Why the greatest industrial boom of the last century went sour
The Michigan copper boom of the late 1800s to mid-1900’s was an industrial revolution of incredible proportions. Hundreds of copper mines drew shiploads of immigrants to the state’s upper peninsula to work as miners, surface plant operators, loggers, farmers, & merchants.
Ships were built at the Sault & launched into Lake Superior to haul ore to the lower lakes. Railroads were built. Cities & towns were carved out of primitive forests. And unheard of quantities of native copper ingots were shipped out to fuel the new markets for electrical wires.
Calumet & Hecla’s fingers even reached into Western gold & copper mines, as the company diversified in later years.
Today we can only read about the power of Old Reliable (Quincy mine) and the mighty C&H in books. All that’s left of their greatness is a handful of ruins. Copper Country mining sites became ghost towns, equipment & rails were shipped out for scrap, cities dwindled & welfare checks replaced paychecks.
Why? Because big business is never as efficient as small industry.
If East Coast vulture capital had been kept out of Michigan’s vast mineral & forest resources, we would be seeing 400 profitable, small copper mines in operation today. – In addition, the financial gain from independently-owned mines would remain largely in Michigan to benefit communities here.
Instead of Pennsylvania coal fueling inefficient boilers for mining companies that could never get enough profit fast enough – small business owners would be using renewable energy (solar/geothermal heat & electrical power). Big business left a legacy of pollution & over-consumption of resources. Independent mining companies don’t have to put dividends ahead of worker safety & environmental protection.
So no matter where you look, big government & big business always screw things up in their addiction to power. I believe they actually feel emotionally high in their power positions.
The key to strategic business in 2020 is taking your time, doing a good job, and not getting greedy. Power to the people!
