Yet Another Mystery
Before we leave the Hecla and South Hecla Mine, I would like to share one last mystery in a long line of many here. As stated before, because of the shared hoists that this mine utilized it didn’t follow the usual mine ruin pattern. Most notably this meant no hoist ruin in direct line with the shaft. Except for two of the shafts, there was still something sitting across from the shafts. These were a pair of similar structures found across the road from the No. 7 and No. 9/10 shafts.
Above is a drawing of what these ruins look like. In the drawing the distance between the ruins has been removed, but in reality these two foundations are separated by the distance between the No. 7 and No. 9/10 shafts. Both ruins look almost identical, except only mirror images of each other. Between them lie what I think is a long trench which must of carried some sort of supply line between the two structures. Besides the trench, both also share an odd concrete “kick out” sitting at an odd angle from the rest of the foundation.
While similar in shape and layout, i don’t think the two ruins were not built at the same time. The northern one is built from poor rock while the south one is poured concrete. The north one is also in much worse shape then the southern one, missing a complete wall. Because of this I think these were built at the same time as their designated shafts - the (older) northern one built along with the No. 7 and the newer southern version built along with the No. 9/10. This means that though mirrors of each other, they might not of worked together.
It appears that connecting these two foundations is a long trench, similar to a trench we found on the opposite side of the road along the shafts. Near the south side the trench is open, while on the north end it seems to still be covered by a concrete cap. Along this northern length are a few square holes from which a good amount of weeds grows up from now. I think the southern trench was once similar but perhaps the concrete cap collapsed.
Inside that southern trench is a large amount of debris, as well as evidence of some sort of connecting brace and groove along the trench walls. This could of once held a cap of some sort to the trench.
Whatever these foundations were for, they held some sort of machinery. The tell-tale metal rods were found all along their surface that must of once served to mount a machine to it. It looks like - as is the case here in this photo - that these were bent over when the machines were removed.
PHOTO 1
I am going to guess, since they had a shared hoist, this tunnel/foundation had to do with the skip cable. In the picture above for #6 shaft, you can see the cable goes underground over to the shaft, turns 90 degrees and goes up into the shaft house. I would assume the foundation is to anchor the pulley.
PHOTO 2
This is a view of the opposite direction of #6 shaft, you can see the hoist cable a little better here.
Gordy
Gordy Schmitt | December 12, 2007