The Lucky Swede and Pearson Mining Companies used this siding to bring in mining equipment and hopefully, send out copper ore?
According to old-timer Harold Theriault,
"The lucky Swede Mine was a fairly large company, but only on paper. It had a number of investors, mostly from Minnesota, willing to finance the operations of the two Pearson brothers. Morris Pearson was responsible for the running of the mine, and Harry was the "brains" who attracted the large number of backers. The mine wasn't profitable except on paper."
The ambitious operation began 3.5 miles north of here, with the tunnel entrance located where the North Fork Road is now.
There was, however, at least one useful product from 22 years of mining here. The county used the tons of mine tailings to surface the North Fork Road.
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Mules, Machinemen, Muckers & Money
A weary mule, prodded by the mule skinner, hauls an ore cart of rock to the surface for milling.
Machinemen wrestle a noisy, awkward compressed air drill as it chews holes into the shaft face for explosives to blast the rock.
Blasters load a round by carefully fixing paper dynamite cartridges with rat-tail fuses for "shooting" the shaft face.
Muckers load the ore carts with the blasted ore and waste rock. The shift boss marks drill points on the face for the next round.
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