The Duluth Missabe and Iron Range ore docks are the two reddish brown linear structures in the foreground. Ore boats are pulled between the docks by tugboats. Railroad cars loaded with ore or taconite pellets move along the railroad tracks on the top or the length of the dock. A chute or steel pocket beneath the tracks is lowered to the open cargo hatch and a door at the bottom of the pocket opens, allowing the pellets to run into the ore boat that moored parallel to the dock. Four hours is typical for loading ore. Loading is the responsibility of the First Mate. It is important to load the ore in a proper sequence to avoid over stressing the boat unevenly. Each chute (or drop of pellets) is about 20 tons.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View of West Duluth facing downtown Duluth and Lake Superior. The image includes the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range railroad ore docks, grain elevators on Rice's Point, the Aerial Lift Bridge, Minnesota Point, and Lake Superior. Wade Stadium is visible in the center of the picture to the left of the ore docks, with Wheeler Field, 3501 Grand Avenue, to the left of the stadium. Denfeld High School, 4405 West Fourth Street, is in the center of the bottom portion of the image with the West Junior High below it at the southwest corner of North Central Avenue and West Sixth Street. The Interstate Bridge connects Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin at Rice's Point. The Duluth Missabe and Iron Range railroad tracks are at the lower left, continuing to the ore docks where three vessels are waiting to be loaded with ore.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Image shows the Edna G. Tugboat moored on the dock in Two Harbors, Minnesota. The iron ore dock in Agate Bay rises up behind the boat. Note the eagle atop the pilot house and two men seated on the deck. Footings for another dock appear in the foreground.
Image shows the Ella G. Stone, predecessor to the Edna G. tugboat pulling a whaleback vessel into the ore docks at Agate Bay. Note the hatches are open on the whaleback.
The August 1955 issue includes newsworthy items of interest from the Eastern, Canisteo, Hibbing-Chisholm, Duluth and Gogebic (Ironwood, Michigan) Districts. ""Ore, Iron, and Men"" was a monthly magazine published by the Oliver Iron Mining Company, a subsidiary of U.S. Steel, from 1950-1963. It recorded the trends of iron mining and the steel industry, and the employees who worked in the Oliver Mine districts. It also recorded the events, activities and milestones of the employees families.
Image shows a series of boats moored in Agate Bay. This shows the backup of boat traffic during the 1907 Mesabi Range strike, the first widespread organized strike on the Iron Range called July 20th, 1907. Strike was broken August 2nd, 1907.
Three vessels Northern King North Wind whaleback barge 131 loading at Duluth ore docks; 300 foot steel freighter North Wind damaged July 27, 1907 at a dock; steel steamer Northern King banged the pier at Superior August 11, 1907;
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections