The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-01-17
So PER YEAR IN ADVANCE.

loteci CoIpuTdtlOu With ulOTe GIldu lO,-
100000 tons of iron ore the present
year. The duties that devolve upon
a man filling such place are multi
tudinOus and vast, and the response
bilities that weigh upon his shoulders
are enough to bend the back of an
Atlas. 1t is good that Mr.. Cole is
not only big mentally but physically
also.
Left fai herless when six years old
by All accident at the Phoenix mine,
young Cole was the eldest of several
lchildren, and his widowed mother
turned instinctive.y to him for aid.
No doubt is was largely owing to the
care and effort then required. and to
the self-denial and concentration and
sacrifice there demanded that, with
the aid of good stock from which he
came and his persistent efforts for an
education, Mr.. Cole has by this time
climbed to the highest position inhis
chosen profession.
AT eight years old Cole was at work
in the rock piles and at the mills Of
the Cliff and Phoenix mines. For
several years he remained there, do
ing what he could. gradually learning
the inmost secrets of the mining
business as then carried on. and at
the same time applying himself to
books. Then he went to work on the
tIecla & Torch Lake railroad as Il
brakeman, a job that required
strength and courage i'm a young fell
low of Is. In 1884 he left the road
and entered the Office OF the Calumet
& Hecla Mining company, where he
-stayed two Years. then Becoming cashs
! Ter and boskkeeper foEthe big Chap
in mine. A few years later, when
Ferdinand Schlesinger became fac
tor Of much Importance in the min
ing world, and when he was looking
for men to manage his affairs, he took
Mr.. Cole. then becoming man of
note i'm the mining industry, from
the Chaplin and put him in charge as
superintendent of the Queen group,
now he Regent mines. The position
was one of extreme perplexity, and in
this the new manager was fortunate,
for it, il the difficulties of a situate
that prove its masters. It is no ar
duons task to run mine where every
thing is moving along smoothly, but
it takes and teaches ability. self re-
lance and quick and correct judg-
ment 10 handle a property that wants
10 go wrong and constantly presents
problems that must he solved right
and III once. The Queen group was
Of this character. 1t was in wretched
shane. while in addition there came
along the panic. which made neces-
sary the closest figuring. not only for
n profit but for continued existence.
Mr.. Cole handled these mines we'll
and it, il no slight pleasure to him
now that they are working along
smoothly and justifying his innova.
ti0nS and changes. COrrigan, Nc.
Kinney & Co.. who later took the
Schlesinger properties. found Mr.
Cole general manager of them all
Marquette. Menominee and GOgebiC
mines. Under the circumstances and
conditions of the time it was indeed a
high compliment and Il great evidence
of appreciation, that the new owners
wished to retain Mr.. Cole in this 20
sition.
Finally when the Carnegie-Olivel
interests branched out from pro
perty or two on the Mesaba range tt
a policy of controlling all the ore
needed for the Carnegie Steel com
pany, Mr., Cole was offered and tool
the position of district superntend
ent for the new concern upon the Go
gebic range. Nothing now seems
more natural than that when the
vast combination of steel making anC
mining interests was made into the
United States Steel corporation he
should have been chosen president Of
what is The biggest thing of its kline
in existence, employing large mum
Der of men and mining daily moi
much less than $4,000 tons of all ores
needed for the production of every
variety Of steel.
Personally Thos. F. Cole is. perhaps
above all. a man who has friends anc
holds them. TO hold ones friends il
test of any mans character anC
ability. Big physically, big of heart
as a man should be who has taker
the bitter with the sweet; with /;
warm and friendly handclasp; court
eous but exceedingly quick and decis
i've in business, possessing the abilit,
to work IA hours in the day wher
necessary and neither unable nor un
willing to do any task that he de
mands of others-these are some O
the characteristics of the man. III,
is kind and thoughtful of his subor