SULLIVAN MINING DISTRICT - PART 2

SULLIVAN MINING DISTRICT - PART 2

While the mining boom had ended, it did not end the interests of certain men in the Sullivan area.  The Sullivan mining era had many things going for it, especially some of the men it attracted from New York, Boston, and Maine with an interest in mining operations and even more with an interest in stock speculation.

The men used the press to build interest in the companies and used their knowledge of markets to raise their share prices and likely timing sales in early "pump and dump" schemes.  The men promoted their companies and any advantages that the Sullivan Mining District had over their competitors in the West.

In a prospectus for the Milton Mining operation, Sullivan is spoken of in glowing terms.  In addition to the potential minerals, the town is described as having a number of economical advantages, including the price of wood, coal, and lumber.  The cost of labor for men experienced in working in the granite quarries -- $1.25 a day for a "Surface men" and $1.50 for "Underground men" -- was another benefit.  Never mentioning the weather, the materials say that Sullivan lies in one of the "...most productive agricultural districts in New England..." and served with a "splendid" transportation network of coastal steamers.

The Milton Mining Company was headed by three gentlemen; Charles H. Lewis of Boston, W. O. Arnold of Bangor, and John Shoenbar.

William O. Arnold was a banker and insurance man from Bangor and died in 1904 in Boston. Arnold seems to have been involved in a number of the Sullivan mines.  He is probably best known for his house in Bangor that he built in 1855 which today is owned by Stephen King.

The president of the company was Col. Charles Hildreth Lewis.  Lewis was born outside of Bangor in Alton, ME, and died in Camden, ME. He graduated from Norwich University, a Vermont military academy in 1855, and following his graduation, he pursued a career in surveying and civil engineering in the West. At the outbreak of Lewis served in the Civil War from 1861 to 1864. Along with his brother William, Charles Lewis speculated in a number of Sullivan mines.  He was also likely responsible for installing the distinguished General Corse as the president of the Pine Tree Mine.  The two served together in several campaigns during the Civil War and participated in Sherman's March to the Sea.

At various times after the war, Lewis engaged in mining, financial affairs, and real estate. I will try to include some more in-depth information about Lewis in future posts, but at one point was a broker on the NY Stock Exchange.  He was associated at one time in marketing securities for Jay Gould, who was famous for his complex market manipulations in the era before regulations.  And earlier in his career, Lewis attempted to market a patent medicine formulated by Thomas Edison.

Edison's Polyform was described in a Canadian medical journal as seeming "...prepared on the principle that if one thing won't another will.." and "...may comprise every anesthetic known to pharmacy."

During the Sullivan mining boom, Lewis was also attempting to market land at the mouth of the Penobscot River in Stockton Springs known as the Cape Jellison Land Company, headquartered in the Mills Building on Broad Street in Manhattan.

The last man involved in the Milton mine was John Shoenbar listed as the superintendent.  Sheoenbar had also worked in mines around the country and ran the daily operations in Sullivan. Following the mining bust, Lewis and Shoenbar would team up again to launch several other ventures in the area.