Mine: Monitor Mine, Crystal Falls, MI

Began → Monitor Mine → Lamont Mine

Operated for:

From: 1887

Owned by: W.S. Coffman.

Produced: Iron Ore

Method: 

Railroad connection:

Stamp Mill/Pellet Plant:

Until: 

Lifetime Production: 31,129 tons in 1889.

Notes

Lamont Mine.

NW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Section 20, T43N-R32W, just over the line from the Paint River mine.

Time Line

1887. The Monitor mine would have commenced shipping had not an accident happened. The accident was that the Paint River mine started up and deprives the Monitor of a railroad track. The Monitor people expected to use the Paint's track until spring when they would have one of their own. The main shaft of the Monitor is down 60 feet from which a cross-cut has been driven south a distance of 53 feet and neither wall has yet been encountered. A drive is to be run west from the cross-cut. The mine shaft will be put down another 60 feet during the winter. The mine is very dry, but will become wet when the work is carried below the shafts at the Paint River mine. At present, the Paint which is now more than 50 feet to the east, drains all of the water from the Monitor. The ore seems to be bettering and is a hard dark blue substance. [DD-1887-1015]

1888. January. The Monitor Mine is idle now and will remain so until March when it is expected that a full force will be put on and ore mined as rapidly as men and machinery can do it. [DD-1888-0114]

1888. May 26. The Monitor mine was started up on Monday last and will undoubtedly be actively wrought during the summer, depending whether the ore can be disposed of. [DD-1888-0526]

1888. October. W. S. Coffman of Chicago, one of the owners of the Monitor mine, was in the city during the week, accompanied by J. F. Clap of South Lyon,. Mich., analytical chemist, also interested in the mine. [DD-1888-1027]

1888. The spur track to the Monitor mine is completed. [DD-1888-1201]

1890. April. The new dry house at the Monitor mine location caught fire Sunday afternoon, from a pipe which passes near it. The fire was discovered soon after it started and a liberal dose of water being applied in the proper place saved the building. Damages will not exceed. $25. [DD-1890-0401]

1891. James Waters is braking (sic) at the Monitor mine. [DD-1891-0627]

1891. There is a strike at the Monitor Mine in Iron County, and the men have grown tired of working for nothing and quit after doing this sort of thing five months. [LDP-1891-0507]

1898. October. The Monitor mine has new owners, Corfrigan, McKinney & Co. They have a 3/4 interest. The other 1/4 interest is held by the Breitung estate and negotiations are now pending to bring that interest into line and the property will start work at once. The Monitor or Lamont, as it was known by last year that it was operated, has had a rather checkered career but is a good property nevertheless. The ore is about 57% in metallic iron and high in phosphorus. The smelting qualities of the ore are first class and what is better there is plenty of ore in the mine. The mine was opened in the late eighties by the Monitor Iron Company which worked it in a way but they were short of capital and leased it in 1892 to the Lamont Iron Co, the same parties that now own the Columbia and Mansfield. The last parties operated it a year when the panic compelled them to close down and it has been idle ever since. There was a level already opened up for mining when the work was suspended so that ore can be hoisted the minute that the water is out. The Crystal Falls Iron Mining Co. is the corporation stipulated in the deed as the new owners and Supt. Bennett will have charge of the property. Thus the people of Crystal Falls are brought in closer touch with Corrigan, McKinney & Co. and we are glad to know that a concern that has stayed with us through the worst of our hard times to reap some of the benefits that are promised through the very healthy outlook in the iron business. [DD-1898-1001]