The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-11-15
Editor Diamond Drill.


Falls. said information 20 be based
upon what I know personally to DO
facts. The time that has elapsed
twenty years. since FIRST came TO
this place has been such long stretch
that many Of the incidents. many Of
them interesting and really necessary
in order TO make complete story,
have left me but will do the best
that can TO gather together a few
stray memories that come to me as
let my mind wander back TO time
twenty years ago.
My first information regarding
Crystal Falls came in peculiar man
ner /. like many Of the young meI
Of southern Wisconsin, became imbued
early in life with the same spirit that
dominated our fore fathers when they
set out from the populous and pleasant
surroundings in the east TO hew homes
ont of the oak openings OF the Wicson-
sin prairies | sought a new counry.
But instead of following the advice
of Horace Greel,, needed the stories
OF wealth and fame to be fou nd in
Northern Michigan and came to the
Menominee range stopping first at
Qu;nnesec. Early in the spring of
1879 think it was in March month
| came to the conclusion that Quin-
nesec was too old for fellow to m eet
with anything new. aud decided TO
seek my fortune further along the line
o. that fore runner Of civiliziaton on
the Menomines range, the Chicago and
North Western railroad The rairload
ended at that time near Bass lake, a
small sheet Of water north west OF
where Antoine now stands | walked
up TO the terminus and finding nothing
at all there started the following day
10 ietrace my steps. Whom along a
few miles on the road ! was overtaken
by double team There were three
men in the rig and a. four could ride
very comfortably they invited Inc TO
ride with them. listened attentively
TO their conversation which was all
abont the country around the Crystal
Falls in the Paint river. They dwelt
mainly upon the prospects of the place
as an iron district and informed me
that they were the discoverers of this
district. They were then on return
trip from the lumber CAMPS in this
neighborhood with the intention OF
returning to the place again as soon as
possible learned afterwards that
these men were the Maltby brothers
returned TO Wisconsin and stayed
there year but all the time my mind
wandered TO the three travellers and
the rich iron district that they had
discovered on the Paint River. Ac-
cordingly in the spring OF 1881 | again
set out for the north and TO Crystal
Falls l came with the intention OF
seeing the land on the Paint River
that my curiously made friends Of that
winterday ride told me was rich in
mineral and would eventually become
the greatest iron ore centre on the
range The railoard rested at Florence
and / came TO the Falls by team.
found little doing here 80 early in the
season but all was expectancy. My
fret employment was. with Coon a.
Fitzgerald as cook at their camp at the
Briar hill mine, now known as the
Bristol. These people had an option
on the property and were preparing to
explore IL. VIM. Bundy was the
captain The ore was found on this
property by Captain Bundy who acted
upon information and advise given
him by James Bradley. the same
Jimmie Bradley that is occasionally
seen on our streets today. Later these
people sold their option on the pro-
perty to the Briar Hill Iron e. Coal
company and 8. B. Saxon, mining
man from Wauceeda took charge of
the property for the new owners.
| returned to Florence and staid
there a short time but in June OF the
same year returned to the Falls and
have made this my permanent re-
sidence since that time.
There was little here at that time to
indicate the development of such a city
as we have mere today. The present
townsite was virgin forest with a
goodly splicing Of swamp thrown in.
Professor PumpelIy and his surveyors
were putting the finishing touches TO
the work Of surveying out the townsite
and soon afterwards the work Of cut
ting out the main street Of the village
was commenced and continued until
the streets Of the original plat were
well cut out and logged. Mr.. Runkle
had charge Of this work and some Of
IL was done by contract but most OF II