Mine: Crystal Falls Mine, Crystal Falls, MI

Began → Crystal Falls Mine → Became

Operated for 31 years.

From: 1882

Location: E 1/2-NE Sec. 21 of T43N-R32W

Owned by: Corrigan McKinney & Co. Lease surrendered in 1913. Held by Inland Steel Co. since 1949.

Produced: Iron Ore, soft, brown, high phosphorus.

Method: Underground.

Railroad connection: C&NW to Escanaba ore dock. MILW to their Escanaba ore dock (via E&LS).

Until: 1913

Lifetime Production: 1,744,015 tons between 1882-1913

[LSIO-1950]

Notes

There was also an "Old" Crystal Falls Mine, perhaps the same.

Time Line

1882. The Crystal Falls Mine on Lot 3, Section 20,. T43N-R32W. In the spring Captain Wm. H. Morrison was doing some mining for the Crystal Falls Iron Co. The ore was taken out of a shaft at the foot of the falls on the south side of the River and about 2,000 tons were mined and shipped. The ore was of a very fine quality but the worked was stopped and nothing has been done there since. [DD-1902-1206]

1887. May. The derricks at the old Crystal Falls mine were removed on Monday. [DD-1887-0521]

1890. August. Spur tracks are being built to the Alpha, Hemlock, Crystal Falls and Hollister mines, giving employment to a large force of men. [DD-1890-0809]

1894. July 28. Fire consumed $1,000 worth of cord wood belonging to the owners of the Crystal Falls mine and came within a hair's breadth of destroying the engine house together with its contents. The pile contained 700 cords of wood. Local men fought the fire and some were stationed on the roof of the engine house building, but the heat became so intense they were compelled to retreat. The wood-pile was guarded by water barrels but the flames had gained such formidable headway before being discovered this means of defense was unavailable. The origin of the fire is a mystery and there were no forest fires within two miles of the property and no wind prevailed. The thinking is that some careless person dropped a match or cigar near the woodpile and thus ignited it. [DD-1894-0728]

1913. The ore in stock at this mine will be cleaned up and the shovel removed to other points, and the rumor spells the end of ore production and shipments from this property by Corrigan-McKinney interests. The ore remaining in the property lies very deep and is little in quantity. The present working shaft is in none too good a condition and great expense necessary to sink a new shaft is not warranted by the remaining tonnage. If the rumors are true, another abandoned property will be added to the list in the mine grave yards in the Crystal Falls district. The Crystal Falls mine was a good producer in its day and considerably over a million tons of ore were mined and shipped from the property. [DD-1913-0426]

1914. March. The Crystal Falls mine has been stripped of its machinery. There remains a small amount of ore in the mine but it may be many years before it is removed. [DD-1914-0321]