Narrative of the Tenth Annual Meeting. [Volume: 8, Issue: 5, 1889, pp. 274-289]

288

UNITED STATES ASSOCIATION OF

[VOL. 8,

The trip from Ashland to Hurley and from Hurley through the
Gogebic range was made by a special train, courteously supplied by
the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railroad, which also
carried the party to Watersmeet, where lunch was served, the car
transferred to the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, and the
journey continued to Iron Mountain, Mich., to inspect the famous
Chapin mine.
MENOMINEE IRON RANGE.
A number of the officers of the Chapin Mining Company met
the party at the Iron Mountain Station, and acted as guides. A
unique feature of the plant is the fact that all the machinery is
run by compressed air, which is brought in 24-inch wrought-iron
pipes from the hydraulic plant, consisting of four Victor turbines,
at Quinnesec Falls, on the Menominee River, distant about 3 miles.
The compressed air operates two plants of hoisting-engines, which
are used in operating four shafts, with engines having 30-inch
cylinders and 5 feet stroke.
The ore is brought up from the main shaft, qow 375 feet deep,
by a vertical hoist, in iron box-cars holding about one ton, to a
platform which extends over the railroad tracks. On arriving at
the top, the cars are attached to an endless chain conveyor, and drawn
to an iron cradle at the end of the platform, made of two large
rings, one at each end, connected by four riveted cross-pieces, two
of which form tracks for the car, and the others a tolerably close
fit for the top of the car; the rings rest on four wheels, two of
which are on each side of the platform. As soon as the car runs
on the dumping-frame, the centre of gravity which is near the top
of the car causes it to commence to tilt, and the wheels supporting
the frame accelerate the movement. The car is turned completely
over, discharging its load into a pocket, and yet cannot fall out of
the cradle; after being emptied it assumes an upright position, and
is returned to the hoist by another track.
The water is taken from the mine by two Cornish pumps, lifting
1200 gallons per minute a distance of 600 feet, and are operated by
two Corliss engines, 24 x 48 inches, so geared that the pumps work
alternately. Boilers are at hand to supply steam in case of any
accident to the compressed air system.
"The ore is mined from three separate lenticular deposits, having