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This Project is dedicated to the fatal accidents which happened at the Wolverine. Centennial/Schoolcraft, LaSalle/ Tecumseh, Old Colony / Mayflower Mines.
The Wolverine Copper Company was organized in 1890, and its mine, operated at Kearsarge, Houghton County, being pronounced the profitable enterprise, considering the area covered by its properties, in the copper region. Its location embraces 320 acres, neighboring properties being North Kearsarge, Mayflower, South Kearsarge and Centennial. Although the mine was opened in 1882 it has been a steady producer since 1892. its success being largely due to the courage and good management of John Stanton. The Wolverine employs about 500 men and its production in 1909 was 12,676/100 pounds of copper. Its mill (completed in 1902) is near the mouth of the Tobacco River on Traverse Bay, Lake Superior, and adjoins that of the Mohawk mine, whose holdings are just over the Keweenaw County line. The Kearsarge bed, on the Wolverine property, averages about sixteen feet in width, and is the richest amygdaloidal mine in the Lake Superior district, and is second only to the Calumet & Hecla in richness among all Lake Superior copper mines.
Casualties at the Wolverine mine-
- Aho, Alexander 1904 No. 3
- Chiappero, Antonio 1911 No. 4
- Furness, James 1896 No. 4
- Greus, Matti 1907 No. 3
- Hebbard, Samuel Sept. 6, 1906
- Kulish, John 1898
- Mattila, John 1896 No. 3
- Pollard, William Aug. 13, 1912 No. 3
- Thomas, Albert 1892
- Tolkki, Olof 1903 No. 4
The Centennial Copper Mining Company was organized in 1896, as successor of the Centennial Mining Company, and is controlled by the Calumet & Hecla; capital stock, $2,500,000. Centennial lands comprise about 670 acres. A triangular piece of 30 acres at the southeastern corner of the main tract that was bought of the Osceola mine, to secure the outcrop of the rich Kearsarge lode. Also, 10 acres, purchased of the Old Colony mine in 1905, as the site for its surface plant. The first work upon the Centennial lands was done in 1863 by the old Schoolcraft Mining Company, which failed to open a paying mine and was reorganized in 1876, as the Centennial Mining Company. This concern, as stated, was again reorganized, in 1896, under its present name. The present Centennial lands are in the great mining camp of Calumet and have already been largely platted for building purposes, with mineral rights reserved.
In 1897 the Centennial Copper Mining Company did a few months' work on the old conglomerate shaft; then turned its attention to the Osceola lode, and commenced operations on the Kearsarge lode in September 1899. The principal mine buildings are substantial structures of Lake Superior red stone; there are numerous dwellings for employees, and the entire surface plant is well planned and solid in appearance. The Copper Range and Mineral Range railroads, as well as a private line connecting the shops and shafts, furnish good means of transportation. The Centennial stamping mill is at Point Mills, Houghton County, its site, with docks, shops and coal sheds, covering more than 400 acres. The plant at Point Mills was purchased of the Arcadian Mining Company in 1904. Since that year the production of the Centennial mine has been constant, its production of fine copper in 1909 being 2,585.000 pounds valued at $343,000.
Fatalities at the Centennial / Schoolcraft -
- Bukovac, Anton 1907
- Capello, John 1909
- Carter, John 1911
- Harrington, Daniel 1904
- Hirsch, Bernhardt 1902
- Pearce, Frank 1907
- Picchiottino, Michele 1891
- Richards, William John 1905
- Salo, Samuel 1909
- Sovde, Andreas Apr. 6, 1872 (Schoolcraft)
- Taylor, James 1892
The location of the Old Colony mine east of the Calumet & Hecla and south of the Mayflower, comprises 1,200 acres, the mineral value of which is still problematic. Work was discontinued in 1909, pending the results of diamond drill operations on the property adjoining it on the north — the Mayflower tract. The latter consists of 840 acres. In August 1909, the Mayflower Mining Company began its drill operations to explore the eastern portion of the Mineral range, which has attracted so much attention in the Upper Peninsula and on which several important discoveries have been made. It is the intention of the management to thoroughly investigate this portion of the property, which extends from the Eastern Sandstone to the Wolverine mine, a distance of one and a half miles.
The Old Colony & Mayflower Fatalities-
- Koitila, August 1908
The LaSalle Copper Company absorbed the Caldwell Copper Company and acquired the Tecumseh Copper Company lands by May 1910. The LaSalle produced copper from 1910-1920. The stock was liquidated in 1933 and the lands sold to C&H in 1936. The 560 acres comprising the location adjoin the Osceola mine on the south. Production under a former management was begun in November 1906, but soon discontinued, operations since having been mainly in the lines of exploration and development.
The LaSalle Fatalities -
- Lampela, Abel 1907
The Tecumseh is one of the smallest of the Houghton county copper properties, as its territory comprises but 520 acres. The mine lies to the south of the Osceola.
The Tecumseh Fatalities-
- Petrowski, Joseph 1908
Source: A history of the northern peninsula of Michigan and its people by Sawyer, Alvah L. (Alvah Littlefield), 1854-1925. http://books.google.com/books?id=3YF5AAAAMAAJ&hl=&source=gbs_api/