GEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS AND LITEKATITRE. 



93 



The report on "Iron Ore Mining;- in ISST" is again by John Bii-kin- 

 bine. In his account of the development of tlie Gogebic range for this vear 

 he adds some ])oints of hiterest to his former nccount of the reoion, from 

 which the foUowing quotations are made: 



The Gogebic r;iDgc in the third year of its (le\elo]niieiit outstripped the Me- 

 nominee district by 38,901 hjng tons, the figures being: 



Luii<; tons. 



Product of the Gogebic range in 1887 1,237 704: 



Product of tlie Menominee range in 1887 l 1<J8 743 



This is accounted foi- by tlic mistaken policy of over capit;dizarioii, which trans- 

 formed the Gogebic range into a center for stock specuhition, rather than for legiti- 

 mate iron-ore mining eiiteriirises. Tlie result was that, with the desire to realize on 

 the money iincsted, developments of some mines were made in advance of actual 

 reciuirements and without studying judicious methods. Each organization strove to 

 get its ore to market and to be recognized as a shipping mine, and the competitiun 

 for lake freights foieed them to rates ruinous to the shippers. These rates also 

 encouraged all-rail shijiments, and tlie Ciogebic range in 1887 ineieased its output 

 63-(» per cent over that of 1886, taking precedence of the Menominee range, lint it is 

 probable that in 1888 it will go behind its older rival, foi- the "bubble" whieii Hoated 

 so many mining eoiii[)aiiies into prominence has collapsed and some Gogebic mines 

 have suspended operation; the leases of others have reverted to the owners of the fee 

 on account of defaults on royalties, and others which have been o])ened l)y im|ieifect 

 methods must luactically be developed anew. I>ut the <;-igel)ic range will continue 

 as a very important factor in the lake Superior region, and will l)e a large producer of 

 ores; in fact, under management which seeks to win ore cheaply and maintain the 

 mines, the success of the district is more assured than when the oi)ciations were 

 largely so regulated as to bolster the stock shares above their intrinsic value. The 

 four large mines, which up to the close of 1887 had luoduced almost 70 ])er cent of 

 the ore mined, give pnmiise of continuing to add to the ore supply of the cuuntry and 

 to maintain the Gogebic range as an important center of iron-ore mining. 

 The products of these four mines in 1887 are given as follows: 



Oiilpiit of prominent mints in tlie Goijebie (listriit in 1S87. 



Quantity. 



Long tons. 



Colby 2.58, .IIS 



Norrie 217, 2.54 



Ashl.ind 17.5. 561 



Aurora 159 252 



