The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-04
MINES Of LAKE SUPERIOR.
Vivid and accurate Description Of
Americas Greatest Copper
Mines.
How an Ancient Raoe Mine d Cop
Der In That Wonderful
District.

per In That Wonderful
District.
The Calumet D Hccla and Tamarack
1Iines-Their Great Product and Un-
limited Resources
The following account of the past and
present of the great copper mines on lake
Superior is condensed from letter in the
New York Times:
Last year there were produced 105, 566, 600
pounds of refined copper, which, at II cents
Der pound, amounts to SIS, 045,620. It 10 a
rapidly growing industry, and tho new
openings and additional machinery point
to an increased production of at least Is ger
cent. for next year.
About $3.50. COX, 600 in value have been TAX
en- from these famous mines, and yet no
one suggests probable limit to the supply.
Native copper 10 80 called because each par
ticular piece Of copper as it is mined,
whether it be many tons in weight or fne
particle Of dust, 10 pure copper Of the same
kind and quality as the inRot copper of the
worlds markets. It 10 not alleged with any
other mineral except it carries trace of
silver, although pure silver in small quanti-
ties is often found imbedded in the copper.
There 10 deep mystery about these old
works that it is impossible to fathom. In
the opinion Of many they were worked by
race of men that preceded the present In
dian race; but others think that they were
worked by their ancestors. This much is
certain, whoever worked these mines in
ancient days, all knowledge of the exist
ence of the mines was gone from the In
dams when white men rediscovered them.
The ancient miners were diliRent and
persistent people. They seemed TO know
nothing Of smelling copper. for there are
no traces Of molten copper. They were at
ter pieces of suitable size to work by cold
hammerinR into useful articles and orna-
ments. They understood the use of fire in
softeninR the rocks to enable them to break
the rock from the masses of copper. They
knew nothing of drilling or blasting, but
used the stone hammer freely. More than
ten carloads of stone hammers were found
in the vicinity Of the Minnesota mine. One
of the larger class weighed 391S pounds,
while smaller specimens weighed five or six
pounds each. These stone hammers have
crease around them, obviously for withe
handle. Such handles are made of tough
saplings or small trees that will bend around
the stone. and when firmly bound in their
place by strips Of strong bark make ham
mer about as effective as q modern black
smiths sledQe- hammer. Ashes and wood
Goals have been found on the rocks at the
bottom, showing the use of fire to prepare
the way for the effective use of the stone
hammer. These mines must have been
worked for centuries, judging by the extent
of the works.
In one place the excavation was about
fifty feet deep, and at the bottom were
found timbers forming a scaffoldinR and a
another place in the old pits was found
9 mass Of copper that weighed forty-six
tons. At another point the excavation was
twenty-six feet deep. In another opening
at depth of eighteen feet mass Of cop
raised about i've feet from its native bed
by the ancients and secured there in oaken
props. Every projecting point had been
taken OF, go that the exposed surface was
smooth.
Wherever the anoients found copper. from
few pounds weight to few hundred
pounds in weight, they were obviously able
to utilize them, but the large masses were
too heavy for them to handle. Their habit
was to throw the broken stone behind them
as they progressed with their works. Many
Of their workings are ten feet or less deep.
There is piece of low arabic land few
miles from the mines, near what is called
The Gentry" or place where boats put up q
small stream that runs into Kew eenaw bay,
that the old miners probably used as their
,ampinR ground. for here has been the
principal find of ancient tools on Keweenaw
Point. These copper tools have been FREE
luently found in the old earthworks in
Wisconsln, Ohio and Canada. and the
writer thinks he has read of their being
found further south, in the Mississippi val
ey. There are no human remains found
near the workings nor evidences Of human
Whoever they were, whatever their habits
xere, many long centuries have passed since
hey last worked these mines. Their trench
's and openings have become filled up, or
aeariy go. Monstrous trees have grown
generation of large trees have grown and
perhaps fallen and decayed-how many no
Pne can tell. All that is known ia that
vhen the mines where rediscovered. decayed
runks of large trees were lying over the
works, with heavy growth Of live timber
heee works in the Minnesota mine q hem
ock tree showed 1876 annular rings.
The masses of copper found in earlier
lays have not been equaled in size in later.
o01es III 18ct,laIR0 masses OF copper are
OF as profitable to find, owing to the diff
ulty and expense in getting them out and
uttinR them up. Among the numerous
masses OF copper, the most notable was
ound in the Minnesota mine in 1857. IL
vas difficult to dislodge it from its native
led. Charges of powder, first of 125 lbs..
radually increased to $50 lbs, failed to dis
odge it. Finally q CHARGE Of $50 lbs, secure-
tamped under it, was fred with the re-
alt of lifting from its bed without fracture
mass of copper 46 It. long, IL # in breadth
nd 8 It. thick, the latter measurements be-
ag taken at the greatest distance, the
shole mass Weighing about 500 tons. In
utting it mp Is tons of chips Of copper
,ers made.
The greatest mine for many years has
cen the Calumet & Hecla. he develop
lent Of this mine began about 1867. It's
forks are situated ON what ia locally known
the Calument q Hecla conglomerate
his il q vein at its mine of from to 28
pct in thickness generally carrying copper
aterspersed through the rock. with rare ex-
options. the larger pieces usually weighing
My few ounces and from that OF all sizes
own to dust as hne as gold dust. No very
krRe masses of copper have been found,
one worthy OF notice compared with those
Store referred to. 1t is the universally Of
20 small pieces of copper through such q
ast quantity of rock that makes the mar
elous wealth Of this mine, although in
11~ ~I 49, 49, Z