The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-09-09

"A Houghtun. Mich, correspondent
writes The richest silver mine ever
opened by mSn was not In Peru or
Mexico. far famed as are the mines OF
Potosi and Guanajuato. but on mere
reef OF that greatest OF fresh water
seas, Lake Superior Far famed as IL
the Lake Superior district for It's iron
ore and copper. It's mines OF these
baser metals being the most extensive
In tho world II has been forgotten By
all but few OF the older residents that
only quarter OF century ago the
richest silver mine In the old or new
worlds was operated under it, waters.
The story Of It's discovery. It's develop
ment under the most trying conditions
and against the power OF all the ele-
ments, and the hnal triumph OF nature
over man, affords a romantic chapter
In the drama OF real life oquallng In
apparent lmprobahility some OF the
tales OF Baron Munchausen but all the
details OF which are verified by anthem
tic records and the memories OF men
now living.
In the excitement attending the op.
cning Of the pioneer copper mines Of
the Lake Superior country. then
wilderness, In tho latter forties. a min
orai location was made on the north
shore OF the lake. on Thunder Cape.
that natural fortress OF granite which
rises sheer fourteen hundred feet from
the blue waters OF the great lake. In
cluded In the location was reef OF
rock. unnamed and nearly overlooked
by the surveyors. a Canadian mining
company held the ground for a quar-
ter OF a century. but In 1870 transferred
the property TO n Detroit corporation
which began a systematic exploration
OF It's lands. Fortunately their agent
one Thomas Macfarlano. possessed the
Scotch thofoughness. and among other
explorations he set foot one calm day
upon the nameless reef
NOW KNOWN AS SILVER IsLET.
The little island was but rs feet long.
by GO in width, rising but n few feet
above the water on calm day. and
entirely submerged by the long swells
from the east In stormy weather. Most
men would have Ignored II, for the
islot was nearly n mile from the main
land, and the most unpromising place
imaginable for mining work. To the
surprise OF Macfarlane. who was per-
haps the FIRST white man TO set foot
on that little speck OF solid ground en-
circled by the deep waters OF the lake.
plainly defined vein carrying small
nuggets OF silver was seen. Miners
with drills. picks and blasting powder
were transferred TO the reef on the
nrat calm day following the discovery,
and II took but little work by them TO
prove the existence Of BONANZA upon
that Insignificant ridge OF trap rocl,
which exposed a few square feet OF its
apex above the water. So small was
the island that the miners waded into
the lake and followed the seam until
the water grew too deep. picking mug.
gets OF virgin silver from the vein
Five tons OF rock was secured By this
exploring party, much Of II taken from
under the water by miners working
to their waists In the lake. the water
OF which IL always intensely cold. even
on the warmest summer day. The re-
turns from the Ave tons OF rock ship,
ped 10 the smelter were far richer thar
had been dreamed, giving more thar
1920 TO the ton. or sixty cents pei
pound, In refined silver.
Encouraged by this result. the worl
OF developing was begun In earnest
under perhaps the most novel and dis
couraglng circumstances that have at
tended the making OF a mine. II wa
necessary 10 shelter both mine AM
miners from the angry waters, whicl
threatened to swallow them. and tn
mine was started not by digging int
the ground. but by building u substan
tial crib or block house over the spo
where II had been decided to sink
shaft. This was imperative for tn
safety OF the workmen and also L
keep the waves from dashing into N
shaft on their passage over the isle'
The crib was built very solIdly, on IN
plan OF n lighthouse, with accommC
dalton for the miners In the uppo
part, above the pillows OF tho lali
hut not above tho spray. which o
stormy days blew over the top OF IN
structure. Protected by this sholto
beginning was made and a shaft wa
sunk for some twenty feet. but bI
tween the water perculatlng throug
the rock strata from the lake but
few feet distant. and the water whic
found its way In from the surface dun
ing storms, despite all precautions.
was found impossible 10 proceed wit
the primitive means at hand. all II
time OF the men being taken In an NJ
equal battle with the water while
would MI the shaft. Thus matter
stood until the autumn OF 1870, whe
Capt. william Frue. OF Houghto
Mich, an experienced miner and a ma
OF bull dog persistence, was put
charge. II required all his ability an
an his courage to conquer footho
upon tho reef, Capt. Frue brougl
with him from Houghton a large SUI
ply Of mining timber. food blastir
powder and tools. with forty miner
II was realized that
THE ISLET MUST BE ANCHORE
" miners were ever TO work safely ii
der II. and work was begun and pus'
cd diligently on the armor plating