JACK POT and YALE MINES

NOTE: The Yale Mine, The Jack Pot Mine and the East Jack Pot Mine and the Yale Jack Pot Mine are a bit difficult to research as the Jack Pot and the Yale mines were very close together and were merged. Data Research sites often use any combination of these names.  It is impossible to give a true picture of each mine in this short narrative.  For more detailed information consult books written by our local mine historian, Bruce K. Cox published by Agogeebic Press.  These books are available at the Heritage Center and at the Bessemer Public Library.

YALE MINE
Owner - Puritan Mining Company
Operator - Pickands-Mather & Co

The Yale Mine was an underground mine east of Bessemer, near the Jack Pot Mine. It was operated by the Puritan Mining Company. The location of the original Yale Mine is now being used by the Bessemer Plywood Corporation located in what was called “the Yale location.”

JACK POT MINE
Owner - Puritan Mining Company
Operator - Pickands-Mather & Co

The Jack Pot was established in 1892 east of Bessemer and south of the Yale Mine with 25 men employed. Past operations took place from 1892 to 1893, 1897, 1900 to 1904. Mine operations consist of underground workings. There is one known shaft. Subsurface depth reaches a maximum of 217 meters (711 feet).

By 1901, 70 men were working at the mine.  It was closed in 1904.  The Jack Pot shipped 99,090 tons of ore from 1892 to 1904.

It was combined with the Yale mine from 1925-1941 but neither shipped ore during that time. The Jack Pot Mine was also called the East Jack Pot Mine and the Yale Jack Pot Mine.  Later the Yale and Jack Pot mines became part of the Peterson.

TRIVIA NOTE: Jack Pot was two words until the 20th century when it became one word JACKPOT