64 ALEXANDER AGASSIZ 



of water, our dependence being placed entirely on a 

 small beaver dam entirely outside of the limits of the 

 Calumet property. A similar course was pursued with 

 reference to the other mining supplies ; almost nothing 

 was supplied with the exception of hay and oats, so that 

 during the whole winter up to the opening of naviga- 

 tion the mine will be dependent for its supplies upon 

 Hancock and Houghton. After the failure of the smelt- 

 ing works, stamp mills were hired at (Hancock), and ac- 

 cording to the figures sent by Mr. Hulbert to Boston, 

 the mine could not have been earning less than from 

 $25,000-$ 30,000 a month. These statements were, 

 however, utterly false and the expenses actually incurred 

 in December alone for producing ingot should have sat- 

 isfied any one of the folly of attempting to go on and 

 stamp our rock at mills 13 miles distant owing to the 

 great cost of teaming, the want of all supplies at mine, 

 and the uncertainties of the weather during winter. 



" This suicidal course was, however, carried on in Jan- 

 uary and February, Mr. Hulbert concealing the true 

 state of things and making estimates out of all propor- 

 tions with what he must have known the expenses to 

 be. This systematic deception was carried on not only 

 with reference to the expense and results of the mine 

 work, but in regard to everything else undertaken by 

 the Calumet & Hecla Mining Companies in the way of 

 general improvements. . . . The intention of the Com- 

 pany to make a tug channel through Torch River and 

 connect Torch Lake 1 with Portage Lake was made use 



1 Torch Lake, to the southeast of Calumet, is a small body of water 

 about six hundred and fifty feet lower than the location of the mines. 

 From it a shallow stream led to Portage Lake which connects with Lake 

 Superior. 



