Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-06-03

strenuous in asserting the freedom Of indus
try"
From the Pontiac Jacksonan.
THE UPPER PENINSULAR-ITS MINERAL
REGION.
The time is fresh in our memory, when
much complaint was made among those who
were esteemed true friends OF Michigan, at
the supposed i'll usage on the part Of Con-
gress, in paying US off for the disputed
tract on the Southern boundary, by so des-
olate and Improbable n region as that
which borders on Lake Superior We are
now beginning TO appreciate the true state
OF The case. The country once deemed SO
poor, seems. likely 10 prove one Of he rich
est in the world. With her mines of cop
per. silver. iron and zinc, her fish. furs
and lumber. Northern Michigan is destined
TO reach high point Of celebrity and i'm.
portance. In both present and prospective
vaIue, the 'dispu.ed tract" is not worthy
to be weighed'in the Same scales with it.
No Trunks 20 Congress, however-they
knew not the character and value Of the
TRACT of cold and sterile country they were
willing TO throw upon US, MS douceur.-
AT the time Of our admission into The Union
Northern Michigan was almos, an un.
known wilderness. Tra2pers and traders
had indeed coasted along her shores, and
even traversed some Of the Indian trails
across some Of her mountains: but the
knowledge ofall tina, constitutes her wealth,
and particularly o. her rich ores, was sum-
med up in the vague reports Of voyagers,
from which no definite conclusion could be
drawn. Almost in the outset of her career,
Michigan was so fortunate as TO secure the
services Of our cstmabIe and indefatieable
State Geologisi, who, with his trus,y corps,
commenced a scientific exploration Of that
wild and distant region. BY his preserv-
ing labors, amid the hardships and dscour-
ageinen, attending work Of this nature,
the public were at length enlightened as 10
the true character Of the mineral resources,
Of our supposed worthless Upper Peninsula
The first information of anything like a
definite nature, and which attracted public
attention TO that portion of the country, con-
solidated in d.. Hough,on's report, to the
Legislature Of lS4l. In this, the extent of
the mineral district, the character Of the
rocks and minerals, and tho position and
character of the ores were made known, as
as we'll as the cause of,he failure Of all pre-.
vious attempts at mining in that region
SOME which, though based on ample capital,
were without snch scientific direction, as
was necessary to enable the adventures to
distinguish the true position of what they
sought for.
Since the publication Of this Report, sew
eral large companies have beea forKeds and
acting on The information thus brought TO
light, have commenced operations in practi-
cal mining. Oae of these, composed most
lv Of capitalists of Boston and Detroit, have
established their place of operations on Ea,
gle river, at the vein pointed out and ex-
pIOred by the Stale Geologist, and from
which some of the richest ores Of the native
metal were obtained that we have ever SEEN
and which are to be found in the State Cab.
met at Ann Arbor.
The vein opened by this company is about
Is feet wide, and we are told that the ore
yields IL per cent ofcoppcr, mostly native
metal, in masses from the s. 70 Of a minut e
point TO l6 lbs. weight. This metal il
smelling, yields per cent Of silver. A ton
of the ore is considered at a low estimate,
TO be worth $3.50.
The Pittsburgh mining company have es
tablished themseivs at another point knows
by the geological: survey of tha, region, VIZ
Copper Harbor. The ore is here mostly q
black oxid Of that metal, yielding by analy.
sis 70 per cent of copper. The width Of
this portion of the vein is abon, two feet.
While i: is source Of congratula,ion tina,
the resources Of our Safe are becoming
thus favorablv known, it is TO be hoped thai
few Of our citizens will allow themselves to be
betrayed into adventure by the mere spirit
Of speculation. Industry and substantial en-.
lerprize, but these only, may look for reward
The time is not distant when the enter
prize Of our young State will reap the rich
reward, as she already does thu merit, OF
having opened one ofthe finest mineral re-
gions in the world. Had it 10, been for the
tardy aud ever hostile movements Of the
United States Government, that same State
enterprise would, before this time have con-
SiEuCteu sup C1HdI dIOUUu inc tdtS vi
Ste de ST. Marie, which would now have
extended the navigable chain of the grea, in
land waters almost to the sources Of the
Mississippi; an event all important to the
interests of tina, magnificent region. We
shall live, we hope. 10 see the mineral re-
gion Of Michigan, on the shores Of the great
Lake, one of the most thriving, interesting
AMI well known portions Of tile continent.
The public will be gratiied to learn that
DIR. Hougbton has again started for this scene
Of usefulness. He left Detroit last week
with company of surveyors, with whom he
intends TO spend the summer, in making ge-
o,ogical observations and bringing TO light
tie ines,imable Nellih of our Upper PENN
sular.
On the 2Sih uli.. wagon d avn by six
mules, passed through Warrenion, Missou-
ri, accompanied by number of eHigran:s