THE MINING GAZETTE (under various names) of Houghton County, Michigan Copyright (c) 1999-2001 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. ____________________________________________________________________ 1877 November - December 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, Houghton, Lake Superior, Mich., Nov 1, 1877 Messrs. WARREN and REID, who were blasted in the Hecla mine as stated last week, are improving, but will each lose the sight of one eye. Last Sunday afternoon a little boy, son of John LA SEUR, fell off the Atlantic stamp mill dock and was drowned. The body was recovered on Tuesday. At the election in this place last Monday for village president to fill vacancy, Mr Wm. HARRIS was the successful candidate. Married: LYON - MEIKLE At Hancock, Oct 25, by the Rev E. E. STILES, Thomas Mclain LYON, of Houghton, and Miss Janet MEIKLE, of the former place. Portage Lake Mining Gazette, Houghton, Lake Superior, Mich, Nov 8. 1877 Last Tuesday, David MORGAN, a young man employed in the Concord mine, was ascending to the surfact with a drill in his hand, and when near the second level lost his balance and fell back to the fifth level. When he was picked up one of his limbs was broken and his skull badly fractured. He lived but a short time. Morgan was the sole support of a widowed mother who lives in Wales. He is to be buried today. Last Sunday morning the residence of Capt. Joseph CARTER, on Back Street, Franklin mine, was burned to the ground. Mr CARTER and family lost all their furniture, winter provisions, clothing together with a library worth several hundred dollars. Cause of fire unknown. Married: THENO - ZANGER In this place, on Tuesday, Nov 6, by Justice FLEISCHMANN, Frank THENO, of Pewabic Mine, AND Miss Louisa ZANGAR, of Hancock. L’Anse items: Jacob HOUGHTON, John R. THOMAS, Robert M. STEAD, and an Indian for packer, started out Monday morning, exploring for slate, to the vicinity of the Graphite mine, on Silver river.............. At a meeting of the school board of this graded district, held last week, K.R. PENBERTHY was appointed a trustee to fill vacancy caused by the removal from the district of Prosper ROBERTS, AND August MENGE was elected assessor. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE, Houghton, Lake Superior, Mich, Nov 15, 1877 Capt. KRUSE, late of the Allouez, is going to take charge, the coming winter, of the mining operation of the........... property Isle Royale. Gathered in. Last Tuesday the body of Samuel EALDS, better known in this community as "Old Captain Saml," was found cold and stark in his bed at his residence. The coroner's inquest, held by Justice FLEISCHMANN, showed that death resulted from extreme age, the captain having reached his 90th year. In years gone by "Capt Sam" sailed on the ocean. He had been a resident of this place for a quarter of a century. The old man? Was a character in his way, and never had a great number of enemies. Mr DUGGAN is about to commence the skating rink on the dam adjoining the road leading to the Red Jacket An accident occurred in the Hecla mine on Friday night last. A party of miners, consisting of John HOCKING, Wm. JOHNS, and Wm. PHILLIPS, were engaged in charging a hole and had put in the third layer of sand, when by some means the charge exploded. HOCKING, who held the bar, received nearly the full burden, his skull being fractured in two places. One piece........Hocking was taken to the hospital where he expired on Sunday morning JOHNS and PHILLIPS were only slightly hurt. Wm. HOCKING's funeral took place on Monday afternoon, the body being followed to the grave by the members of the Temple of Honor, and of the DeWilton Lodge of good Templars, to which societies the deceased belonged. Hocking had been married only five weeks. Col. B.F. H. LYNN, who started the Ishpeming Iron Home, and at one time was editor of the Marquette Mining Journal, died at Mauch Chunk, Pa., last Saturday. Col. Lynn was the best newspaperman ever connected with the press of Lake Superior. The Red Ribbon club has fitted up one of the rooms in the old wheelhouse as a meeting place, where they propose holding meetings every Tuesday.............The evil of intemperance has been very strongly exemplified during the past week in the adjoining county by the death of Wm. RETALLACK, the photographer, formerly of Red Jacket Married: FORD - LALLY At Red Jacket, Monday, Nov 11, by Father PABLEAU, Mr. M. FORD and Miss Kitty LALLY. Probate Order: Estate of James BEESLEY, deased......petition verified of Annie VETTER, a daughter of deceased Probate Order; Estate of Emil E. MATZOID, deceased. E. D. ATWATER has moved his stock of hardware back to Negaunee, his trade not warranting the expenses of running a branch store at this place. In the item of last week in regard to the Silver River exploring party, the name of John R. THOMAS was inadvertently used instead of Capt. R. R. WILLIAMS. Jacob HOUGHTON, Esq. Is at the Lake Linden suffering from an attack of rheumatism, brought on by cold and exposure on his recent trip to Silver river. Wm HALL returned from the Huron Island lighthouse last week, where he is engaged as assistant, and found his family increased by the addition of a 12 pound boy. PENBERTHY & BRENNAN will get out a million feet of pine logs this winter. Their camp is located back of the Catholic mission and is already in running order, with 12 men at work, and Barney MCCAULEY as foreman. Sam. BOTRIN has established a logging camp on Sturgeon River, about 14 miles from L'Anse............. Martin MESSNER is laid up with a broken leg............He is under the care of Dr. FREMONT Probate Order: Estate of Virgil ST AMOUR, deceased................ PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE, Houghton, Lake Superior, Mich, Nov 22, 1877 Out of the Range: Messrs. TAGGART & BUTLER are putting up a skating rink in the second street behind PINTON's iron clad store, and which they hope to have running in about two weeks. The township library will be reopened next week L'Anse: A youths' temperance society has been formed in L'Anse, with the following officers: James MACDONALD, president; Wm MACDONALD, vice-president; Willie MASON, secretary, and Josie LLOYD, treasurer. A.S. GUCK has manufactured about 1,000 cigars, since starting business here, and expects to be ready to supply his customers in Houghton county about Dec 1st...... Indian summer, interspersed with squaw winter, is still with us. F.G. ROBINSON, of the many weather prophets who make L'Anse Bay their home..........prophesies a late fall and a mild winter Miss E. S. BRUCE, Hancock, will give lessons in drawing, painting and music. For particulars inquire at the congregational parsonage. Arrangements are under way for giving the route between Calumet and Eagle River this winter first-class stage accommodations. Mr Geo. W. SHEARS, accompanied by his wife, has gone south for the winter, in the hope that his health will be benefited by the milder climate. Mr. Jno. DUNCAN has gone below for a month's vacation, during which time he proposes visiting his brother, Will, formerly of this place, but who is now the proprietor of a large hardware concern in Alexandrin, Nebraska. A special meeting of Portage township board was held last Saturday. Present, D. D. SHELDEN, supervisor, Seth REES and John PRYOR, justices and Wm HITCHINGS, clerk. The matter of Francis VOISARD, who claimed that his personal property had been rated too high, which was valued at $2,600 and called for a tax of $142.0l, was up for consideration. Justice PRYOR made a motion that Mr VOLSARD be refunded the sum of one hundred dollars by the township. Justice REES offered an amendment................. Antoine BLOING formerly treasurer of Webster township, presented a note............a motion was made and carried that Wm. HITCHINGS and Seth REES be appointed a committee ...........Voted and carried that George OSBORNE be appointed as constable to fill vacancy, caused by Louis DUQUETTE not qualifying. The friends of Mr. O.G. DITMARS in this section may like to know that he is now connected with the house of E. S. Jaffray & Co, No.850 Broadway, New York. To whom it may concern: Notice is hereby given that I, Abram JOSSILA, have, since the 31st day of March 1877, ceased to have any interest in or connection with the store owned by Henry JOHNSON & Co, at Red Jacket, Houghton Co, Michigan. Abram JOSSILA Red Jacket, Nov 6, 1877 PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE, Houghton, Lake Superior, Mich, Dec. 6, 1877 Probate Order: Estate of James K. RYAN, deceased.............Petition duly verified of John RYAN, praying that John H. SPELLMAN, be appointed administrator............ Probate Order: Estate of Francis MAYWORM, deceased...........that the administrators, R. M. HOAR, and August KRELLWITZ, file their papers Probate Order: Estate of John EDDY, deceased. Petition duly verified of George WERTIN, administrator Probate Order: Estate of Michael, Thomas, Ellen, and James GALLIVAN, minors David HIMROD died at his residence in Waterford, Pa, on the 23d of last month. To the late Mr HIMROD is due much credit for calling attention to the iron ore of Lake Superior. He was a practical pig iron furnaceman, and as far back as 1851 visited Marquette County in a professional capacity. Mrs Samuel SHOYER, who died in Chicago last Friday, was formerly Miss Ella HANCHETT, and was well known in this section fifteen or sixteen years ago. Mr John CAMM, who has been so long and favorably known as chief clerk of the Calumet and Hecla mining company, has left its employ and proposes spending the coming winter with his friends in Canada where he hopes to do some tall shooting. The London Times states that the distress among the mining population of Cornwall has become so great as to require an organized charitable movement for their relief The Lake Superior News is the name of a neat looking paper that made its appearance in Hancock last Tuesday, on which day it is to be issued hereafter. The Messrs. HURLEY are its publishers, Mr Thos. HAGUE, a gentleman who we believe has had some newspaper experience, is credited with being the editor of the News. The treasurer of Portage township, Mr Joseph CROZE, as will be see in his announcement... will be at home every Friday during the balance of the month, to collect................. New stage line to L'Anse: I have now on the road between Portage Lake and L'Anse a number of first-class teams and stages, and am prepared to transport passengers and freight at the lowest figures. Luke WELSH The trustees have very recently procured a first-class piano for the use of the Lake Linden High School. At present Mr Wm. BATH, principal, is arranging what will prove a most enjoyable evening's entertainment, to take place in the lecture hall A housewife in town reports that in dressing a chicken for dinner last Sunday she found in his crop three paper 25 cent pieces Who says times are adamant! Billy FLAGSTAFF has taken a contract at $76 to fit out a private residence in this locality with Christmas evergreens. Died: WHITESIDES - At Houghton, Dec 12, of consumption, John WHITESIDES, aged 24 years. Funeral services tomorrow at 10:20 a. m. instead of 1:30 as previously announced. Mr P. H SWIFT, the president of the Calumet Reynolds' Reform club, upon the invitation of several of the residents of Torch Lake, attended at that place on Thursday evening last for the purpose of starting a "Red Ribbon" society there. About 22 members joined the club at the first meeting. Capt Richard UREN, who is out at the Black Hills in the interest of several of the prominent capitalists of the range and vicinity, has telegraphed here that the show on the location he went out to inspect is very favorable, and strongly advises a purchase. The skating rink on the Hecla dam was opened on Monday last to the public. Messrs. TAGGART & MORSE expect to have their rink ready for use next week. Mr F. G. WHITE, the township (Calumet) treasurer, will for the convenience of the tax-payers, attend at the Merchants' and Miners' bank every Friday during the month of December to receive taxes. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE, Houghton, Lake Superior, Mich, Dec 20, 1877 The Norwegians, Swedes, and Finlanders compared with other foreign classes, are in the majority on the Upper Peninsula. The Rev. Mr. STYLES, of Hancock, preached at the Congregational church on Sunday last. He and the Rev. Mr. MILLAR having exchanged pulpits for the day. Mr DUNCAN HAS RETURNED FROM HIS VISIT BELOW, DURING WHICH HE VISITED Nebraska in company with Capt. Geo. HARDIE, both of whom were very favorably impressed with the parts of the State they visited. Mrs Henry FISHER, Sr., died suddenly at her husband's residence, at Torch Lake, on Sunday last. The funeral took place in Houghton on Tuesday, and was attended by a very large number of friends and acquaintances. It is understood that Mr. PENNYMAN, of New Bedford, the present auditor of the Calumet and Hecla mining company, and who has made two visits to this country in the above capacity, will take the position of chief clerk, so long filled by Mr. CAMM. Mr PENNYMAN is expected here about the 1st proximo. The Red Ribbonites held ......a meeting in St. Patrick's Hall......Tuesday when the following officers were chosen for the ensuing year: President - H. K. COLE, Vice pres. - J. A. DANIELSON, Sec - J. H. KERWIN, Treas - James WRIGHT, Fin'l see - Geo. WRIGHT, Sergts. - P.11 SWIFT, W. S. KINSMAN, Marshal - Thos. DEE. On Thursday last an accident occurred at the Hecla mine, by which one man was killed and two seriously hurt. A Finn named Jno. CARRINE was charging a hole in the hanging, while his partners John and Charles ISAACSON were charging a hole in the foot; all standing on the same stage. The hole that CARRINE was charging went off prematurely. CARRINE received a terrific blow.............from the effects of which he died in one hour. John ISAACSON had several ribs fractured, one penetrating his lung. Charles ISAACSON received a fracture in the right arm. Both the Isaacsons are doing well and have left the hospital for their homes. Early last Saturday morning the residence of Capt M. H. MERRIMAN, East Houghton, caught fire, and in a short time was consumed. Its destruction was hastened at one stage of the fire by an explosion inside of the house, cause unknown, of some considerable force, which blew up one end of the dwelling. Among the number present to render assistance was Mr Robert GIBBS, member of the carpenter firm of LEWIS & GIBBS. At the time of the explosion referred to Mr Gibbs was helping to remove some article from the burning house, and when the end of the building fell he was covered in under the ruins, and when taken out some little time afterwards, life was gone, and his body presented a horrible appearance, having been terribly burned and bruised. Mr GIBBS was a most estimable young man, and had resided in this section for a number of years. Through his industrious habits, sterling integrity, and exemplary mode of life, had had won a warm place in the hearts of those who knew him. His remains were buried last Sunday, and were followed to the grave by a large number of sorrowing friends. Last Saturday morning early, Capt M.H. MERRIMAN's residence in East Houghton, was discovered to be on fire, and in a short time was totally destroyed. Very little of the furniture was saved. During the progress of the fire an explosion took place in the burning building of great force, the cause of which, so far, remains a mystery. In accounting for the discharge, outburst, it was supposed that powder was the agent that produced it, Capt. MERRIMAN says there were no powder explosives of any kind on the premises. Some think the explosion resulted from some gas that was hidden between the walls. Besides the death of Mr Robert GIBBS, referred to elsewhere, which was caused by the explosion in question, a man named Anton RASSLER was severely injured about his person, having several ribs broken and receiving other painful bruises. "Toney" the name by which the hurt man is known, is a capital fellow, and those who know of his loyal conduct during the late sickness of Capt GUION, of the steamer Ivanhoe, heartily hope for his speedy recovery. Last Friday afternoon four or five boys were skating on the lake below Ripley, when they broke through the ice. One of the lads, named James DUNN, was drowned. Fortunately, Mr. H. S. BROWN, of Hancock passed at the time of the accident, and helped to rescue from the water the balance of the party. Mr J.H. FORSTER is in the district in the interest of the estate of the late Capt Thomas ROBERTS. Monday evening, Dec 31, Mr KASPERS, of Hurontown, gives a New Year's ball at his hall. In Memoriam - Died at Shelden-Columbian mine, East Houghton, Michigan, November 30, 1877, of paralysis, or consumption of the posterior columns of the spinal cord, Captain Thomas ROBERTS, aged 41 years. The subject of this notice was born at Camborne, Cornwall, England, and came to the copper mines of Lake Superior twenty-one years ago, and with the exception of a brief period passed in California and his native place, had resided here all those years. He was employed at the Cliff mine, the Pewabic and Shelden-Columbian at different times, and by good conduct and ability as a common miner, he, he earned his promotion to mine captain......For many years he had been an invalid..............His remains, with loving care, were interred in Forest Hill Cemetery On New Year's evening a grand ball will be given at the BAWDEN House, Eagle Harbor. A large number from this section are going over. Died: POPE - In Houghton, Dec 13 (or 15) Alice H., daughter of Graham and the late Alice H. POPE, aged one year and months. By a mutual arrangement with Mr H. D. LAFFERTY, of Calumct, Mr K.B. DRAKE, of Central Mine, has been made sole agent for the celebrated Weber piano and Estey organ, for Keweenaw county, Mich Valuable property for sale!...........well located Lots in and adjoining the Village of Houghton............a splendid waterfront and dock on Portage Lake in the Village of Houghton. Good tracts of Pine and hardwood land for sale cheap. Apply to R.K. ALLERTON, Portage Mine. PORTAGE LAKE MINING GAZETTE, Dec 27,1877 The annual election of officers of Houghton Lodge, No 218, F. & A.M., took place last Monday evening, resulting in the choice of the following gentlemen: Thos. N. LEE, W. M.; Dr. Geo. FULLER, S.W.; J. Am AMES, J. W.,; Wm HARRIS, treasurer; Joseph MAYWORM, secretary; E. E. LANGDON, Tylar. Installation of these officers will take place this evening Thursday, Dec. 7. The Union Temple of Honor, No.48, elected on Saturday last officers for the ensuing year as follows: James EVANS, W.C.T.; Hy JAMES, W.V.T.; Wm CRAZE, W, sec; Oliver SYMONS, W.F. rec; Stephen NICHOLAS, W. treas.; William BONDS, W, assistant secretary. Lieut. INGALLS, detailed by the war department to instruct the pupils of the High school in this place in military drill, and who has been residing here in that capacity for a year or more, has been recalled and ordered to report at the East Mr Peter DAVIS, who was overcome by heat last Monday while laboring in his garden, is recovering slowly. This probably the only case of sunoke occurring late in December on record on Portage Lake. ..............Our "oldest inhabitant' whom we've known for years and years is an immense success. He is full of years...........His memory is ripe and clear, and its tablets are ready to furnish data concerning details up here running back to 1795......His name is Edward SANTINAU and he was born in 1781. Mr SANTINAU has lived on Lake Superior for 90 years If the accounts from there are true, Mar John MARTIN, formerly of this place, has struck some very rich gold leads in the Black Hills. Wm. O. DUNCAN, so well known to old Lake Superiorites, died in Detroit last week. For years Mr. DUNCAN was an active business man in that city, and served as its mayor at one time. A Virginia City (Nev.) paper notes the shooting, at that place, as one "William BANCROFT a copper miner from Lake Superior." The item don't state whether the shot proved fatal or otherwise. File contributed for use in Houghton Co. USGenWeb Archives by Dick and June Ross. plh revised 2001