THE CALUMET AND HECLA MINE 63 



the works to be flooded with water. The original plan 

 was entirely lost sight of and huge open pits were sunk 

 in the middle of the lode. No attempt was made to sup- 

 port the roof, timbering was entirely neglected, and the 

 mine was strained to its utmost capacity to produce rock 

 at any price and regardless of the consequence. 



" During the time this method of mining was progress- 

 ing the most flattering reports of progress made were 

 forwarded to Boston and the capacity of the quarry re- 

 presented as fully equal to 100 tons well selected rock, 

 while at the same time all provisions were making to 

 secure the mine and go on with the regular openings 

 independently of the quarry. The failure of the smelt- 

 ing works in reducing this selected rock and smelting 

 it directly, compelled a change of programme, but only 

 partial, as it has always been the intention to put on the 

 location a small mill in order to treat cheaply our second 

 quality of rock. For this purpose a small rolling mill 

 was purchased, on the representations of the Agent of 

 the full success of the Huron finishing mill, and his in- 

 structions were to put up this mill on its arrival on this 

 location so that by the first of January it might be in 

 running condition. Mr. Hulbert wrote over and over 

 again that the mill would be running by that time, and 

 only a few days previous to the visit of the Treasurer 

 of the mine in December, such a letter was received. 



" It was found on arrival at the mine that nothing had 

 as yet been done towards erecting the mill except perhaps 

 one week's work on the timber, and what was still more 

 disastrous no preparation had been made for the con- 

 nections of the different parts of the mine. Nothing 

 was on hand to build a tramway for the mine and the 

 mill. No attempt was made to pound a sufficient supply 



