Location: Lake Superior Smelting Company

The Lake Superior Smelting Company was located along Portage Lake just east of Hancock. Most of the production was shipped out by boat. [DSS]

Notes

Time Line

1872. The C&H contracted with the Mineral Range to bring copper concentrate from its stamp mill to the Lake Superior Smelting Company on Portage Lake just east of Hancock. [DMG-2015-1114]

1873. The Osceola Mining Company, south of Calumet, starts a new mine and that ore is hauled to the mine's stamp mill on Portage Lake. just west of Bendry's dock in Hancock.

1885. October. The Mineral Range made an application to condemn land belonging to the Lake Superior Copper Company. The railroad wishes to extend its railroad from Hancock to Houghton, connecting with the Marquette, Houghton & Ontonagon railroad. The proposed line runs close to the copper company's smelting works. As the works will be separated from the dock by the railroad, the copper company is making a vigorous fight against the condemnation of the land. [DFP-1885-1021]

1896. The Lake Superior Native Copper Works has begun a suit in trespass against the Mineral Range railroad company. The suit is to test the right of the railroad to a little piece of the right of way through the old rolling mills property. This little piece of right of way the rolling mill proper claim the Mineral Range never acquired. [CN-1896-0321]