North Star Mine in Little Cottonwood Canyon

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This page was last updated on July 31, 2025.

Overview

(There were at least four different North Star mines in Utah Territory in the 1865 to 1880 period: in Little Cottonwood canyon; in Bingham canyon; near Eureka in the Tintic District; and in East canyon in the Ophir or Rush Valley District. There was also a North Star District near Beaver. Research then compares adjacent mines mentioned to determine the location.)

(During the period of 1865 to 1880, the North Star in Little Cottonwood is seldom mentioned, except as part of a list of working mines.)

(The focus of this page is to develop the history of the North Star mine as it relates to the legal battles for ownership of the nearby Emma mine.)

"The North Star was one of the very earliest claims recorded at Alta under the auspices of O. H. Congar, who was acting as an agent for the New York and Utah Prospecting and Mining Company. In the winter of 1865-66 he traveled east and sold a portion of the North Star claim to James P. Bruner of Philadelphia. Bruner sent people out to develop the mine and build a furnace to process the ore. The mine was productive, but the attempt to smelt the ore resulted in failure. Bruner gave up, but held the property. In years that followed the mine was worked sporadically, either under lease or for the owner. It was the latter situation, when a miner was not paid, that caused a suit to be filed and the mine fell into the hands of the plaintiff. It was then sold to Chicago investors who held it for several years before Joab Lawrence bought it." (Charles Keller, Faint Trails In The Wasatch No. 91, "Joab Lawrence Company and the Burgess Tunnel")

"The lode was discovered by Brain & Nicholls in 1864; they divided at the Discovery stake, Nicholls taking northward, and naming his location the North Star; Brain taking southward, adopting another name [Susquehanna], which escapes our memory just now. Nothing was done for two or three years when the North Star was sold to an Eastern company, some $22,000 worth of the stock of which Mr. Lyon got hold of in a trade. They took out considerable ore and expended a good deal of money building reducing works in 1867." (Corinne Daily Journal, June 9, 1871)

"While in this vicinity, in 1865, he [Robert B. Chisholm]I happened to be at the office of O. H. Congar, an assayer, when an old soldier named Silas Brain, now dead, brought in, for assay, some ore which he said he had found in the Little Cottonwood canyon. The ore upon assay, turned out to be so good that Chisholm remarked to Congor that there must be rich mines in that canyon, and that he had better follow the discovery up. This Congar preceded to do, taking, after a time, an assignment of the interest of Brain, and going to Philadelphia, where he sold two-thirds of the mine to a Mr. Bruner for $30,000. This mine was called the North Star, or Bruner mine. It was situated about 500 feet northwest, and up the mountain, from the spot which has since become historic as the site of the Emma." (Chicago Sun, February 20, 1876)

"The new owners of the North Star mine having put up a small furnace, proceeded to smelt a few tons of ore, but with no satisfactory results. Bruner then secured the services of Mr. E. Reese, also of Philadelphia, who came out and put up a larger furnace, in which quite an amount of ore was smelted, but, either because the surface ore was really poor, or the operators unskilled, this also proved a failure, and the enterprise was abandoned, Bruner, Reese, and everybody else leaving the canyon, and pronouncing the whole mine worthless. This was early in 1867, and in this condition affairs on the Little Cottonwood remained until the autumn of the next year [1868], not a soul remaining on the river except some saw mill men, a little below the old mine." (Chicago Sun, February 20, 1876)

"It was late in the fall of 1868 that Lyon came out from New York to look after his interests in Little Cottonwood, etc., and liking the appearance of the outcrop, of what was Brains’ location, he and Woodman and one or two others concluded to enter upon and open it. They worked together three or four days, sinking to a depth of 15 feet or so, and stripping the back of the vein for near forty feet in length. It was oxidized lead, chiefly, about two feet in width. Mr. Lyon left for New York, satisfied in his own mind that the completion of the Pacific Railroad, then building, would make it valuable property. Just as he was leaving he let a contract to Woodman to sink the shaft 50 feet, at $3 a foot, paying $75 in advance." (Corinne Daily Journal, June 9, 1871) (Lyon claimed this to be what was later the Emma mine, but it was not, since the original Brain location was northwest of where the Emma Lode was located.)

"James Bruner’s workings on the North Star claim are located about 700 feet east of the Burgess tunnel, but the claim extends in a westerly direction to the South Star claim, northwest of the Burgess. In fact, it conflicted with the South Star, so Lawrence bought the conflicted area before the Joab Lawrence Company was incorporated. The Burgess tunnel was headed into North Star ground, and at about 700 feet it struck the North Star lode, opening a new era of development and production." (Charles Keller, Faint Trails In The Wasatch No. 91, "Joab Lawrence Company and the Burgess Tunnel")

(Bruner's name isn't referenced in online newspapers as associated with the North Star mine until July 1870, which suggests that the North Star mine sat abandoned after the failure of the smelting attempt in 1867. This may also indicate that after James Lyon purchased the estate of Silas Brain at about the same time, Lyon realized that the Emma claim was not part of the Silas Brain location, and sold it to Bruner.)

(Silas Brain died in 1868, a date suggested by the date of his probate, January 21, 1869. Edmund P. Johnson, P. L. Williams, and E. D. Hoge were assigned as executors of the estate. E. P. Johnson was the principal administrator and as such, put up a $3000 bond.)

Timeline

July 2, 1867
"On the presentation to us by A. A. Hurst, Esq., of a chunk of argentiferous galena yesterday, weighing just 100 pounds. It is from the North Star Lode in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and contains exactly $34.57 in silver, by actual measurement. Prof. Reiss, who has just arrived from Philadelphia, being out only two months and ten days from there on the overland route, chiefly, takes charge of the smelting department of these mines." (Daily Union Vedette, July 2, 1967)

November 16, 1872
"Along the south side of Emma mountain, starting from the North Star, northwards. This starting point being hastily examined proved to be what is generally known as the Bruner mine, and shows well; the buildings have all been repaired and are comfortable and roomy; the works have an air of business about them and everything appears complete and in good working trim. This is said to be the oldest claim on Emma mountain which, if true, makes it one of the most valuable on account of its location; it is situated about 100 feet north of the Emma whim shaft and on the line of the Illinois Tunnel, the ore is heavy galena of about the same value as that of the Emma itself." (Utah Mining Journal, November 16, 1872)

February 6, 1873
"The North Star. - We learn that the operations which have been carried on since 1866 on this old location in Little Cottonwood, at a very large expense, have finally been rewarded with a rich success. The immense vein of carbonate ores which underlie the mountain between Little and Big Cottonwood has finally been struck, and if it does not make the North Star one of the great mines of that famous district, we are greatly mistaken. Mr. Bruner is to be congratulated." (Utah Mining Journal, February 6, 1873)

August 21, 1874
James P. Bruner was sued as owner of the North Star mine, for $1,745, with interest, being the wages for six miners beginning on November 31, 1873. The suit asked for the foreclosure of the mine on account of a "Miner's Lien." (Salt Lake Tribune, August 21, 1874)

June 21, 1875
The property of the Emma Hill Consolidated Mining Company was sold at a Marshall's Sale on the steps of the Salt Lake City court house. "All estate, right, title and interest, which the Emma Hill Consolidated Mining Company, held on the 5th and 6th days of October 1874, or may have since acquired." (Salt Lake Tribune, May 25, 1875)

(The above legal notice included an extensive list of the lodes and claims that made up the Emma Hill Consolidated company, including the North Star, at 1200 feet.)

(The list of property to be sold was amended to include 80,000 shares of the Chicago Tunnel and Mining Company, and 75,000 shares of the Vallejo Tunnel and Mining Company, both of which were held by J. W. Haskin, as Trustee. "To be sold as the property of the Emma Hill Consolidated Mining Company. - Salt Lake Tribune, June 18, 1875)

(The Emma Hill Consolidated property was sold at the Marshall's sale "at the suit of R. B. Chisholm." Until the Emma mine was sold to New York investors in January 1871, Robert B. Chisholm was one of the principal partners of the Emma mine, located adjacent to all of the Emma Hill Consolidated property.)

October 19, 1875
"The North Star mine, situated in Little Cottonwood, was sold yesterday to a Chicago company, for $100,000, and the cash therefor was banked. Messrs. Read, Nichols and Haven, were the lucky parties who sold." (Salt Lake Tribune, October 20, 1875)

November 1, 1875
"North Star is taking a rest preparatory to active service under a new administration, it having lately been sold to Chicago parties at the reported price of $100,000." (Salt Lake City Real Estate and Mining Gazette, November 1, 1875)

January 27, 1876
"There has been a rumor on the streets for the past week of a big consolidation of mining interests in Little Cottonwood, which, it is said, will engulf nearly all the mines on Emma Hill. As far as can be gathered, it is a consolidation of the Emma Hill Consolidated Mining Company's claims with the North Star mine, recently purchased by Mr. Honore, of Chicago, and others. There is no doubt that there is a powerful combination at work to effect the consolidation, with the prospect in view in the future, to eject the Vallejo, South Star and Titus and Flagstaff mines, as they are all supposed to be upon the same vein as the North Star, and within the ground claimed by it." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 27, 1876)

(Henry H. Honore, above, and Alfred Cowles, below, were both prominent Chicago businessmen, and their names are mentioned regularly in Chicago newspapers. It appears that Honore became financially embarrassed in February 1877 and there were auctions to sell numerous parcels of real estate on which he had signed promissory notes. Honore declared personal bankruptcy on July 27, 1877. Although not mentioned, his ownership of the North Star mine in Utah may have passed to Cowles at that time.)

August 20, 1880
"The North Star Sold. - On Wednesday the North Star Mine, adjoining the old Vallejo, or Joab Lawrence property, in Little Cottonwood Canyon, was bought in by Mr. Joab Lawrence. Mr. Lawrence paid the sum of $5,000 for working this mine for one year, and at the same time bonded it for $50,000 to purchase within one year. The period being up on Wednesday, or thereabouts, the sum was paid over, but that it was $50,000 is a matter of doubt. The belief is that the actual sum paid was nearly one-half less. Mr. Alfred Cowles of Chicago, was the owner of the North Star. Another mine is added to the Joab Lawrence group." (Salt Lake Herald, August 20, 1880)

September 2, 1880
"The following Utah patents were issued from the General Land Office in Washington on the 28th ult.: The claim of Alfred Cowles upon the North Star lode, Little Cottonwood Mining District, Salt lake County." (The Silver Reef Miner, September 2, 1880)

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