| It was William Coe & Harry
Johnson who made the first original discovery of the iron deposits their
hill, just east of Salem. In 1882, a company was formed and a new village
sprang up being, Coe Hill.
The mines were worked for two years, until in 1884 when the iron was
found to be unprofitable. By 1887 shipments became very sporadic and finally
ceased.
In March of 1900, Manager of the Anglo-American Iron Company, with their
headquarters in Ormsby, C.S. Sanderson had died.
In the Township of Faraday, Police Magistrate - James Cleak made a discovery
of iron deposits on his property. As like the other iron mines in the
area, the iron proved to be unprofitable. The same fate awaited on Angus
Kennedy's farm in 1900, on which James Best had secured an option.
Iron deposits were also found in Mayo Township in 1900. It was the birth
of the Bessmer Mine & Child's Mine near Hermon. The minerals were
of high quality and were to be shipped to Mr. Farnham of Detroit. In order
for the minerals to be shipped the C.O.R. spurred two lines in to both
of the mines. There was to be two more mines opened near Egan Creek by
E. H. Harrison of Bridgewater.
By the year 1909, there was enough work that anyone who wanted to be
on payroll was. It was in September of 1912, when a young man was killed
when a rock fell on him at the mine that the mine was closed with no warning.
The C.O.R. lines were surviving in the area until 1965. Not only did
the mines close but a project died along with them. It was called the
"Bingham House".
Source:
Bancroft - A Bonanza of Memories
Nil Y. Reynolds
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