The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-30
SILVER Mine
UNDER WATER.
One Of Worlds Richest LOdas
is in Lake SupsrI0r.
HAS PAID MANY MILLIONS.
Costly Plant, Stamp Mil, Houses and
Churches Nov Form Nothing but a
Deserted Village.
HAS PAID MANY MILLIONS.

| One OF the greatest silver mines IN the
world lies idle ana deserted on a reef
| about mile from the far north shore Of
Lake Superior. From this mine millions
In ore or fabulous richness have been
taken and millions yet remain in 1t.
Yet its history is one long record OF re-
verses ana or a continual struggle on
the part of man against the forces of ma
ture. Sometimes man was ahead and
| sometimes nature fUdUy, and ror many
years past, nature has had no competi-
tion. The mine is now filled with water.
The reef on which the mine is situated
faces long row Of houses on the main
land which extends in a semi-circle along
the shore OF beautiful bay, above which
rises a range OF low mountains.
There are houses enough for hundreds
Of occupants; fine home for the super
intendent; while out upon the tiny reef,
now a man-made island, are huge shaft
house. power house live or six buildings
for the miners without families. capable
OF accommodating at least 3OO men, to-
gether with all the other buildings neces-
sary for the conduct OF a great mine
Ana there are on the mainland a huge
storehouse, a hotel, large aud roomy, an
enormous stamping mill, heavily barred
jail and two churches.
IL Is an ideal little mining town, save
for one curious featurc--there is not "A
soul living In the place save the care
taker and his family.
For company there are the cattle OF his
herd and the birds that 40 i'm and out
OF the windows OF the houses and build
their nests hign up on the walls near the
ceilings.
II you go back into the bush" as
they call the forest places along the mar
row peninsula that Juts out from the
mainland, miles distant from civilization,
you may see the silver sheen OF the trout
I'm their little streams tumbling In laugh
ter down the mountain, or, If you choose
TO go back further, you may see I'm the
season many huge caribou, bears TO
whom you would scarcely seek an in
PRODUCTION, white the wolves send the
shivers down your spine If you are unused
10 their salutations.
DISCOVERY OF THE MINE.
A Montreal mining company which had
bought up large tract of land on the
north shore OF Lake Superior In the vi
cinity Of Thunder bay. an enormous har-
Dor with the town OF Port Arthur on it's
northern shore, sent out "A party TO ex-
plore it's properties. In 1865 one OF the
surveyors was sent out to plant stake
on the reef. tiny piece of rock just
showing above the water
While doing this he discovered the sill
yer vein and brought back n little of the
silver ore. One or two blasts were made I
at the surface of the rock and about |
$500 was taken from the few pieces of |
rock secured.
As soon al possible work was begun
upon the mine. lt was extremely diff
ncult however. 10 get material There |
was no railroad within perhaps 200 \
miles of the spot; all supplies. including /
the large amount of material used i'm the |
construction and working OF the plant |
had 10 be shipped in by boat. The mine |
was shut or from civilization from No |
vember 60 May.
The only way that mail could reach i
the place was by Indian runners with |
dog teams. skirtng the shore OF the great |
lake from Duluth, then small town l
and passing northward once a month or l
so through an absolute wilderness of |
about 200 miles In the dead OF an arctic |
winter
II was apparent that an Island must be
on the tiny reef. and lib
eral reward was offered 10 any man who
would discover within hailing distance a |
stand OF Norway pine
One of the employees. after much search
ing found the pine where the fires OF |
the centuries had SHARED a portion OF the
ancient forest. With a great difficulty |
the timber was hauled 70 the reef and
vast cribwork was constructed.
The work was especially difficult be-
cause there was nothing but the sofia
rock on which 10 build. and this rock
slanting and In some places a sheer sub