The L'Anse sentinel., 1906-04-21
SOME EARLY HISTORY
Regarding the Mineral and Slate In
dustries At Arvon, Bsrasa
County.

Following issome early history Of
OF the mineral and slate industry at
Huron Bay, Baraga county, Michi-
gan, as taken from the report Of A..
p. Swineford, pages 266 to 270.
published 10 1875. Ms. Swineford
had recently served g governor
Of Alasks, and was one Of The best
known geologists 10 the country.
"Thefirst mining around Huron Bay
was done by French Canadians, who
followed the noted missionaries and
explorers at the time OF Marquette
and Joliet. The first mines opened
were for gold, silver and lead.
Many traditional stories are told
by the present generation regarding
the discoveries made in this district
over two hundred years ago. The
early explorations OF those people
are visible, some of their old log
cabins having been destroyed by
fires made by camps only five years
ago. The district around Huron
Bay is remote from railroads, and
explorations, in later years have not
been carried on.
There are many visible outcrop-
ings OF silver, lead and iron near
Huron Bay. and it is expected that
extensive mines may be- deyeioped
there in the near future.
Among the material and most valu-
able resources Of the Lake Superior
country. slate is now taking rank.
Long sinceit was known that large
deposits OF slate were lying In the
hills east Of Huron Bay, but the
country being almost inaccessible, ,ex-
cept by water, and the explorers
being attracted by what was con-
sidered the more valuable products
Of iron and copper, were not tempt
ed to investigate the resources OF
the slate country. But by and bv q
few adventurous and courageous
men concluded that II the copper
found IN the wilderness. or iron
found 10 o wilderness could be SO
manipulated, with the aid OF trans
portation facilities "a 10 bring
wealth to those who we're first to
present these minerals to the
market, and wealth to the scores
who were led TO follow the
lead Of the pioneers, th Q t
slate might also be made medium
of prosperity. But it is not with
q full knowledge OF the character Of
the slate, or Of the quality which
they had dioovered that these meu
commenced their movements They
scarcely knew what they had found
whether It was slate Of indiffer-
ent or 81 superior character.
But they resolved upon q test, and
accordingly Thomas ]. Brown, ol
Marquette, accompanied by William
T. Kennedy, Of Pittsburg, and ar
Indian, as man of all work, at.
tempted in November, 1871, to pacb
out q few hundred pounds of slate
and have it submitted to q test. S
G. Smith, veteran explorer, had
previously in July, 1868, visited the
locality and carried away q quantity '
| Of siste, which he shipped to ver-
mont for the inspection OF those
posted 10 such matters.
Geographically the belt lies mid
way between the copper and iron
deposits; geographically it is aiatel
deposit than the copper. measures
and oder than the iron OF the
Marquette range. No estimate oI
the lesgth, depth and breadth ol
the belt can at present be satisfac.
torily made. In>township 81, north
Of range 81 west, the breadth of the
belt is believed to be two and one
halt miles, but the length has no,
been explored. 1t is evident that
the same belt appears 10 the Onton,
agop silver district. while outcrops
haze been discovered twelve miles
to the east Of the quarry. It doses
not, however, follow that all the
slate covering this vide stretch ol
country can be denominated- good
roofing states; on the contrary,
states free from joints and impuri
ties are not easy to tiud.
Meanwhile the lands had beer
purchased and subsequently . COM
pany was organized to quarry slate
in township 81, range 81. The com
pany was organized a. follows:
prpAxExp rrre