The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-07

resumed under more trying conditions.
Without further supplies of timber TOT
their cribs, and threatened by the wat
ers of the lake, the men cut TIMBER
from the mainland and RATED 1t across
the half-frozen strait separating the
islet from Thunder Cape, whose crest
doomed a quarter of miles above them
from the shore. Working on the IN
sheltered island the heroic treasure
hunters framed new cribs sank them
and filled them with rock from the mine
openings.
The work was again made much
stronger than before, and it was hoped
that the savage lake had been safely
chained Mining was resumed IN mo-
winter, and rapid progress made Iof
several weeks, but, alas, for thelr
hopesl Early in March a bowling Wlnd
from the east piled the pillows higher
and higher for two days, and on the
second day the cribs gave way for the
third time. Great block Of Ice were
brought from the bays far to the east
ward and hurled against the cribs IN a
cannonade which they could not with
stand Huge ice blocks were thrown
upon all parts of the islet, invading the
buildings and endangering life ana
limb.
For three days the storm lasted. and
during its height all attempts to pro-
tect property were useless, ana the
men counted themselves fortunate that
life remained.
Undaunted, the brave captain and his
brave followers began the work anew
when the waves abated. 1t was appdr-
ent that all previous fortihcations
against the elements had been mere
child's play. The new work was OF
the most massive character, and re-
ouired many months to complete ana
a fortune to build. A framed break
water of square and hewed timber was
constructed of fvefold strength, tnere
being FIVE separate bulkheads eaulkea
with hydraulic cement, bound WIN
three-inch iron rods and filed with
fully ten thousand tons of rock.
With its base 20 feet below the wa
ter the cribbing rose an equal distance
above the surface of the lake and the
work stood but the first storm threw
the waters against it with such violence
that millions of gallons passed over the
cribbing and partially flooded the mine
once more. Another Golfer dam was
built and the mine shaft protected with
a cribbin made watertight with ny
draulic cement.
| The work was costly and tedious, but
| it was we'll done, and in that year-lo!l
"a round million dollars worth OF sill
yer was taken from the mine. The roll
| lowing year was unmarked by accl-
dent, and the mine prospered highly,
| but during the equinoctial storms OF
| 1873 which were of unprecedented
violence, the bulwarks protecting the
island were again conquered. Part of
the cribbing stood, but the damage was
very great, the invasion of the waters
undermining a portion Of the made
| ground and demolishing number OF
| the mine buildings.
WORK TOO COSTLY TO CARRY ON.
The mine eventually reached a depth
of over 1900 feet, or 200 fathoms, to use
| the vernacular of the miners In GER
tain of the upper slopes it was possible
to hear the rocks grinding against the
| bed of the lake in time Of storm, so
closely had the silver been followed to
the danger line.
1t was estimated that nearly half a
million dollars worth of silver was
contained In the upper levels of the
mine, so close to the bed of the lake
that it would be dangerous to attempt
| it's removal. The temptation was
strong one, and from time to time lit
| tie mining was done close to the dan
ger line, but was usually soon dropped.
1t was not 3 pleasant thing to think
about, even though the silver was
brightest and apparently thickest
there.
The largest years production ever
achieved was in 1877 when 100000
ounces of silver, worth 1882 an ounce,
was refined from the rock taken from
the mine. A single pocket of so tons
yielded more than 100000. and many
smaller pockets yielded even more in
proportion, some giving as high as 81
| per pound, while masses of native
metal were common.
The mine produced, all told, a trifie
more than SO, SOC, 900 worth of silver dur
! ing the period of its activity.
The profits were great but would
have been many times as large but for
the unusual location of the mine and
the constant fight against the elements.
A few years of unusually heavy ex-
penditures wiped out the surplus Of the
company.-A Michigan letter in the
Philadelphia Record.