Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-09

mines in South America, but the returns
are not complete or accurate.
MI. Hulbert's Discovery.
A great deal of sympathy and indigna-
ton has been wasted over the misfor-
tunes Of Edwin ]. Hubert, the man who
discovered the Calumet and Hecla mine,
and has always contended that he was
robbed of the property by Boston CAPT
talists. This has been subject OF con-
troyersy for half a century, ever since the
mine began to pay dividends. Old resi-
dents here, men who came into the us
trict at an early day, and had an oppor-
tunity to know all that trauspred, eX-
press sympathy for Hubert, but explain
that his misfortunes were due almost en-
tirely to his lack of business ability, his
reckless extravaganza and his Dad man
agement of his own interests. Mr.. John-
son Vivian one of his contemporaries,
who succeeded Hubert as manager of the
Huron mine when Hubert took charge
of what is now the Calumet and Hecla
properties. nearly half century ago, says
that he was a man of brilliant attain
nents and a good engineer, but was never
able to make things go. He was impract-
cal. could never handle money, and
demonstrated his incapacity in many
ways.
Hubert himself has published a pam
a rambling incoherent manner. He was a
nephew of Henry R. Schoolcraft. the his
torian of the Indian tribes up in this coun-
try. who married a Chippewa woman,
and for long time was Indian agent at
Mackinac. Hubert came here from the
Sault Ste. Marie and purchased 1920 acres
of land where the Calumet and Hecla
mine now lies from the grant which had
been made by the government to assist a
company In the construction of the 500
10 dollar and quart
an acre for it, and while acting as super
ntendent of the Huron mine in Houshton,
in September, 1864. employed his brother,
John Hubert, and Amos II. Scott,
practical miner, to prospect 1t for ore!
Mr.. Hubert in his pamphlet declares that
there is no truth whatever In the fantastic
stories that have been published concern
Ing the accidental discovery of the ore
One of these stories is that the first evil
dences OF wealth were turned up by
hog roofing for food: another attributes
the discovery to a drunken man who found
ore in the grass roots where he lay down
to sleep; another version Is that the ak
head of a lumberman flew OH the handle
while he cutting down tree and
stirred up the turf SO that the ore was
disclosed.
Mr.. Hurlbert declares that all these
stories are pure inventions and that the
discovery of the ore was due to his pre-
vious knowledge that it existed under the
timber on the land that he had purchased.
He claims that he directed his brother
and Amos Scott to sink shafts at differ
ent places to verify his theory. and that
in CARRYING out their instructions they
first discovered copper at the bottom
of a pit or artificial depression In the
earth about fourteen feet deep, Wnlch. ne
believes, was once used by the Indians as
a cache for the storage of food supplies
or other property. 1t is possible. however.
he admits, that the pit was dug by the In
dams while searching for copper.
He was not present when the discovery
was made, but went to the spot as soon
as his brother had made a report, sunk
several holes in the neighborhood and
took out several barrels of ore, which he
shipped to his employers. the directors
of the Huron mine at Boston. for examl-
nation.
value, and with his consent organized the
Calumet Mining Company, and later three
other companies to develop the property
Treatment of Hubert.
He was allotted 5000 shares in the Calu-
met company, and a total Of 1888 shares
| In the other companies as payment for
his property ri ghts, and was made man
ager of the operations on the ground,
Mr.. Hubert owned all the land upon
which the towns Of Calumet. Red Jacket
and Laurima are located. and sold 1t in
| lots from time to time. All original deeds
| are in his name.
As is usual in such cases, the develop
| ment was slow and expensive, and he
borrowed $4,000 Of Quincy A. Shaw of
| Boston to pay his assessment, giving his
stock as security. Mr.. Shaw carried
him for several years. but finally closed
| him out because neither the principal nor
| the interest of the notes was paid Mr.
| Hubert considers that dishonest trans
| acton. He contends that Mr.. Shaw was
| under great obligations to him and should
| have given him more time, particularly as
| Mr.. Shaw and his brother-in- Jaw, Prof
Agassiz, and several other m smbers of his
| family and personal friends were in
debted to him CdulberD for the discov-
| cry of the mine.
Several years afterward Hubert brought
suit against Shaw. and the latter. recog-
nizing a moral. although not legal, obli-
CATION, compromised by investing $4,000
| for the benefit of Mrs. Hubert in such
way that her husband could not get hold
| Mr. Hubert. now about eighty years Cd
| and very infirm. lives in Rome. Italy,
where he still enjoys the benefit of the
income from the trust The impression
prevails here that Nj. Shaw treated Mr..
IJ,,1hart in inst and generous manner.