Jul
By the end of the nineteenth century, copper mining along the Keweenaw had come of age. No longer a rugged and remote frontier spotted by temporary mining camps, the Copper Country had matured into a civilized and highly prosperous land. The struggling boom or bust mining companies of the past had been replaced by stable, productive, and dominant players like C&H and Quincy who had great sway over its workforce and communities. But these civilized lands and the copper mines that controlled them were concentrated north of the Portage canal; to the south lay relatively untapped (and highly rich in copper) resources. But by 1901 this southern range would give birth to another great copper mine – the Copper Range.
The Copper Range Consolidated Company, under the direction of John Stanton and William Paine (of Paine & Webber fame), had gained majority ownership of a series of mining interests along the southern range including three mines, a smelter, and a railroad. One of those mines was the Champion sitting on the end of the Baltic lode. While the other mines along the lode managed operations only into the 30’s, the Champion continued to be mined right up to the end – September of 1967.
The Champion Mine sits along a ridge-line overlooking the Pilgrim River flood plain and Portage Lake beyond. Along the ridge lies four shafts – labeled “B” through “E”. (I’m not sure why they skipped “A” but its possible that the “A” shaft either missed the lode or was abandoned early due to poor ground) The ruins above are from the “B” shaft, the first and oldest along the line. This shaft was closed along with two of its sister shafts by the 1940’s.
The ruins of these first three shafts are nearly identical: a red sandstone foundation capped by a tall concrete pillar on one end. This pillar once supported the strike plate for a large drop hammer that operated in the buildings rock house (over 4 stories up), similar to one we had found at Mohawk #6.
Unlike the tower at Mohawk, this one is rectangular and much thicker. Sitting atop this tower would have been the rock handling floor to the shaft/rockhouse, and along with the drop hammer would have been a pair of rock crushers and a rock chute dispensing rock from unloaded skips. Below and behind it would have been the copper rock storage bins, dropping rock into waiting rock cars running along the face of the sandstone foundation.
This is a photo of the remains of the buildings east wall. A rail line ran under the building to the left of this concrete, and would be used to load copper rock from the mine.
Sitting in the woods just down from the shaft house ruins was a familiar site – cable stand footings. Here the terrain takes a tumble down into a small gorge, into which these stands continued. We followed them knowing what would be waiting for us at the end – the hoist building.
Across the road and deep down into a small gorge we found what we were looking for. Someone had apparently forged a wide trail through the woods to it, big enough for an ATV or small truck to get down, and had cleared away a lot of brush from around it. Its a good thing they did, or we might have missed it. Unlike most hoist foundations we find, this one was heavily overgrown. So much so, in fact, that you couldn’t walk around on top without fighting your way through a small forest.
This hoist is a more modern design then we would have expected for this mine (the use of poured concrete vs poor rock), but upon further research we found out why. This is not the shafts original hoist, that hoist sat atop the gorge closer to the shaft. As the “B” shaft reached greater depths, the original hoists ability to operate from those depths became strained. A new and larger hoist was needed. So this one was built further down the hill.
Sitting along one wall was a large circular opening which most likely let a large steam pipe enter the building. The Champion Mine’s four shafts were relatively close together and as such allowed for a more centralized surface plant. The steam this hoist used to operated had to be piped over from a boiler house sitting somewhere else. That steam was piped into the building here.
Sitting just outside the hole in the hoists wall were a set of these foundations. Whatever they had supported had been cut off, but a pair of pipes could still be seen sticking up out of them. Our guess was that these supported the steam pipe as it entered the building.
Here’s another look at the steam entrance to the hoist. The round hole that once supported the pipe is identified by the top arrow. Below it are two of the mystery footings from above, forming a right angle out of the building. The “B” shaft is to the left in this photo.
With the hoist pretty much grown over on the inside and top, we decided to move on to the next shaft – “C”.
23 Responses to “"B" Shaft”
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Thanks for the memories with new Pictures of Champion No.1, I worked there during college, a local owns it and is trying to reopen it. I have only ever seen one photo of Champion No. 1, Kevin Muser sent me a copy of it, I will submit a copy of it… I think the shaft lettering issue was with rock house construction rather than shafts, its hard to say though, since Baltic was so close to Champion, relatively. The man I worked for the same one resonsible for the shaft cap pipes) told me there is some reference to a fifth shaft that would lie to the south of No.1 shaft but he never found any signs of it on surface.
Joe…
Your welcome! There doesn’t seem to be much going on their now, but I didn’t climb up to the shaft since it was obviously private. (which is also why I don’t have too many shots of this shaft) The old photo I have here is of #2-#4 I think, and not the #1, so submit away!
I wouldn’t worry about John too much, hes really cool with people being there and taking pictures and rock hunting, just so long as your nto there when hes running equipment (liability), if you ever want official permission, let me know and I can give you his phone number just to be safe.
Joe – I’m sure most people don’t mind those of us curious about local history as long as we only take photos and are respectful. But permission is always better – I’ll keep you in mind if I need to go back. Thanks!
Interested to see photos of Champion Mine as a relative by the name of Richard Barnecut on 19th January 1909 fell to his death in E Shaft (accident 19)falling 7 levels from 6 to 13
from the North Skip under the chain between the two skip roads.This does,nt make any sense to me but perhaps someone could enlighten me.Are there any photo,s of E shaft it would
be most interesting for the family descendants to see.
In regard to Roy’s post, I’ve always heard the Champion shafthouse being preserved today referred to as the #4, not with a letter. Assuming “B” was #1, then it would make sense that #4 would be “E”. So it could well be that the surviving shafthouse stands over the shaft where Mr. Barnecut had his fatal accident. The current shafthouse was built in 1902, so if it is the same shaft it would have been in place at the time of the accident. Perhaps someone who knows for sure can confirm.
At one time, this site had a link to purchase the Champion #4 DVD, which gives a tour of the property and has commentary from former miners who worked there. I don’t see that link anymore, nor can I find any mention of it at the Painesdale Mine & Shaft site (http://www.pasty.com/copperrange/sos.htm). There are some interesting things at that site as well, although it looks like it hasn’t been updated since May 2007. Perhaps Explorer can enlighten us as to whether this DVD is still available for purchase.
As you can see starting at this page, the #4 is indeed called the E shaft… might be some handy info for you starting there, Roy.
Thanks for the interest the Inspectors report went on to say
“Wm Barnecutson of the deceased”At one o,clockI got on the north side of the skip and my father on the south side,that was on the north skip;there were three men on the bale and two on the front of the skip.We went down to the sixth leveland i was the first to get off,and as soon as I got off I turned to watch the others get off and was just in time to see my father fall into the shaft.He fell in under the chain which is at the dividing between the two skip roads” A sad end of a life that started in 1858 in Linkinhorne Cornwall UK I only wish i could picture it .
Roy:
While I’ve never been in the mining profession, I’ve read quite a bit about it and visited several of the UP mines that have public tours. I’m not sure how much you know about mining, so I’ll start with the basics.
The skip is the car used to haul rock and other stuff in and out of the mine. I’m not quite sure about the bale. In general terms a bale is a hitch of sorts, so I’m guessing that it would be the place where the hoist rope (a steel cable) would be fastened to the skip. If a metal bucket were the skip, the wire handle would be the bale. The bale might also have something to do with the automatic dumping mechanism that tipped the skip when it reached the top of the skip road. The skip road is the tracks that the skip rides on. It was common for a single shaft to have two side-by-side skip roads, where one skip would be going down while the other was coming up.
UP mines were generally inclined at the angle of the ore lode, most weren’t vertical shafts. The shaft would intersect the drift (the horizontal tunnel) at an angle, making a rectangular hole in the floor of the drift. The skip would be stopped by the hoist operator at the level of the drift and the men would climb off the outside edge of the skip.
As for the chain mentioned, I’m picturing a safety chain stretched across the shaft opening, parallel to the skip road and perpendicular to the drift. If your relative slipped as he got out of the skip and fell off the inside edge of the skip between the two skip roads, he would have fallen past or under my proposed chain and thus down the shaft. But I could be way off on that one. Let’s see if the experts agree with me.
Not sure on the Bale term but the place where the hoist rope connects to the conveyance is the Thimble and socket (thimble is on the rope, socket is on the conveyance).
What it sounds like is he was refering to the bucket of the skip. Most mines used skips to pump or bail out the mines (skip bailing), most of the time they used the rock skip because they didn’t have or want to spend money on a water bailer… Judging from the time period they were probably running 5 ton skips (pretty small) and it wasn’t uncommon in those days to ride a skip in between levels (it’s still somewhat common although frowned upon). Due to the small size of the skip they probably had three guys in the bucket end of the skip, and 2 guys up on the pull bars (where the socket is attached). When they got to the shaft station the first guy exited the skip, which would have been spotted so the lip was a few feet below the platform at the station (due to the fact that the hoist man with a skip on the rope will spot the hoist for a load of rock which has to be dumped from the platform down into the skip.) Since the skip would have been spotted just below the platform it would have been a little bit harder to get out of than a man car, and make for more of a triping hazard. When the second man got out he slipped, fell under the chain diving the two skip compartments, this is due to the fact that the chain would be at waist level at the station, if you were lower it wouldn’t do anything to stop you from falling…
This is all speculation but my opinion for what its worth…
Roy..
The Champion No. 4 is indeed the the “E” shaft and it currently still stands. The DVD others have mentioned (thanks for the plug Dale!) is still available for purchase, its just that during this new re-design phase I have yet to put the info and link back up. I’m working on creating a new store where the DVD and other items will be up for sale, but I have been busy on getting the new site ready to spend any time on it. The DVD does feature stories from one man who worked in both the mine and the hoist, as well as some detailed images and video from inside the building itself. Unfortunately I there is nothing from the underground itself in the DVD, just the shafthouse. If you’re interested just drop me an email through my contact page and I can send you more information.
Joe…
I’ve been away from the computer for awhile so I haven’t had the opportunity to welcome you back. So…welcome back! We’ve missed you around here. Hope you haven’t been working all your summer away. Its interesting since I ran into the mine inspector a week or two back and we ended up talking about you of all things! I wonder if your ears were ringing…
I have read in several books, that one of the common causes of deaths in the mines was miners putting their heads into the the skip shaft to see if the skip was coming. As they say “timing is everything”.
It’s been kind of quiet on the website lately, so I thought I’d ask you a couple of questions if you don’t mind. I spent a great day in Painesdale about a week or so ago. I hiked the whole mine site from the B shaft and hoist, all the way to the compressor house by the Adams Township water treatment plant. The dry at B shaft blew me away. That definitely has to be on the list of the top 10 ruins. Anyways, my questions were:
1) At the B shaft, there was an area where there are a lot of storage like tanks stacked up. They reminded me of underground gas tanks that you find at a gasoline station. There was also other equipment that looked like trench boxes, or something that would be used to prevent cave-ins on a worker. Do you know if this stuff came out of the mine, or is it just a dumping ground so to speak?
2) I got in and around the ruins of the compressor house near the Adams Township water plant. It was a little challenge getting in and out of the place. Anyways, I could not find a posting on the website for this specific ruin. Do you have anything about the compressor house posted somewhere? I was trying to find out if the concrete thing that I saw stuck in the ground was the old smokestack that fell over some time long ago?
3) I always park my truck in the vacant lot across from Jeffers High school. I always wondered what was on that vacant lot in the past. I found out (thanks to the Copper Empire Atlas that everyone should have a copy of.) that there was a grade school on that parcel. Can you or someone else (Gordy Schmidt, hint, hint) find me a link to an archive photo of the old grade school. Just curious what it looked like and whether it was frame built or masonry like the high school.
That’s it, thanks for putting up with me. I don’t have the background like you guys do, so that’s why my questions may seem pretty general.
http://digarch.lib.mtu.edu/showbib.aspx?bib_id=676655#
Well I think this is the one across the street, although a back view.
Heres another of the same building I think, the newer high school is in the background.
http://digarch.lib.mtu.edu/showbib.aspx?bib_id=676112#
Jim…
As far as those tanks and such at the B shaft – they were stored there well after the mine closed, probably by the current owner of the site. I believe a contractor or excavating business owns the site now and uses it for storage.
Haven’t been to the compressor house, but I knew it was there. Its marked on most maps I have as the “F” plant (it was originally slated as a shaft location but was later used solely for the compressor plant). The place consisted of the compressors and a dedicated boiler house complete with coal trestle and coal storage. It looks pretty overgrown on aerial images I have, and by your accounts that looks to be the case. I’ll have to go back maybe late this fall and see what’s discernible.
And on the old grade school, looks like Gordy pulled through and beat me to it. (thanks Gordy) It was a wood structure and pre-dated Jeffers by a few decades. I’m not exactly sure how long it was in business, but I have a feeling it was closed by the Depression.
Oh yea that B Dry house is amazing. It’s definitely a ruin that should be preserved if at all possible.
F shaft was started but was abandoned on account of treacherous overburden. The compressor house at F was of steel construction and had a compressor designed for 100 drills built by Nordberg. The electric plant was also housed in the compressor building.
Strange as it is, the second link I gave for the school house was from 1954 and the school was up for sale by the school district. Comparing the roof line of the school in the second link with the first, it looks like the same building. Just can’t find any info when it was closed.
Funny, just when you give up, I found that a member of the Painesdale Mine and Shaft Inc, had posted a small biography on the PM&S website and listed attending kindergaden in the old Painesdale Grade School in 1945 and shortly after WWII ended, they moved to the Jeffers high School. The reason was the old school was heated by steam from the mines and they were closing, so heat anymore.
Thank you very much. Always like those archive photos with winter scenes. It’s always sad to see buildings like schools and such disappear over time. We have had many schools raised in Iron County too. Thank goodness for the archives.
PS – Were you guys at the Quincy smelter tour on Saturday? I couldn’t get up there this weekend. Hope they had a good turn out.
Jim…
I was at the Quincy Smelter Tour and they had an excellent turnout. Got over 500 photos myself, and got access to a lot of the buildings. Stay tuned to see the old gal featured here on CCE next month, its going to be a big one!
I was hoping you made it out to the smelter, I was able to take the Tour of quincy and someone in the group said there was a smelter tour, so we headed over there,
I was unable to bring my camera thou, So I didnt get any pictures of it, but It was very interesting to see the entire location and walk through all the old buildings, there is alot more then I thought was there,
First, I gotta say this is a fantastic website, thanks for taking the time to put it up. I’m a student at MTU and have been checking out as many of these places as I can, but didn’t hear about the Smelter tour until it was too late, do you know if there are plans to have another soon? Thanks.
Thanks Phil for the compliment. Glad you enjoy the site. As for the Quincy Smelter, no tours are planned until next year. Until then you’ll just have to stop back by for my tour occurring next month.