Mohawk Mining Company

Add languages
 Article
 Talk
 Read
 Edit
 View history
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
hideThis article has multiple issues. Please help improve
it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and
when to remove these template messages)

This article may contain excessive or inappropriate

references to self-published sources. (July 2015)
This article's lead section may be too short to
adequately summarize the key points. (July 2013)
Mohawk Mining Company
Location

Mohawk Mine

state/province Michigan

Country United States

Coordinates 47°18′29″N 
88°21′20″WCoordinates:  47°18

′29″N 88°21′20″W

Production

Products Copper

History

Opened 1898

Closed 1932
The Mohawk Mining Company was a major copper mining company, based
in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan, that was established in November
1898 and lasted until 1932. The company, between 1906 and 1932, paid out
more than $15 million in shareholder dividends. [1] The Mine is best known for
the large amounts of mohawkite that were found on the property.[2] The
Mohawk mine operated until 1932; in 1934 it was purchased by the Copper
Range Company.[3]

History[edit]

Establishment[edit]

The property was originally considered too far east to contain

valuable ore deposits. It was first considered a mining location in 1896, after
lumberman Ernest Koch first discovered copper there. The company was later
established in November 1898, after Joseph E. Gay had conducted a
successful exploration for copper on the property earlier that year. When
established, John Stanton was president. Stocks were offered at a price of
$7.50 (equivalent to $570 in 2021),[4] and by the end of 1899 there were five
hundred and ninety four (594) individual stockholders. In 1899, construction
on the property began, after the company had raised $7,517.50 (equivalent to
$244,860 in 2021).[1] Shafts No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 were dug. Each shaft had
three compartments with two skiproads,[check spelling] and a separate pipe and
ladder way compartment. Shaft No. 2 had an 8 drill air compressor and No. 3
had a 25 drill air compressor. Both were Ingersoll Sergeant make, with Rand
drills for underground use.[4] A fourth shaft was constructed in 1901.[1]

Early years[edit]

In January 1900, a fissure vein of copper ore was cut on the first level of Shaft
No. 1. This ore was a previously unknown type of rock and samples were sent
to George A. Koenig of the Michigan College of Mines. Koenig named the
rock mohawkite for the mine where it had been found.[4]

In the year 1900, the Mohawk Mining Company purchased the Hebard Stone
Quarry, the dock on Traverse Bay, and the narrow gauge railroad connecting
the dock and the quarry. The railway was extended from the quarry to the
mine.[5] The dock was extended 300 feet into the bay and was reinforced with
heavy crib-work, so that it could be used for shipping ore and receiving
supplies by boat.[1] In 1902, the Mohawk and Traverse Bay Railroad was
widened to regular gage.[4]

The Mohawk stamp mill began construction in 1901 and started operation in

December 1902. The foundation for the 178 by 206 foot building, of steel
frame covered with corrugated iron, was made of sandstone from the
Hebard Quarry.[4] The mill's equipment included three sets of stamps and
three sets of auxiliary crushing rolls. The stamps each had a capacity of 500
tons daily. Four houses and a large two story building were built near the mill.
The two story structure was to be used as a school on the first floor and a
meeting room on the second. This settlement later became the town
of Gay and was named Gay to honor Joseph E. Gay.

The No. 5 shaft was started in 1904, and Shafts No. 1, 2, and 4 were
equipped with Nordberg Conical Drum Hoists. In 1906, a power plant was
built at the mine, it was located between the No. 1 and No. 2 shafts. In
January 1906, the first dividend of $2.00 per share was paid, and in July the
second dividend of $3.00 per share was paid.

On February 23, 1906, John Stanton, President of the company, died. Joseph
E. Gay replaced him as president.

In the year 1909, the company had employed 1000 men. The Mohawk mine
was producing more copper than any other mine in the Keweenaw County
and was the only mine paying dividends. By 1910, a sixth shaft was dug on
the property.[1]

Strike of 1913–14[edit]

Further information: Copper Country Strike of 1913–1914

On July 23, 1913, the Mohawk Mine was closed due to a unionized strike of
the miners of Houghton, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon Counties. The objectives
of the strike were to receive larger wages, 8-hour work days, and the return of
the two-man drill.[6] Prior to the strike, miners worked in 10-hour shifts, which
included a 1-hour break for lunch.[7] During the strike many workers and their
families left the area. The mine had 686 men employed before the strike, and
after the strike was settled only 102 men returned on January 16, 1914. By
February 20, 400 men had returned. The mine would not be back in full
operation until May, with 711 men employed, and the 8 hour work day
became standard in the Mohawk Mine. [1]

Growth of the mine[edit]

In March 1910, a small piece of property was obtained from the Ahmeek

Mining Company. This would allow the No. 3 shaft to reach a maximum depth
of 2,800 feet, instead of the previous limit of 1,600 feet, which is due to the 36
degree angle at which the shaft was created.[1] In 1923, the Mohawk Mining
Company absorbed the Wolverine Copper Mining Company and the Michigan
Copper Company.[2] In 1929, the Company took over the Mass Consolidated
Mining Company, which was a combination of the Old Ridge, Evergreen,
Mass, Ogima, Merrimac, Hazzard, and Flint Steel Mining Companies. [1]

Town of Mohawk[edit]

Further information: Mohawk, Michigan

The town of Mohawk formed near the mine. In the beginning, the town had
a blacksmith shop, the Petermann Store (a carpentry shop, est. 1899), and a
church built by Norwegians,[1] in 1902.[3] The church was sold in 1907 to
Catholic Missionaries and became St. Mary's Church. Another church, known
as the Mohawk Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 1905. The
Mohawk Bank, opened in 1907 with a capital stock of $25,000. The
blacksmith shop, owned by Thomas Parks, was sold to Mr. Bert Jewell during
the strike in 1913.[1]