THE MINING GAZETTE (under various names) of Houghton County, Michigan Copyright © 1998-2001 by Dick and June Ross. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. ____________________________________________________________________ 1871 January - June Issues - Some issues may be missing. ........denotes there was more to the article and the article with in is a shortened version. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, Jan 12, 1871 J.A. CROZER, Esq, late publisher of the Escanaba Tribune, has sold his interest in that paper to C.D. JEWELL & Co. Mr Crozer has bought the Menominee Herald, and will publish it. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, Jan 19, 1871 Iron shipbuilding is steadily advancing as a branch of American industry, and Lake Superior bids fair to grasp a good portion of the profits and advantages that will accrue. Mr J. ROACH, the proprietor of the Morgan Iron Works closed a large purchase of Delaware river front land at Chester, Pa. with the design of devoting it to iron shipbuilding .... We understand that Dr H. Carpenter, for a number of years a practicing physician in Keweenaw and Houghton counties, has settled in Detroit, with a view of following his profession. Mr John NOTT will give a reading at the Academy of music, in Red Jacket, on Thursday evening the 19.... PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, Jan 26, 1871 Calumet - Married: At the residence of Mr Henry Swartz on Western Ave. Jan 4, by Rev T.O. SMITH, Mr Joseph SCHNITZER, formerly of Houghton, Mich. and Miss Angie E. CARPENTER of this city. Calumet - Died: On the 16 inst last, Alfred James Nixon, only and beloved son of James and Sarah BICE, aged 4 yrs & 4 mos. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Feb 9, 1871 Captain John HARDIE, for the past two years superintendent of the Hecla-Calumet mines, retired last week from the management of the same .... he has been a resident on Portage Lake for twelve years, with two interests, the Quincy and Hecla-Calumet mines T.M. BUZZO, Esq, late head cashier and supply agent of the mines, succeeds Capt HARDIE as superintendent of the Hecla-Calumet. John CAMM, Esq. late head assistant of Mr BUZZO, has been advanced to fill the seat of Mr Buzzo ... PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Feb 16, 1871 R. EDGERTON, Esq, Mayor of Portage Entry, is resting himself in Detroit this winter. Notice - Having been appointed Sexton of Forest Hill Cemetery, I would state to those desiring to have work done on their lots, E. SILLER, Sexton Notice - Whereas my Anna RIDDEL has left my bed and board without cause all persons are hereby cautioned not to trust her on my account as I shall pay no debts of her contracting after this date. Hecla Mine, 30 Jan 1871 Michel RIDDEL. The Board of Supervisors of Houghton county granted contract rights to Messrs. STREETER and GOTTSTEIN, who intend building a bridge across Portage Lake, to connect Houghton and Hancock. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, Mar 9, 1871 Resigned - We learn that Captain John RYAN, one of the oldest and most competent underground mine managers on Lake Superior, has resigned his position as head mining captain of the Hecla Mining Co...... Captain Thomas HOATSON has resigned the agency of the Ridge mine, in Ontonagon county, and will succeed Captain RYAN as head mining captain of the Hecla and Calumet mines. Commodore BENDRY of L'Anse and his horse Herculed, present a formidable appearance. We understant that Mr Edward SALES, of Ontonagon, lost a valuable team of horses last Monday by drowning. Results of village elections ... Houghton: President - Ransom SHELDON; Trustees - G. POPE, M. FOLEY, Wm HARRIS; Treasurer - John HOAR; Assessors - F. WINTER, J. YOUNG; Attorney - A.W. HENSSLER; Marshal - James HEALY. Hancock: President - James H. OLDS; Trustees - Max H. MANDELSAUM, John GIBSON, Jeremiah CRONIN, Orrin W. ROBINSON, Edward RYAN, Adolph RUHL. Treasurer - David S. KENDALL Assessors - Thomas D MEADE, John S. SCOTT. Street Commissioners - James A. GROSE, Peter RUPPE. Fire Wardens - Alex. S. HAMILTON, Christian BREWER. Marshal - William WERN. A letter addressed to Thos. H. CORNISH, Galena, Ill., is detained in the Houghton P.O. on account of insufficient postage. General BURNSIDE has commenced a suit in chancery against the Mendota Mining Company of Keweenaw County. C.H. PALMER, Esq, formerly of this place, but now residing in a village named Pontiac ... is trying to make up for the loss of the gay life of this metropolis...... PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, Mar 23, 1871 Narrow escape - On Wed, the 15th, Mr Geo. CHURCHES and James JOHNSON of this county, had a very fortunate escape from being drowned in the Portage River second cut. ...Mr CHURCHES, in company with Mr JOHNSON, started from his home with a horse and sleigh for the purpose of visiting a dock which he is building a short distance from his residence. While jogging allong on the ice at a comfortable pace, the treacherous roadbed suddenly gave way, precipitating horse, sleigh and Mr CHURCHES into the water. Mr JOHNSON flung himself from the sleigh................the timely aid of Mr JOHNSON pulled the immersed Mr CHURCHES from his cold bath. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, Mar 30, 1871 Married: At Quincy, Mich, Mar 25, by Rev C. AUSTIN, James BUTLER of Hancock, and Miss Alice LEY, of Hancock. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, Apr 20, 1871 Fatal accident: Last Friday afternoon an accident occurred in the Calumet and Hecla mine rock-house, which resulted in the killing of a German named Nicholas BELLEN, and slightly injuring another man named Christian BAUM. The skip used for conveying rock from the steam hammer to the large rock-breaker was off the track, and the unfortunate men were trying to replace it when the fatal result happened. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, May 4, 1871 Calumet and Hecla Mine - On the lst inst, Capt Thos HOATSON entered upon his duties as underground mining superintendent of this mine, vice Capt John RYAN, resigned. The propeller, Norman, A.C. BARTLETT commander, arrived at Portage Entry from Marquette, where she has lain all winter, on Wed. Apr 26, and was prevented from coming up to the towns on account of the strong body of ice which she encountered in the widest part of Portage Lake ....... Mr. S.F. LEOPOLD (one of the owners) who was on the Norman at the time,.... had the master of his vessel head the boat into the ice, which he did, and after forty-eight hard work .... the steamer succeeded in making eight miles, reaching Hancock on Friday morning last. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, May 11, 1871 Capt James Dunstan, mining superintendent of the Central mine, says he has used one of Burleigh's drills in an inclined shaft which is down now over 207 feet .... Henry SPECK......was drowned at Sault Ste Marie on the 18 of April last. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, nay 25, 1871 Married: On Monday May 15th, by the Rev Mr RANDALL, at the residence of the bride's father, in Ypsilanti, Mich, Col. C.C. CROOKS, of Houghton, Mich, to Miss Florence BRINKERHOFF. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, June 1, 1871 Triplets: The wife of Patrick HENNESSEY, of the Franklin mine, was delivered, this Wednesday A.M. of three living girls. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, June 6, 1871 The large hoisting engine house on the Hancock mine was burned an Friday night last.......Capt. SNELL who was in charge of the property left everything in order in the engine house at 6 alcock. The building was totally destroyed, but the engine escaped with nominal damages. Loss about $2500; no insurance. Death: A German named Stephen GLASSON, a miner employed at the Calumet-Hecla, was killed last Thursday, while at work underground, when he was struck in the side by a large piece of rock .... he died soon after reaching the surface. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, June 15, 1871 Miss Clara N. BROWN, resident of Calumet, in this county, ae 11 days, came very near being drowned on Sat evening last, at the ferry dock in Hancock. The carriage the young lady was seated in was halfway over the wharf before the danger was realized. Died: A German named John WESER, single, who was employed in the Union brewery, lost his life in Portage Lake, last Friday evening when he insisted on riding a brewery horse into the water to be watered. When the horse reached beyond its depth and commenced swimming, the deceased pulled back on the bridle, and when the horse reared up the man slid off his back, and was drowned before assistance could reach him. A lad named Joseph WILSON, aged 13 yrs, employed in the Franklin stamp mill, was killed early on Wed. last, by being drawn by a belt around a shaft. At the time of the accident, the boy was swinging on the belt which caught in the screw of the shaft. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, June 22, 1871 Death: Last Thursday afternoon, Frank S, son of S.P. CLEAVES, of Ripley, was drowned in Portage Lake by the upsetting and sinking of a small sailboat .... This is the third son that Mr and Mrs Cleaves have lost by drowning, and it is only about six months ago that Neddy, their youngest boy, lost his life by going through the ice, near Dollar Bay. Death: On the llth last, at the residence of his brother-in-law, Chas. F. MOORE, in the township of St Clair, Charles L. RICE, son of the late Dr Justin RICE, aged 31 yrs. The deceased, at no time healthy since his service in the war of the rebellion, was a resident of Houghton, Michigan. The deceased leaves an affectionate wife and one child. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE Thurs, June 29, 1871 Mr John UREN, who has been engaged in tributing the Franklin- Pewabic mines, has obtained an extension of two years more to do the same thing Mr H.B. ORMSBEE, of this place, has taken the contract for building a dock at L'Anse for the accommodation of the Houghton & Ontonagon Railroad Co. Work will begin at once. The undersigned and wife would acknowledge our more than heartfelt thanks to the good people of Portage Lake, and especially our immediate neighbors in Ripley, for the deep interest manifested by them at the time (June 15) our boy, Frank E. CLEAVES, was drowned in Portage Lake.......... signed - S. E. CLEAVES Mr James CARSON and Thos. H. LOWE, two pioneers of Lake Superior, passed through town the other day, on their way to the north shore. Dissolution of Copartnership - Notice is hereby given that the copartnership heretofore existing betwween the undersigned under the firm name of Hodge & Co, has been dissolved by mutual consent. Signed: Samuel F. HODGE, Horace R. ORMSBY, Joseph B. ORMSBY. File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Dick and June Ross. plh 2001