The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-21


Indeed this combination frequently occurred a
various sections Of the coast-beginnDg, rst, soms
miles west Of the Portage.
From Copper harbor TO Agate harbor is called
!, miles; to Eagle river, 20 miles; to the Portage
40 miles; 10 the 0ntonagon so miles; 10 La Pointe
: from Copper harbor, 40 miles. From the latter
place the river Brule is about 10 miles; up which
we expect 10 ascend for IS miles, make portage OF
three miles 10 the 81. Croix river and descend that
for 800 miles to the Mississippi river.
Going back 10 Eagle river, at the time of our visit
we found at the mine Mr. Henshaw, Mr.. Will
lians, and DIR. Jackson of Boston, and DR. Hough-
ton Of Michigan, who was passing from Copper
harbor to meet his men at his principal camp on
Portage river, which he expected TO reach that
night The doctor is making rapid and thorough
survey Of the country. This work he is conducting
i in duplicate manner, under the authority of the
i United States government. Ii is both Topographic
cal and geological survey. All his surveyors carry
sacks, into which they put pieces of rock broken
I from every prominent mass they see, and carry
q into camp at night, for the doctors examination,
from which he selects specimens for future use,
The doctor, from possessing extraordinary strength
Of constitutions can undergo exposure and fatigue
/ sufficient to break down some of the hardest men
that can be found in the West. He wears his beard
as long as Dunkard's; has coat and patched
! pants mrde of bed ticking wears a fiat-crowned,
ash-colored wool hat, and piece Of small hemp
cord for guard chain; and, with two half-breed In
4 dams and small dog as companions, embarks in
small bark, moving and travelling along the lake
| shore with great CELEBRITY.
| We all sat down TO dinner together, by invitation
Of Mr. Williams, and ate heartily of good, whole
some fare.
| After dinner we paid visit to the shafts at the
mine, sunk to a considerable depth in two three
places. Only few men were at work on one OF
| the shafts; the others seemed to be employed on
the saw-mill erecting near the mouth of the river.
Others at work in cutting timber, &c.
i They had also crushing-mill in a state of for
wardness, near the mine.
i 1t is what has been said and put forth about the
value ofthis mineral deposite, which has done more
to ncite and feed the copper fever than all other
things put together
| DIR. Jackson was up here last year, and has this
year come up again in the service Of the company.
| Without going very far to explore the country else
where, he has certainly been heard TO make some
very extrayagant declarations about this mine,--
such that he considered it north million Of dol
iars;n that some of the raised 'sworth
/ $1,000 or $4,000 per ton!n So extravagant have
been the talk and calculations about this mine that
shares Tin its brief ease) have been sod II is said
for $500 per share--or more Perhaps! No doubt,
many members Of the company are sincere, and
actually believe the mine to be immensely valuable.
Mr.. Williams and General Wilson, both stock
| holders, strike trade between themselves One
agrees offers to give the other $4,000 for his
interest, which the other consents to take. This
transaction, under some mysterious arrangement,
appears in the newspapers, and is widely copied
/ Without wishing to give opinion to the
value and permanently of this mine, lin which many
persons have become, probably, seriously inyolved,)
even were ! as well qualified to do so some 9TH
ers, can only state what the views of some sci
entifc and practical gentlemen with whom fell in
while in the country, who were from the eastern
cities, and carefully examined the famous Eagle
river silver and copper mine. do not alude TO
Dr. Houghton; for he declines to give opinion to
any one about any part of the country.
| saw inn ia den ina ofu oil
yer and copper in pure traprock, and no vein at ALL
that il presents the appearance of these metals being
mingled broadcast in the of tap-rock; that, in
sinking shaft, the constant danger is, that while
a few successive blasts may bring up very rich
specimens of the metals, the succeeding blast
] or stroke of the pick-axe may bring up nothing
but plain rock. In other words, that in all such
deposite mines, including dispositions of diffnsed
particles of native metals, there is certainty in
their PERMANENT character. How far this mine will
extend through the trap, or how long il will hold
out, is matter of uncertainty. Indeed, time alone
| will show.
1t is said metallic veins are most apt to be found
| in permanent form where the mountain limestone
| and trap come in contact.
| have no prejudice against the country, or any
parties whatever My object is to find out and tell
| the truth. sincerely wish the whole mineral dis
trict, and the Eagle mine in particular, rich
as it has been represented to be. should like to
see such vast mineral wealth MS it has been held
| Unless DIR. Petit has succeeded in fixing the
| vein Of black oxide in the side Of the mountain or
hill, it is believed by good judges that permanent
rein has yet been discovered, far has 10 their
knowledge, in the counryii That much of the con-
glomerate and trap-rock sections of the country,
however, presents strong indications and widely diff
fused Appearances of silver and copper Ores cannot
be denied; and from the great number of active
persons engaged in making explorations, it is possi-
ble if not probable, that valuable veins NAV be dis
| cove in I'M Of he cnu nfru
| To find such out, however, if they exist, unless
by accident, must be the work of time and labor
perhaps Of yearsas the interior is exceedingly diff
fcult or rather almost impossible, to examine, on
| account of the impenetrable nature Of the woods.
| During our long and tedious journey, we were ia
vored with good deal Of fine weather. We how
experienced, first and last, five or six thunder
storms, and some tolerably severe gales.
| Coasting for such great length, and camping out
at night, was not without some trials and odd Incl
dents--mixed with some considerable hardshps.
| On the night before we reached La Pointe, we
camped on rough pebby beach, some six or eight
miles east Of Montreal river, under the lea Of some
high clay cliffs, We kindled our fire on what app
peared to be clear bed of rather large and rounded
stones, at the mouth of gorge in the cliffs
Next morning early, the fire was rekindled at the
same spot, although rain had fallen in the
night il being still cloudy, and heavy thunder roll
ing, indicating an approaching storm. had placed
some potatoes in the fire TO roast while some of the
voyageurs getting other things ready for break
! fast; but before we could get anything done, the
i rain came down upon us in torrents. We soon dis
covered that we had kindled our fire in the bed of
a wet weather creek. The water rapidly rose
put out the fire, and washed away my potatoes.
4 We had then to kindle a new fire at higher
4 place, which commenced at the end of q small
crooked log. One of the voyageurs had set the
i fryng-pan on the fire with Indian pone or cake
inch thick and large enough to cover the bottom
it. The under side had begun to bake; another
h.,1 Had ,xynIt ~ ,1l.n ..I.