The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-02


and has width Of abou, h yard. fora shsr, distance
consequence OF shifting sands at ia mouth the
quite shallow aud the OF the for several
dred yards parallel with the lake After passing the
bar the and the moderate for the
distance of mile when II becomes swift and forms
ceson of rapids for distance OF fifty miles; when the
rent again becomes gentle the stream contracted in
width, and very crooked, winding its way through lew,
wet and stony bottoms covered with alder. amarack and
the Portage occasional pine bowers appear composed OF
low sandy ridges upon each side Of the river and the
raj course Of which is southwest For the first fifty miles
composed OF excellent soil and tim.
ber and large portion Of the elevated lands border.
aug the river sandy loan Of iar quality win blrch
white pine and aspen and sometimes the maple APP
pears in extensive groves but the last or upper section OF
twenty miles Of the river the land is entirely unfit fol-
throughout the entire distance to the Portage
its head sprock appears for short distance IN the rv
and about twenty miles above its mouth, some few spe'
cnens Of found in the river, but no rsins were
observed The rocks approaching the river at this point
Der consequently but little could be done to ascertain its
direction The river throughout its entire length is filled
until the St. CroiX descended some twenty miles. The
Brle river heads IN boiling spring Of Some two in
and seventy two miles southwest from the lake This spring
Is also the head OF the St. Crox the dischagng from
1t into Salt Lake after passing southwest for one mile
1.-THE general course of the St. Croix in its descent for
distance of twenty miles is northwest after which IL
changes to the southwest for nearly its whole distance to
the Mississippi The first twenty miles the current mod
crate and the water shallow with width OF fifty 10
hundred yards aud tho land bordering the from
eighth to half mile either side marshy, and covered
with wild rice in abundance backed by tamaack and cedar
swamps After passing the Macagan which enters from the
east the whole aspect Of the country changeshe bottoms
higher and the timber burr oak, ash elm &c. and the
soil good fair quality, Occasionally the bottoms are
they fit for all the purposes ofagculture TO the Miss
sPp No rock appears in place upon the St Croix until
occurs and after passing short distance taprock
with strong evidences ofcafrying mineral veins.
fore newfoundland the falls grand rapids Of the st Crox
which the head Of steamboat navigation The proprietor
ed specimens of the sulphuret copper which he
found in that viciny and have doubt that entire
direction TO the place above mentioned viii found to
abound in the ores of copper ofgrea, practical vaue
MIR. Geo. N. Saunders, another assistant to Mr.. j.
Stockton, was charged with "the examination of
country Immediately bordering on Lake Superior,
and the Little Montreal, Eagle, and Trap rivers;'
and from his report we learn that
ION the lake SHORE the entrance to Copper harbor
the eastern side rich column of green carbonate Of
ever been reduced by miners and spectators to small
mound There is wide spar vein running from the mound
the brook conducting Lake Martha to the beautiful inland
valley lake Fanny Hooe is large vein manganese Leap
ing several precpices the dashng brook has wrought out
for itself in the ccnglomerate channel OF more than
hundred feet deep It's fine trout and romantic attractions
make it charming resort for visiters TO the barbor
along the coast from Copper harbor to the extremity Of
Keweena point about ten miles nothing
slightly conglomerate and few half starved trees The trap
rock extends into the bay most OF the distance between the
point and Little Montreal river Several wide veins of rock
ten TO fifteen per cent virgin copper Timber abundant
and the falls at the mouth Of the Montreal river give pro
from Montreal TO Portage river There six Of
the bar the mouth Of the latter river surveyed
by Major Campbel and not less than that anywhere
tween the mouth and Portage lakeon which there
eral very rich spots Of maple land Al the mouth Of Alder
situated table land nearly one hundred feet above the
level Of the lake.
Going Home stream and Trap Rock rivers about ten
miles from the Portage The hls in the vicinity very
high and abrupt Mineral indications of the most
aging character scattered these hills Some years
ago pure copper rock Of hundred and fifty pounds
The Indians estimate the distance from the mouth
of Portage river to the Portage at thirty miles They pass
in canoes from the Ansc to Lake Superior in day via
the Portage
Whenever the mineral and agricultural productions of
this section viii authorize it. propeers be employed
an reference he geology Of the country between the
Portage and Copper harbo can odd nothing the excel
lent description given by Major Campbell in his report Of
December ls43
Dor Mr. Graot the enerprlsing agent Of the company
had up to that time been entirely occupied in erecting
obtained from Nil Henshaw late president Of the com
pany, the following statement Of their oPerations
ployng fifteen mon TEry have sak one shalt siS Zee, by
ten forty feet and one shaft twenty feet They had raised
The yields twelve per metal-the
metal being alloy Of nnetyve per cent Of copper and
"he to the high ground at the head Of Gravor
and Msefere rivers is almost prerceptble Scarcely
81 S sop S1 for hs s E a s
poplar linn oak box alder ahd ash trees The trap-range
the head Of Mserere river and is dbout twenty
miles from the lake forms the highest elevation Of land
1t occasionally cut by small stream but frequent
a 70 f sS En
upon Kcweena point The gentle laving Of the water in
mineral which doubtless exist underneath. From the trap
range the highads ct the head Of the Menomonie IN
many slabs of pure copper the hills the 6tks
the ononagon varying in weight from five to fifty pounds
the department From the forks Of the ontonagon to the
mouth the soil is of deli hul fertility There is good
entrance at the mouth Of the Ononagon-from to
twelve feet water on the hnr,
From the greatest elevation here. lat Sturgeon rver
the highlands OF KeweeIa poib are full 10 sight. The
waters of the small streams almost mpsrcepbly
grass gravel bottoms Saw nothing hut large white
boulders to indicate the existence Of mineral The boul
ders were all strongly mpregnated with suphur-the blow
of hammer creating Powerful anlphurous odor
dicular fall Of fifty feet Spar veins and white houaers in
numenbe could be seen either side of the river
spar veins and white bouidefs III Sisw Tor miles around
On these high hills found very many spar veins Thinning
ing their direction north and south On the most elevated
ridges with prospect unlimited but By the circle Of the
grandeur of xhaustblc Here far from the fer
lizng warmth Of equatorial skies the earth embosoms
treasures that climates cannot affect
DAY after day travcrsed these veins seeking favorable
places for obtaining specimens could only follow them
the hills TIL they lost in the rich alluyia bot
toms; With my limited means, and broken pick could
not obtain the best specimens saw two veins each four
About eighty miles from the mouth Of the Menomonie
an nderati6n bf bne Of these ridges found vein OF
rock showing Itself At intervals for one hndred yards
through the deep rich loan The rock more friabe than
that Lake superior and win yield between thirty and
Just below IL white rapids is northandsouth vein
OF pyrtous copper, crossing the river the white spar ma
king conspicuous you pass obtained over forty va
riees of specimens, some Of which purchased from the
Indians Of the Old Gardens"
In the report of Mr. A. B. Gray, third assist
ant to Mr.. Stockton, who charged with the ex
animation Of the southern shore Of Lake uperior,
we learn that
"Durng my stay among The indians wss PARTICULAR in
procuring from them all information in regard TO Tie min
district and the character Of their country From ono
chief whose band nhabts that portion the extreme
head Of the lake Oh The 81 Louis river obtained several
beautiful specimens ofores piece Of native copper which
be had and which seemed to have been lstet cht from
larger iece was perfectly pure Of much greater tslue
than the copper OF c6mmtcc and the specimens Of the sQ
hhure OF ead galcha eqIsl to my found in Illinois
or Missouri He told that he brought them from his
part Of the country that he could load his canoe with IL
and that II found III !srge Quantities. hut would give
me no further information respecting its ieeaiyi
fur traders and others who had been through this
or 4 lead