The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-11-08
THE FIRST MAN TO EXPLORE.
lack rrsTOng Credited With Having Done the First c
ual Exploratory Work in CrStal Falls District.
by William Morrison,
by William Morrison,

anu Dy whom tue HIob hCtuoh oApioAAAb
or Iron ore was done in Crystal Falls.
/ will do the best that can, admonish-
ing you and your readers at the same
time to remember that period or
thirty years is quite stretch within
which TO remember with minuteness
all the details of the development of
district like that Of Crystal Falls, with /,
no prompter in the way Of written
records TO refresh one 5 memory.
Let me say before starting on my
story. that am pleased to see this
work OF reducing to writing the history
of this place and it is to be hoped
that the putting together of the stories
Of all Of the pioneers that you have
in mind will enable you to deduce an
accurate history of the place, from the
time that the first spade was stuck in
u the earth with intent to locate
m neral until the present moment.
But to begin my story
'.Who did the first exploring
Jack Armstrong.
whereY On the bank OF the Paint
River. on lot 3. at the place where
the old Crystal Falls mine was.
When? AS nearly as ! can recoliect
it was during the years 1879 and 1850.
was working for the Iron Cliffs
company during the year 1869 at the
old Pioneer mine. We were running
the mine 10 furnish ore to feed the
furnace Of the same name. The com
mnnity in and about Negaunee during
that year contained many presons VINO
afterwards became well known and
auite wealthy from the development OF
The Crystal Falls district, place that,
AZ that time was unknown Jack
Armstrong was working that winter
IN he Cliff campanys store. Lou
Whitehead, another cruiser, had taken
il into his head to learn something OF
mining and spent the winter with me
10 the mine Alexander Maitland wac
another member Of the community
working for the company in the capa
city OF a cruiser John Downing was
the man in charge OF the furnace
James Sparrow was head blacksmith
for the company. Normal Mcleod
was a painter at Negaunee VINO, about
this time. started into the furniture
busi mess. Henry Merry was captain
of the jackson mins Julius Jacobson
ran a store and Robert Nelson was th'
proprietor OF a hotel on the Bur
Location az Ishpeming was knowI
in those days. All Of these names arr
associated with the Crystal Fall
district and all OF them were grea
: friends, or to use the current vernacula
: in the camp. "crcnies
: 1t WAS in the spring Of 1870 that
first heard talk Of the Menominee
= range. The Breen boys had found or
at Wauceda and tidings Of the fin
had reached up our way,
;, Immediately upon receipt of il
u there was stir made to enter land
a in the Menominee district Th
: Canal company and E. Brietung wer
, the first 10 move and Mr.. Brietun
= hired Jack Armstrong to go to th
Menominee and locate land for him
Professor Pumpelly and others wer
out for the Canal company. Th
locating was started first near til
se Wauceda find and the cruisers worke
,r mn the river 10 the mouth Of the Pair
* and then up the Paint. At about Oh
,e same ttms whiteh>>d hired out wit
Is the Mensninee Mining company an
D. located at Vulcan, thus we had Arm
ID strong in the field for Breitung. Puu
IN pelly and others for the Canal compan
ID and Whitehead for the Menomin,
20 company.
B. They worked continuously from thi
ne time on and In 1879, when I came
ts Vulcan. Armstrong was. locating Il
lands on the Paint for Breitung. r
d. had his headquarters at Vulcan at tn
BY time. As said previously. he WI
lie a great friend Of those at Negaun
whom named as being his chums al
he upon his return from trips down IN
Ist way he gave many valuable pointe
cd 10 the fellows regarding the miner
on lands down here and in that way mu
It, OF the land now held or entered al
lg sold by those people were secure
'as Then, there were others who watch
the filings at the land Office made
Breitung and the Canal company a
these people filed on adjoining land
lly But, 10 return to Armstrong; q
to ploration. The Florence mine start
on 70 cpen up during the years 1880 an,
md ith others moved 10 that place
NY had charge of the opening Of I
rth property. Armstrong moved his hes
quarters from Vulcan 10 Florence q