Iron Range History. — //. V. Winchell. Kill 
in tlie report of State Geologist H. H. Eames, published in 
]S6G. On page 11 is this account: 
The Ikon Range of Lake Vermilion 
Is on the east end, on the stream known as Two River, which is about 
6ixty feet wide. * * * This range is about one mile in length, it then 
ceases, and after passing through a swamp, another uplift is reached, 
from two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet high. The iron is ex- 
posed at two or three points between fifty and sixty feet in thickness, 
at these points it presents quite a mural face, but below it is covered 
with detritus of the over-capping rock. On this account its exact 
thickness could not be correctly ascertained. The ore is of the variety 
known as hematite and white steely iron, and is associated with quart- 
/ose. jasperoids and serpentine rocks. It generally has a cap rock of 
from three to twenty feet thick. A little to the north of this is an ex- 
posure of magnetic iron of very good quality, forming a hill parallel 
with the one described. 
The hematitic iron has a reddish appearance from exposure to at- 
mospheric influence; its fracture is massive and granular, color a dark 
steel gray. The magnetic iron ore is strongly attracted by the magnet 
and has polarity, is granularly massive, color iron black. 
At the request of the legislature of Minnesota Col. Charles 
Whittlesey made a "Report of Explorations in the Mineral 
Regions of Minnesota during the years 1848, 1K59 and 1864," 
published in Cleveland in 186(5. In this report is a map of 
Vermilion Lake and the Mesabi Iron Range. It also contains, 
on page 10, an announcement of the discovery of iron ore at 
the former locality by Eames. Here Col. Whittlesey gives it 
as his opinion that workable iron ore exists near enough to 
lake Superior to render it of practical value. 
The original discovery of iron ore on the Mesabi range 
must also be credited to Mr. Eames. In his report of L866, 
published the following year, is an account of the occurrence 
of iron ore on tin- western end of the range, at Prairie river, 
and several analyses are given, showing it to lie of good qual- 
ity. Favorable mention is also made of the Mesabi in various 
Other geological reports between that time and L891. It will 
In- sufficient to call attention to the views advanced in Bulle- 
tin No. (') (written in 1890; published in L891 ) of the Minne- 
sota Survey, where a detailed account of the range is given 
audit is Stated (pages I 12 and 1(>0): 
They [the ores of the Mesabi J are destined to play a very important 
part in the future development of the iron industry of the state. They 
occupy fourfold the area that is occupied liy the Keewatin ores |Yer 
