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The Calumet Mine

By

Keen Scott

     Keen Scott who for a long time has been delving into the area's mining history seeking clues to the activities of relatives who were in the area during the early mining days here, has prepared the following report on the Calumet Mine:

     The Calumet Mine was discovered in either late 1880 or early 1881.  The Scott's were drilling in the region for S.S. Curry and may have discovered it.  If so it was the first mine to be found this way on the Menominee Range.  The records state that by 1882 there were four shafts sunk and extensive diamond drilling had been done.

     The Hecla Mine which touched the Calumet on the north seems to have been discovered by digging test pits.  The diamond drill was used here also, and at least one shaft was sunk.  This mine covered two 40s on the Northeast corner of Section 8.  It was leased to the Hecla Iron Company, an Edward Breitung company.  It had high grade soft blue ore and held out great promise according to the 1882 records. 

     It never shipped and nothing was ever heard of it again!  I believe that the Calumet Mine took it over.

     The Calumet Mine also covered two 40s almost in the center of Section 8.  It was leased by the Calumet Iron Company.  The president was A.B. Cornell, and the superintendent was John R. Wood.  Both of these men had been connected with the Cornell Mine at Lake Antoine.  That mine closed when the Calumet opened and reopened when Calumet closed.

     My great-uncle Zach Scott who had been with Wood at the Cornell Mine is believed to have been there also.  He claimed to have built the first house there and served as watchman there many years.

     The Calumet Mine was expected to ship 10,000 tons of ore in 1882, but only managed 5,847.  It had a good year in 1883 shipping 29,237 tons, but in 1884 something happened because it shipped only 3,627 tons and closed.

     The indications are that it had a small crew and not much capital.  The opening of the Gogebic Range may also have been a factor.  John R. Wood had connections with the Curry group and seems to have gone to Ironwood at this time.  Also, the years from 1884 to 1886 were hard ones on the range and saw the collapse of many mines.

     These two mines disappeared from the records until July 17, 1901 when a fatal accident in the Hecla shaft of the Calumet Mine brought them to the attention of the county mine inspector. 

     Andrew Jackson and Axel Eckloff were part of a crew lead by George St. Clair of Duluth which had started cleaning out the shaft on April 15th.  They had retimbered and cleaned it to a depth of about 55 feet.  Two drifts went off from the shaft about 48 feet down.  The men were driving a cross-cut in one of the drifts and had started a pump.  They seem to have laid down to rest while the water was being pumped out and were overcome by gas.  Their partners found them dead a short time later.

      In late 1905 or early 1906 the Calumet Mine was reopened by the Verona Mining Company, a branch of Pickands Mather.  Twenty-five houses were built at the mine site at this time.  It seems to have run until after World War I. 

     There was plenty of ore, but something was wrong with the grade.  It is known that there was much ocher in this mine.  The ocher when sold was worth more than the iron, but is seems that only small quantities could be sold. 

    The Calumet was a shallow mine, said to be only 400 feet deep.  The machinery was removed during the mid-1920s and taken to Caspian where it was used at the Baltic Mine.

     Art Scott, Zach's sone, was the superintendent.  He finished out his career at the Baltic Mine after the Calumet Mine closed.