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


ore with sulphur and carbon. For the
reason that the silver was native The
mine presented q beautiful sight, e.
pecially In the richer portions. where
the sparkling masses OF pure metal.
many OF them Of several pounds
weight shone in all their purity and
reflected the light from the miners
casdles In a manner presenting a sim
ilitude Of the cave In which Aladdin
gathered the Jewels at the behest OF
his bogus uncle.
THERE WAS DANGER THERE.
too. for the islet only afforded a
breathing spot for the mine Itself. be-
ing merely large enough to accommo-
date the opening OF the shaft. while
even that was most closely guarded TO
keep the lake from invading H. As
In all deep mines with but a single
shaft. there was danger to the miners
underground. for in case Of accident
to the shaft. all chrnccs OF egross was
destroyed. The underground CALLER
les were carried under the bed Of the
lake. and q single careless blast might
let I'm the water from above. TO the
destruction OF all beneath H. Taken
all In ALL Job In the Silver lslct was
not on which would be rclished by
most men. but there was never any
scarcity OF workmen. The mine paid
it, men well. and there were rich
pickings. II Is a matter OF principle
with miners. the world over. that
specimen belong TO the man who
finds them. and not to the employer.
when the specimen happens 20 be
/ a mass of native silver OF two or three
/ pounds weight the miner who secrotoa
Il runs no great risk OF missing n col
leotor willing TO annex It. though the
men who traded In specimens" OF sill
/ yer at the Silver lslot and at the cop
/ per mines on the southern shore Of
the lake never paid above half the
market value OF the metal purchased.
The mine eventually reached a depth
OF over 1900 feet. or 200 fathoms, to
use the yernacular Of the miners. In
certain OF the upper slopes II was pos
slble to hear the rocks grinding against
tho bed OF the lake In time OF storm,
20 closely had the silver been followed
TO the danger line Il was estimated
that nearly half n million dollars
worth OF silver was contained In the
upper levels OF the mine 30 close "a
the bed OF the lake that II would be
dangerous to attempt It's removal. The
temptation was a strong one, and from
time to time little mining was done
close TO the danger line. but was usu'
ally soon dropped. Il was not n pleas
ant thing to think that. even though
the silver was brightest and apparent
ly thickest there.
ITS DECLINE AND ABANDONING
The largest years production eyel
achieved was In 1877. when 10000
ounces OF silver. worth si.32 per ounce
was refined from the rocks taken from
the mine. A single pocket OF sixt,
tons yielded more than 100000
and many smaller pockets yield
cd even more In proportion
some RivinG ss hish - - per pound
while masses OF native metal were
common. The mine produced. all told
trlne more than 100000 worth oi
silver during the period OF It's activity
The profits were great. but would have
been many times as large but for the
unusual location OF the mine and th'
constant fight against the elements
A few years Of unusually heavy expen
dIturea wiped out the surplus OF thu
company. Dividends had been pal,
too rapidly, and there was nothing lcf
in the strong box for emergencies. Thu
owners dlsliked paying an assessment
TO perform work that was vital to tn
mines future. and II was decided 4
unload on the English public. whlol
nj that time, 1884, was buying mine
extensively In this country. The ap
parent certainty that the mine woull
be sold at a big price so Impressed III
owners that the management forgot 4
send supplies TO the lslet that autumn
The superintendent became diseourag
ed fuel ran short and eventually dis
appeared. The pumps stopped. IN
mine filled with water. and to complet
the lll-fortune big storm again al
tucked the islet and did great damage
: Old miners say there is millions OF sll
yer stlll there but II will take mil
lion dollars TO start work again proT
erly. and capital Is afraid OF silye
mines now.
HORACE ]. STEVENS.