THE rapid development of the Mesabi range has been a mat-
ter of much wonder to those familiar with ore-deposits else-
where, and much skepticism was shown when "millions of tons
of ore on the Mesabi" was first reported. Now, however, with
over 8,000,000 tons to its credit at the close of 1896, prospect
of 3,000,000 more this year, and more ore "in sight" than ever
before, it is evident that the first claims for the range were not
so greatly exaggerated as perhaps even those who made them
thought they were at that time. An explanation of the ease
with which these deposits have been explored is found in their
mode of occurrence. Lying in flat beds and near the surface,
and only exceptionally occurring under a taconyte "capping,"
and prospector had only to sink a few vertical test-pits on a forty-
acre tract down to the rock to be reasonably sure whether his
property contained ore or not. If he found ore in one or more
of these preliminary pits,
he would then fill in with more pits until the ore-area was entirely outlined by test-pits form 200 to
400 feet apart. In the early days of the range the testing was
almost entirely done by digging pits with pick and shovel.
When water was encountered, work had to be stopped unless
a steam pumping-plant was put in, resulting in greatly-increased
expenses. Latterly, drills have been used with great success in
continuing the exploration after water has been struck in the pit,
rendering further progress with pick and shovel impracticable.