supplied from Minnesota." The 

 11th Report, 1882, contains a note on the age of the rocks in 

 the Vermilion and Mesabi Ranges. The 13th Report gives an 

 account of the opening of mines of the Minnesota Iron Co. at 

 Tower, the first mine opened in the state. The 15th Report takes 

 up the geology of the iron-bearing rocks, giving the detailed 

 field observations of 1886 and includes a map of the region 

 from Vermilion Lake to Pigeon Point and one of the region 

 of Vermilion Lake. The 16th Report, 1888, has a map of the 

 area between Rainy River and the headwaters of the Mississippi. 

 The 17th Annual- Report summarizes work on the crystalline 

 rocks, and the 18th Report takes up the area east of Pokegama 

 Falls and the region about Tower and Ely. 



As early as 1884 Professor Winchell stated that the ore 

 occurs at three horizons: (1) the titaniferous ores of the gabbro 

 belt; (2) the magnetites and hematites of the Mesabi area; and 

 (3) the hard hematite of the Vermilion Range. 



In 1890, November 16, the first body of rich iron ore of 

 economic importance was discovered on the Mesabi Range. This 

 was in a pit dug by J. A. Nichols, in charge of the crew work- 

 ing for the Merritts of Duluth. About this time also John Mc- 

 Caskell, an explorer, noted iron on the roots of an upturned 



