The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-11
SILVER UNDER THE WAVES.
DELTxNo FOR WEALTH BENEATH THE
BOSOM or LAKE SUPERIOR.
Mesran's Lucky Dive Tor Piece of shining
Ore-Piuek and perseverance, In Minins.


FSom ne Detroit Nee.
Silver Islet Is on the northwestern coast
OF Lake Superior on the Canadian shore. about
seven miles Gust OF Thunder Cape. seventeen
miles north OF Isle Royale. Previous to 1870 II
was a barren rock or reef about eighty feet in
length by seventy feet in breadth. and in no
part rising more than eight feet out of tho
water. II is situated about three-fourths OF a
mile from the mainland. and exposed to the full
sweep Of 200 miles Of Lake Superior tempests.
On stormy day the breakers drenched every
inch Of its length and circumference. and in
winter II resembled a stationary iceberg. II was
owing to its inaccessibility and the difficulty OF
exhuming its arRentiierous treasures that 1t
came into the possession OF American owners.
Its FIRST private owner was the Montreal Mining
Lands Company. which In 1886 purchased from
the Canadian Government number Of parcels
Of land amounting TO l05 900 acres. on the coast
Of Lake Superior. One OF these which included
Silver 1slet. was named Woods Location, and
contained an urea Of about 1000 acres. The
Montreal company made very little effort to as
certain the value OF their locations until 1857
when II sent out party under an experienced
mineraloRist Thomas Mcfarland. at present
superintendent Of the silver smelling works at
Wyandotte.
Mcfarland made two discoveries. one at Jar
vie Island and the other at Silver Islet The
latter was. In q measure. accidental. The party
was on the mainland. and Mcfarland. seeing
an exposure Of spartan almost certain indica-
ton Of mineral wealth-sent over his foreman.
John Morgan, with Two men. to make an ex-
perimental blast Will. the men were drilling
the reef and saw streaks Of shining white in
tho water, at from three to ten feet in depth on
new his Clothes and down he dived TO the bot
tom. and detached piece OF shining ore. The
nast gave 70 promise OF metallic results but
excitement. Mcfarland anaiyEed the specimen.
and found It composed OF native silver nickel
or course. the discovery Of silver at the sur
fnc1 was promptly communicated to his en-
ployers. but the company had about exhausted
lacked both the money and the pluck to under
tAke mining on such n storm visited ledge.
where an immense sum would have TO be ex-
pended In buildings and breakwaters In order
TO protect the workmen and machinery They
concluded that their best policy was TO sell the
The purchase price. was s225.OOO in ALL The
Ontario Mineral Lands Company was then Or
principal contributors THE stock company was
not organizsd until asiterwardl being Edward
G, A. Trowbridge OF New York city; and Capt
Eber b. Ward. Simon Mandelbaum. Ed. Trow-
however, was legally and technically the sole
owner OF, Silver Islet under his miners license,
bis Fights S against ne
Capt. Frue began work with vlRor. and In
460 feet Of cribbing thoroughly bolted together,
nlled with rock, and with an average depth Of
Golfer dam. which was filled with 500 tons OF
clay transported from Detroit. This was done
erS s S hours O Sat Ss
water in the enclosed space was pumped out
by steam cyphons; and mining was begun on
On the. 26th Of October a hurricane swept
away half the completed works. and seriously
the 18th Of NoSember. The las, shipment OF of
ore for the season was made on the 26th OF No
vember. Notwithstanding this formidable in
terruption. the mine yielded. In 20 days work.
sSo wSrsh S s.es o5 lev day, After
OF the breakwater and some 5000 tons OF rock
A Lake Superior winter was now upon the
was covered with ice. but Frue still u daunted.
was quick 10 plan and prompt TO execute, Tim
he plunged into the forest TO look for pine and.
after an unsuccessful search. sent out all handr
grove 81 Norway PINE was on the
northeast slope Of Thunder Cape, and with this
Tesnmed the miners being now 50 or 20 fset S bel
low the level OF the lake. and work progressed
satisfactorily. The ore produced was called
In barrels and smeited without further treat
ment; 1t was worth from 81 400 10 81 900 per
On the sth OF March, 1871. a storm swept away
both worksfand buildings. and then storm sue
or Nearly so 900 feet OF timber. and 6 900 tons OF
behind.
After the storms had spent their force. Frue
again went TO work. In a short time a new line
Of breakwater was begun. and notwithstanding
N.QO0OOO worth OF ore in 1871. The company
had promised Frue a premium OF 10 per cent.
on the irst $3.50 900 and they kept their word.
For that year Mr.. Frue's salary was the same
as that Of the President Of the United States.
During the winter OF 1912 the lode began
m
Packing oro was produced in less paying guam
titles. but toward spring the lode began TO open
amounted 10 100000. In the same year a com
pam, within company was formed; The Si-
ganizsd. with capital stock Of 81. OOO. 900. in
10000 shares OF 800 each. The property OF the
Woods location. some 60O0 acres in all. It
may here be- mentioned that the first pu rchase
OF the 10000 acres Of lands from the Montreal
company cost the Ontario company only $780,
600. or $50 for each OF the original 900 shares
The products OF the mine paid the balance OF
the purchase price-t225. 0O0-and also paid for
thesubetantial improvements. machinery para
Pbernalla construction account &c. amount
In 1878 the lode produced t426.O00 In Octo-
Der olfhaI year. water broke into the mine from
nsu6terranean assure. and the pumping being
insufficient. the water rose rapidly new
pump had 10 be built at Detroit Again misior-
tune visited the mine in the winter. two heavy
timber and 5000 tons Of rock. the loss amount
ing 70 over $ll 900. In 1874. the mine. now 4S0
Avn ,uNtps OhISiJ phlu cApcnStS. Inc packing
ore had given out, and II WIS necessary TO work
the poorer ore which. however was worth from
Sl2 to $50 per ton. In order TO reduce this
stamping mills were necessary. The big pro-
prietors agreed 10 surrender each one-tenth OF
the stock In order to raise the necessary money
Tor stamp mill, and one was purchased and
erected on the mainland In the winter OF 1874
In 1875 the stamp mill paid for itself. and loft a
good margin; but a number OF improvements
In this shape OF submerged cr6s, dredges
scows. and other expensive works. swallowed
uD the money.
In 1876 the main vein produced only small
amount OF paying ore. Work was then begun
on the east vein and some rich ore was e1-
tracted. but not in productive quantities. Little
mining was done during the winter.
In 1871 there was q reorganization The
Ontario Mineral Lands Company and the Silver
Mining Company Of Silver Islot. both substan-
TALLY governed by the same persons, disap-
peared In July. and in their place appeared the
Silver Iset Consolidated Mineral Lands Com
pany, which owned all the original los. 900 acres
new company mad chpital stock Of 81 900 600
DIVIDED into ~ 900 shares Of 325 each.
In July. 1877. the company resolved TO con-
tract It's operations and for this purpose al
lowed the water 70 rise over seven levels and
n pumping kept the three upper levels clear
Work was confined TO these levels and a num-
Der OF drifts and cross cuts were made hafwaap