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History of MGHS  |
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Winters in Marquette can be far from pleasant, but the first winter for the village of New Worcester was almost its last. Supplies to carry the settlers over the winter were long overdue - the schooner SWALLOW, ladened with tools, food, and other necessities had not arrived by December, and the citizens were facing a long winter on starvation rations. The situation was bad enough that the last group of immigrants had started walking back to Milwaukee, rather then putting the entire community at risk. A Chippewa brought word that the SWALLOW was moored in L'Anse, having bypassed Marquette during a storm. Immediate action was taken. A runner was sent to catch up with the German immigrants, who then returned to Marquette. Captain Sam Moody and James Broadbent left for L'Anse on snowshoes in an attempt to secure the supplies. Reaching L'Anse three days later, they found the SWALLOW locked in ice and unable to sail. Another ship, the SISCOWIT, was also in harbor. Captain Moody commandeered the SISCOWIT at gunpoint, loaded the supplies from the SWALLOW, had a two mile channel cut through the harbor ice to open water, and sailed off for Marquette in a blinding snow squall. On Christmas Day the astonished citizens of New Worcester were treated to the site of a listing, ice-ladened SISCOWIT limping into the lower harbor with her precious cargo. The majority of the town turned out to unload her. An attempt to winter the SISCOWIT in a protected slough near the mouth of the Chocolay River resulted in her being beached and abandoned. She lies buried in the sand there to this day. Having survived Marquette's first epidemic and winter, Dr. Rogers, the town's first physician, left for Chicago after a year. The Reverend Dr. Josiah Morse, a physician and Congregational minister, was then hired by Amos Harlow as the Marquette Iron Company physician in 1850. Dr. Morse also started the first formal school in Marquette, having a total of four children in class. Several other physicians - Dr. J. S. Livermore and Dr. James J. St. Clair among the most prominent - came to Marquette in private practice, as investors or entrepreneurs, or as company physicians. Because of their remote locations, early mines were compelled to hire company physicians. While the companies motives may have been self interest - an injured or sick worker was an unproductive drain on the company - this system brought an advanced level of health care to the U.P. citizens. Typically, the company plan followed the format used in Cornwall, England, the home of many of the miners. A set sum of money was deducted from each miner's monthly pay and given to the physician. The miners were then eligible for free medical care for anything from common colds to major injuries. While physicians provided medical care and medications, there were no nurses in the U.P. at that time - married men were cared for in their homes by family members, while single men were treated in the company hospital or infirmary. Most mines had benefit lodges or societies to provide some family income while the injured worker recovered.
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Patient
Rooms Direct Dialing - (906) 225-3(Room#). Room #'s: 233-245, 374-390, 501-527, & 601-827 |
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