Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway

Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway

Company type	Railroad
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1891
Founder	Merritt brothers
Defunct	1937
Fate	Merged with Spirit Lake Transfer Railway to form Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway
Successor	Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway
Headquarters	Duluth , United States
Area served	Minnesota, Wisconsin
Key people	K. D. Chase (first president), F.T. Gates (president from 1894)
Products	Iron ore transportation, ore docks construction
Owner	Merritt brothers (initially), John D. Rockefeller (from 1893), Carnegie Steel (from 1899), U.S. Steel (from 1901)
Parent	U.S. Steel (from 1901)

The Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway (abbreviated as DM&N or DMN) was a Minnesota-based railroad enterprise recognized for transporting iron ore and constructing some of the world's largest ore docks. Eventually, it was consolidated into the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway.

History

By 1891, Duluth was served by seven railroads that collectively transported over seven billion pounds of freight from the Iron Range. The DM&N was officially chartered in February 1891 and incorporated in May by the Merritt brothers from Duluth. Its inaugural president was K. D. Chase from Faribault. The railway commenced operations in 1892, initially relying on trackage rights over the Duluth and Winnipeg Railroad (D&W) to move ore through Superior, Wisconsin. In 1893, the DM&N expanded directly into Duluth, erecting what were at that time the largest iron ore docks worldwide. That same year also saw the construction of a branch line near Virginia, Minnesota, dedicated to hauling heavy mining machinery.

During the panic of 1893, John D. Rockefeller purchased the Merritts' iron ore assets along with the DM&N for approximately $30 million. Despite facing legal disputes, control transferred to Rockefeller's interests, though operational management remained with the Merritts through their parent company, Lake Superior Consolidated Iron Mines. Under the leadership of F.T. Gates, who became president in late 1894, DM&N reinstated Sunday train services that had previously been suspended under Rockefeller's orders.

In 1894, there were ambitions to extend DM&N westward toward Rainy Lake City. That year also brought wildfires that damaged infrastructure and local communities; nonetheless, DM&N laid nearly 41 miles of new track—accounting for 84% of Minnesota’s rail expansion during that period. Additionally, branch lines reaching Superior and Eveleth were completed by the end of the year.

Rockefeller aimed to push DM&N’s tracks over 400 miles westward to connect with a new railway entering Saskatchewan, positioning it as a rival to prominent railroads owned by James J. Hill and William Van Horne. However, following disputes and a fraud ruling against Rockefeller, the Merritts established a competing enterprise—the Duluth and Northwestern Railroad—in 1895. Changes in management included general manager Donald M. Philbin leaving for D&W in early 1896, possibly indicating Canadian Pacific’s influence there.

Between 1896 and 1897, DM&N concentrated on expanding branches serving mines and enhancing infrastructure through trestle fills and grade reductions. Plans for a substantial coal dock in Duluth aligned with Rockefeller’s maritime shipping interests. Ore shipments declined during 1897 due to diminished winter stockpiles. In 1898, DM&N confronted accusations of granting preferential rates favoring its parent company’s mines but resolved these issues.

With no advancement on western expansion plans, Rockefeller divested his holdings in Mesabi Range railroads and mines to Carnegie Steel in 1899; subsequently, U.S. Steel acquired DM&N in 1901 but continued to operate it as an independent entity. The railroad extended service lines to Coleraine in 1906 and further penetrated the Canisteo District between 1907 and 1909 to access additional mining locations.

The DM&N played a key role in enhancing harbor facilities at St. Louis Bay by constructing large ore docks including Dock No. 4, which stretched 2,304 feet and could accommodate over 119,000 long tons of ore. These developments were complemented by dredging projects from 1905 to 1907 that enabled larger vessels to navigate the harbor.

By 1907, DM&N owned a fleet of 72 locomotives and more than 5,100 freight cars while managing 242 miles of standard gauge track; by 1917 these numbers had grown significantly with over 117 locomotives and nearly 9,500 freight cars operating across more than 379 miles of track. The company also leased other railroads and possessed trackage rights into Duluth’s Union Depot via connections with Northern Pacific Railway. Financially strong by 1916, DM&N reported revenues exceeding $14 million alongside net earnings approaching $6.9 million—reflecting considerable growth compared to earlier years.

On July 1, 1937, DM&N merged with the Spirit Lake Transfer Railway to create the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway.

External links

• News in Paragraphs, The Saint Paul Globe, St. Paul, Minnesota, August 5, 1893, p.3 – Coverage of Duluth, Missabe & Northern Railway’s half-year total revenues amounting to $73,988.70