In 1903 the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway was under construction across Canada, to help colonize the north. Fred LaRose was a worker who found an unpleasant surprise when he went to eat his lunch. A fox had decided to eat it first. To make matters worse, the fox made a habit of frequenting LaRose's lunch, leaving a frustrated LaRose hungry. Then, one day in mid-September, LaRose spied the furry thief and hurled his hammer at the fox. His aim was off, or the fox was too quick. Instead the hammer hit rock and broke off a piece, revealing something unexpected: a vein of silver.
The discovery made headlines and Canada's mining industry was born. The Cobalt mines produced an astonishing yield of 460 million ounces of silver, far greater than that of gold in the Klondike during its ninety year run. Finally, in the 1990s, the silver ran out.
LaRose made a million dollars with his role in the find. There is no word on any compensation the fox received.
-Professor Walter
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