Lyon Mountain..
The Town That Refuses to Die...
page 3
[changeh.jpg]
Until June 1967, 250 men placed their work clothes on the chains
in this "change house".
Later only 65 workers employed in a salvage operation leave their
clothes to dry here.
[cavein.jpg]
A cave-in on the "watercourse" (evd at 985 feet underground. The
ceiling is covered with a fungus resembling white cotton candy.
[chains6.jpg]
Above, Allen Caswellstands by the electric hoist miners use to
put a car back on the rails, lift crusher jaws, etc.
[floyd1.jpg]
Floyd Conley wears the miner's hat that may be his only
source of light while he works hundreds of feet underground.
[fsutton.jpg]
Fred Sutton, former miner, now has time to hoe his garden, and
to pass the time of day with a neighbor.
[lyoneats.jpg]
The only diner in town has closed its doors, along with the only
grocery store,
the only dry goods store, and the only doctor's office.
[manskip.jpg]
The "man skip" is the only elevator Chateaugay miners use.
From left are Floyd Conley, Allen Caswell, and Clifford Ducharme.
[mushrms.jpg]
On the "watercourse" level, mushrooms sprout from the floor.
There has been no ore from this level for many years
[pulley1.jpg]
The camera captures the scope of the now silent mining complex.
[oresand.jpg]
Floyd Brooks, left, and Clifford Ducharme look out at the huge
pile of ore sand
reportedly worth more than 1 million dollars if buyers can be found.
[rrsta67.jpg]
The old railroad station is combination Post Office and tavern
(1967).
The only train Lyon Mountain saw then was an occasional freight
for salvage operation.
[stbern67.jpg]
Polish influence can be seen in the steeple of St. Bernard's
Catholic Church,
one of the two churches in Lyon Mountain.
[mchurch.jpg]
1967 photo of the Methodist Church.
[washday.jpg]
Joan Round's husband is a correction officer at Dannemora State
Prison,
but she still does not escape the black mountain at her back door.
[trampg6.jpg]
This locomotive used to haul muck to the ore chutes, where it was
dumped into the crusher.
It is used only in the salvage operation now.
Article by Jean Rausch
Photos by Dick Bandy
Rod Bigelow
Box 13 Chazy Lake
Dannemora, N.Y. 12929
rodbigelow@netzero.net 
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