Silver Islet in 1911.
B. Frue, who was also the lead engineer.
At its peak the town had hundreds of houses, two churches, a saloon, and a jailhouse.
By Christmas 1870, more than 3,000 tons of rock were washed away.
Silver Islet in 1902.
Photo:Thunder Bay Public Library
Working in the mines was extremely dangerous.
Water began to enter the mines once the shaft had sunk below 300 feet.
From then on, pumps worked all round the clock to remove water from the shafts.
In 1873, the mine was 1,300 feet deep with scattered levels leading away from the main shaft.
But production had fallen by then as the richer deposits had already been hacked away.
The final blow came when a shipment of coal did not arrive before the winter set in.
The Silver Islet mine had been one of the richest silver mines in the world.
People believe that Silver Islet still holds unlimited riches, but nobody has dared to fight Lake Superior again.
