Began → Aragon Mine → Became
Operated for 42 years.
From: 1889
Location: NE-NW, NE Sec. 8 and N 1/2-NW Sec. 9 of T39N-R29W. Includes Smith White exploration which was NE-NW Sec. 8.
Owned by: Oliver Iron Mining Col prior to 1931. Lease surrendered.
Produced: Iron Ore, soft, non-Bessemer. Crushed.
Method: Underground, depth 1,363 feet.
Railroad connection: C&NW to Escanaba dock; MILW to Escanaba dock (via E&LS)
Until: 1931
Lifetime Production: 11,160,975 tons from 1889-1931.
Source: [LSIO-1950]
Image Info: Top, the Argon Mine complex in Norway,. MI, around 1910. [MINART]. 2nd image, a view of a switch engine pushing a gondola up the the shovel at the load-in site. 1914. [UML]
1887. The C&NW builds a 0.4 mile branch line into the Aragon mine property. It is removed in 1931. [MRL2]
1895. July. The Aragon ships its Castile ore and stockpiles the lower grades, awaiting better prices. The Aragon has about 105,000 tons of ore in stock and is sending out only its first grade ore. The west drift is now under the city hall and the ore shows a width of 18 to 20 meet. [DD-1895-0713]
1907. March. The constant settling of the ground in the business portion of the city of Norway, the result of the mining operations at the Steel Corporation's bug Aragon property appears ample justification that an early exodus to the south side of town is imminent. Only a few days ago the Aragon mine carpenter force was put at work to straighten up the buildings of several business people. The ground is gradually giving way under these buildings and observance shows nearly every window on Main street to be out of its setting. [DFP-1907-0303]
1911. The Aragon is another of the Oliver Iron Mining Company’s properties, and is located in the City of Norway, Michigan. This mine is operated by two shafts, Nos. 4 and 5. No. 4 shaft has a depth of 991 feet. It has three compartments, two for skips and one for pipes, ladderway, etc. The equipment at this shaft consists of one 20”x42” simple duplex first motion, hoisting engine, operating two drums each 6 feet in diameter with 9 foot face. One Corliss cross-compound steam, single-acting, four stage air compressor, steam 12”x 22”x30”, air 20”x12”x7¼”x4¼”x30”, providing air for pneumatic haulage plant in use at this mine. One simple steam, three stage tandem air compressor, steam 14”x16”, air 10½”x7¾”x3⅝”x16”, first installed for furnishing air for pneumatic haulage, now used as relay only. One 17½ K. W. direct current, 125 volt, belt driven generator for lighting purpose on surface. The boiler plant at No. 4 consists of three 264 H.P. Babcock & Wilcox water tube boilers.
No. 5 shaft has a depth of 1,052 feet and has four compartments, two compartments for skips of five-ton capacity each, one for cage and one for pipes, ladderway, etc. On the 11th level at this shaft are located two 18”-28”-47”-12”x24” triple expansion pumps. The equipment on surface here consists of one 28”x60” simple duplex, first motion Corliss hoisting engine, connected to two 12 foot drums—each 9 foot face and used for operating two five-ton skips. One 24”x42” simple Corliss hoisting engine, geared to one 12 foot drum, diameter of face 5½ feet and used for operating cage. There are also located at No. 5 shaft two compressors, one tandem compound, two stage, steam 18”x36”, air 20”x32”x36”. One straight line simple two stage air compressor, steam 20”x26”, air 22”x14”x26”. The boiler plant consists of two 264 H. P. and one 400 H. P. water tube boilers. Since the last meeting of the institute, a new machine, blacksmith and carpenter shop has been built in close proximity to No. 5 shaft. A new laboratory, a change house with capacity for 350 men, saw mill, oil house and captain’s office have also been erected. Old buildings of same nature as those mentioned, were formerly located near what was known as No. 2 shaft. This shaft has been abandoned on account of the ground caving, which also made necessary the construction on a permanent site for the buildings above noted. [LSMI-1911]
1921. June. Work at the Chapin mine and at the Aragon at Norway will cease today for an indefinite period. The decision of the Oliver Mining company was announced this week due to discouraging conditions in the iron and steel trade. [IDG-1921-0523]
1922. February 13. Trestle work has started at the Chapin mine and the Aragon mine in Norway, properties of the Oliver Iron Mining company, following the announcement that the mines would resume operations after an idleness of about eight months. The closing of the two mines threw about 1,000 men out of work and for several months the men have virtually laid siege to the Ford Motor company office (in Kingsford) in quest of work. A number of them have said they will work at the factory and give up mining. [DFP-1922-0213]
1923. February. The sum of $25,211 was paid in pensions last year by the Oliver Iron Mining company a subsidiary of U.S. Steel trust. Of this, $16,256 was paid to former employees of the Chapin mine, $8,981 to the Aragon at Norway, and $974 to the Riverton at Iron River. [DFP-1923-0219]
1931. The Aragon mine is closed by the Oliver Mining Company. [WAK-1932-0723]
