and therefore would not be included in a discussion of gold and silver mining confined strictly to the United States, yet owing to their proximity and remarkable richness it has been considered both advisable and desirable to speak of them briefly in this connection. Explorations for copper were responsible for the discovery of silver, as the two metals are nearly always associated in the Lake Superior region.

During 1846 Mr. Forrest Sheppard conducted an extensive search for silver with a party under the auspices of the Montreal Mining Company. The shore of the lake was carefully examined from Sault Ste. Marie to Pigeon River, covering a distance of fully 500 miles, and eighteen separate locations were made. The locations were rather extensive, being two miles in width and five miles long. Silver Islet was included in one of the locations, although silver was not known to exist there until twenty-one years later. Prince's location on Thunder Bay, some distance west of Kaministiquia, was probably the first locality where silver was discovered, and was obtained in what was considered large quantities. It is reported that gold also occurred with silver. Work here was abandoned in 1850.

In 1856-57, the same company, under the superintendency of Mr. E. B. Borron, begun developing their location at Point Mamainse. Copper, lead and silver (native and minerals) were found here. Although at least five shafts were sunk to depths ranging from 14 to 60 feet, no ore in sufficient quantities for working was discovered, and operations ceased in 1857.

Both the Prince and Mamainse mines were preeminently copper mines, the silver being an accessory metal.1

Considerable exploratory work was done in the neighborhood of Thunder Bay, between the years 1863 and 1867, by McKellars, who reported the discovery of silver at a number of points. One of the discoveries, that at Current River, was developed to a certain extent by the Thunder Bay Silver Mining Company as late as 1868-69, but with little success.

Other localities found to be silver-bearing were located prior to 1875, one of the most prominent being the Duncan mine in May, 1867, formerly the Thuniah (or Shumiah), not far from Prince Arthur's Landing on Thunder Bay. After expending fully a half million dollars, for a return of only $20,000, the operations were suspended in 1882. Another vein, producing ore which compared

'Trans. Lake Superior Inst. Min. Engrs., Vol. 2, p. 64, 1894.

favorably with that of the Silver Islet mine, is situated on Pie Island.

In 1868, silver was discovered at Silver Islet, on the northwest shore of Lake Superior, which was not, however, the first discovery of silver in this locality, although probably of the most importance until recent years. The discoveries at Cobalt may, but probably will not, eclipse in size and value of ores those of the far famed Silver Islet mine. Silver had been mined as early as 1846 on the property of the Montreal Mining Company, and later by the British American Mining Company on Prince's Location.1

In 1846, Professor Sheppard examined the property of the Montreal Mining Company, but apparently without any definite results. However, Macfarlane examined the locations about 1868 and reported encouraging indications of native copper and silver and their sulphides. The first work of extracting ore was begun in 1869, which was accomplished by surface blasting of the rock, but it was not until about 1870-71 that active mining operations were begun, which were carried on with considerable difficulty owing to the exposed position of the island and severe cold of the winter months influx of water was also a serious inconvenience.

In the four years following the beginning of vigorous mining development this mine yielded over two millions of dollars. From 1874 to 1876 the mine was nearly forced to stop operations owing to the running out of the ore and failure, after the most strenuous efforts, to discover any new bodies However, in the summer of 1878, its fortune changed for the better, and the mine" sprang suddenly from its feeble, tottering decline into bewildering productiveness of unheard of mineral riches," on the discovery of the second bonanza. Although the Silver Islet mine still continued to be productive after the body of the second bonanza had been extracted, yet it was ultimately abandoned without the discovery of other phenominally rich portions.

2

The discovery of silver-bearing veins was made by Mr. Oliver Daunais, in 1882 and 1884, in Rabbit and Silver Mountain districts, respectively. Their general location was indicated by an Indian named Tchiatong, whose daughter Mr. Daunais had married — the native reluctance to reveal the location was overcome and sufficient information given to enable him to locate the deposits.3

1 Geology of Canada, 1862, p. 707.

'Eng. and Min. Jour., Vol. 26, p. 388.

Trans. Lake Superior Inst. Min. Engrs., Vol. 2, p. 66,

1894.

The not inconsiderable information acquired by the English from various sources, led them to consider the land they had obtained possession of in 1763 to be rich in mineral wealth, especially in silver. This assumption is amply verified by the fact that in six years after taking possession of the country a company was formed in London, with Alexander Henery as general manager. A boat was first built to serve for the transportation of supplies, ore, etc., and as early as 1769 a company of Cornish miners were landed at the Ontonagon River, some distance above the falls, and at the location of the famous copper boulders. Development work was begun in Porcupine Mountain, on the north shore of Carp Lake. These old workings were so extensive as to be readily located as late as 1845-46. It is probable that still further exploratory work was done on Isle Royal and Michipocoten. Silver was not, however, found in paying quantities and the project was abandoned in 1770. Nevertheless, in spite of this failure, silver would seem to have existed, and possibly in paying quantities, for the Indians were constantly bringing for barter native silver, and in some considerable quantities, and, what was more encouraging, in pieces as large often as a man's fist. The Indians could not be induced to reveal its source either by bribery or threats of coercion.

The death of Dr. Houghton, who was drowned in the Lakes, was responsible for a report in 1846-47, which gained considerable credence, that he had discovered a silver vein on the Eagle River between the falls and the Phoenix mine. Nothing of importance was ever discovered here.

In a report on the Phoenix mining property (copper), Dr. C. T. Jackson states that so much silver was found in one of the western branches of the main vein, that it might be regarded more as a silver than a copper lode.

There are few copper mines on Keweenaw Point in which native silver does not occur, but in such small quantities as not to pay for its extraction. The usual occurrence of the silver is in small specks, and irregular bunches, both within the body of, and adhering to the surface of the copper. It is claimed that the Cliff mine realized $5000 a year in silver alone.3

1 Eng. and Min. Jour., Vol. 20, p. 575.

2 Rept. on the Geol. and Topography of a Portion of the Lake Superior Land District in the State of Michigan, Doc. No. 69, 1850, p. 179.

3 Eng. and Min. Jour., Vol. 20, p. 575.

Messrs. Foster and Whitney make the following statement regarding the economic importance of the occurrence of silver in the copper ores:

"Up to the present time, the quantity of silver occurring with the copper in the Lake Superior region has not been sufficient to render it worth while to erect the furnaces and make the required outlay for separating these two metals; but, should the number of mines be much increased, and the quantity of silver obtained be considerable, it will be expedient to make suitable preparation for separating this metal. At present, at the Cliff mine, the particles of silver, which are so flattened by the stamps as to be easily seen, are separated by hand, the coarse metal from the stamps being picked over with care for that purpose. The silver occurring only occasionally, and then often in masses of considerable size, there can be no doubt that a very considerable amount is purloined by the miners, who seem to consider the silver found in the vein as their property."

1

Although considerable time has elapsed since then (1850), yet no large amounts of silver have been found and no further attempts have been made to separately treat it.

In 1846, the argentiferous galena deposits of the Iron River were noticed by Bela Hubbard, which were later worked to a limited

extent.

Further discoveries of silver were made by Mr. Austin Corser in 1855, on the Little Iron River, not far from the Pewabic River. During 1873-75, regular mining and milling operations were inaugurated. In 1876, the boom collapsed and all the mines were closed, the Cleveland stopping last of all.

Recent History by States and Territories. The historical development of the mining industry, so far considered, has for convenience been divided into two parts, namely, legendary lore and early historical records, presumably authentic, the reliability of which can, however, be readily determined by the reader for himself by reference to the authorities cited. Owing to the exceedingly rapid development of the mining industry during comparatively recent times, it would seem necessary and advisable to give the historical account of the development in a somewhat different manner than that employed for the earlier history. The chronological order between states, as previously employed, will then

Rept. on the Geol. and Topography of a Portion of the Lake Superior Land District in the State of Michigan, Doc. No. 69, 1850, p. 179.

be dropped, and they will be taken up alphabetically; the chronological order will, however, be maintained, so far as possible, with respect to the events in the individual states. As a further aid to the reader in following the order of events in their proper sequence, a table has been prepared in which can be traced the discoveries of the principal mines and districts in their chronological order, both with respect to the whole country and to the individual state or territory. No attempt will be made to give a complete and exhaustive account of the discoveries and events in connection with the development of all the mines or districts even, as it would necessitate needless detail and make the work too voluminous. However, the principal historical facts will be treated in accordance with their relative importance and in so far as available and authentic records will permit.

Alabama. According to Dr. W. B. Philips, the probable date at which gold was discovered in Alabama is 1830.1 Gold mining in Georgia and Alabama was begun somewhat later than in North Carolina and Virginia, owing probably to their being under the control of the United States as an Indian reservation. Yet in spite of the fact that it was forbidden ground and not open to mining operations, considerable prospecting was done by intruders. "After the discovery of gold, the long-pending efforts of the States to acquire these Indian lands were stimulated and accelerated by the added thirst for the precious metal, and were finally successful in 1830, when the state laws were extended over the nation (Cherokee), and the Indians were removed." 2 It has been caustically remarked "that intrusive mining ceased then and there and swindling mining commenced."

In the early days of 1830 to 1850, considerable mining in a crude way was done, but the most important work was confined to the ten years ending with 1855. Probably the two most prominent camps. in the state were Arbacoochee and Goldville; at the latter place there was a population of fully 3000.

According to Tuomey, ground sluicing of hill-side deposits was carried on at Arbacoochee in 1854, in connection with which mercury was used.3

"Of the yield of gold there is no record, or indeed of anything in

1 Gold-Mining in the Southern Appalachian States. T. A. I. M. E., Vol. 25, p. 679.

2 U. S. G. S. 20 Annual Rept., pt. 6, p. 112.

3 Second Biennial Report on the Geology of Alabama, p. 70, Montgomery, 1858.