The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-09-02
CRYSTAL FALLS
An Historical Sketch Written For the [. S.
NJ by Thomas conIln

l
IA. l.. by Thomas corIin.
Crystal Falls gets it's name from the
falls in the Paint river. ocated close
TO the center OF Sec. 30, 1882.
The story is that in the middle sew
enties crew OF woodsmen, engaged In
looking over and locating timber for a
Menominee lumber company, was
camped on Lot 3 of Section 30 a short
distance above the falls One morning
in early October the SUI arose bright
after sleet storm and as one OF the
cruisers looked out OF his tent the sun 9
rays were reflected from the crystals
that were suspended from the dense
shrubbery that overhung the chasm
about the falls. He remarked upon
the crystal like appearance, and sug-
gested that they call the rapids "Crys-
tai Falls That day the work was
close to the falls and the men got to
calling the place the crystal Falls in
the Paint which was afterwards alb
breviated 10 Crystal Falls.
Al the falls in the Paint river the
ore bearing rocks are exposed and the
surveyors and cruisers made note of
that fact AS the Menominee range
was developed northwest from Wauce.
dab. an advance guard Of exploi ers
penetrated the wilderness. like the
skirmishers preceding an army, stesting
the earth by light testpits. Among
this advance body was Jack" Arm
strong. the first man to turn a shovel
Of dirt in the search for iron ore In the
Crystal Falls district. Mr.. Armstrong
started his work on the banks OF the
Paint river few feet from the edge
OF the cliff where the action of the |
water had exposed tbs formation. He |
was rewarded by meeting with some |
ore, the property being the same Lot 3.
Sec. 20, 43-32 that has been explored |
by the international Harvester inter.
ests during the past two years Arm
strong was pressed closely by the Malt
by brothers. who began operations on
the lands adjoining his 70 the west, in
the vicinity of The Bristol mine and
they were really the discoverers OF the
Bristol Youngstown deposit.
AT this time the Q. d N. w. railroad
was surveyed TO Florence TO which
point il was being built.to tap the ore
district in that direction Among the
who were doing the grad
ing was George Runkle and in his en-
ploy WAS $. d. Hollister. Mr.. Runkle
was closely connected with some Of the
Northwestern officials. He and Mr..
Hollistersvisited Crystal Falls locality
md Mr.. Runkle at once became con-
'inced OF it's worth and induced Mar.
'in Hughitt to personally visit this
eotion to see for himself the possibil-
ties of the locality and the advantage
which the Northwestern would derive
~ extending its line right on through
o Crystal Falls Mr.. Runkle was
uccessful In his efforts and that winter
he end OF the road was pushed on 10
he Brule river instead Of resting at
florence. survey having been com
leted and adopted through to Crystal
'alls.
In the meantime Messrs. Runkle,
Iollister and others had secured op.
ons on the explorations and formed
le Crystal Falls Iron company The
they took over were the
exploration on Lot 3. the
sirbanks, Kimball and others While
70 road was being extended here more
en- were put at work in the pits and
ories Of the fabulous wealth OF the
ction attracted other explorers. among
EN- the Sheldons and Jacob Shafer
ho discovered the big deposit at the
I shafer Another company headed h
Mr. Holister. had discovered big