The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-11

difficulties and prospects OF those engaged IN the
enterprise of mining, &c. in that rich country:
| Extract Of letter, dated
EAGLE RIVER, Uake Superior,)
"July "a, l845.
| 81 have decided where to locate for the Union
| company, have had il examined by competent
man. and shall start with DIR. jackson tomorrow or
| next day. to commence thorough examination
| and testing of the veins of mineral upon the tract
| The location believe TO be good any other,
| not even excepting Eagle river. You can form
some little idea of the difficulties and expenses of
my undertaking, by looking on the map, and seeing
the great extent Of this mineral country and reflect
that have to travel 500 miles on this lake in an
open boat, and that it is impossible to move inch
with high wind, or in a heavy rain-depending
/ entirely on my men TO put the boat along with
oars, excepting when so fortunate as to have
moderate wind in our favor am obliged to hire
three men to row my boat at sos month; one man.
| who styles himself an explorer, and is wei ac-
quainted with the country-and, in fact, made some
of the best locations last year-at $50 month; be-
sides men for digging, blasting, splitting, &C.
beg you will write me every few days, and let me
j know what is going in the world. Mr.. Will
ams will leave here about the 18th of August with
forty or fifty thousand dollars worth of copper and
silver ore, from the Eagle river locations so both
Mr. Henshaw and himself told me this morning
''You will hear from me again in few days, in
more detail"
to lay before our readers the following communca-
ton, which has appeared in the "New York Jour
nal Of Commerce" Our correspondent thinks it is
due to the officers of the government, whose con-
duct has been harshly and hastily attacked in anoth
/ er communication to the "Union." We under
stand that letters addressed to the War Department
present General Stockton, the superintendent, in
the same favorable light that following the New
York letter does.
| Correspondence of the N. " Journal of Commerce.
| CoPPER HARBoR, Lake superior,)
i July Is, l845.
| have been here too short a time to form any
very opinion to the general character Of
the country, its prospects as to mineral treasures
Besides in arriving at clear notions the subject,
one has to be very careful in examining into facts,
for it is not always, mineral district of country,
that you implicitly rely upon all that miners tell
you. No question exists, that copper-ore veins
abound over vast extent of country, occupied by
ranges oftrap-rock, which they traverse in various
directions. But to discover and to develop them,
will be a work of labor and of time. The impene-
trable nature of the woods which cothe the trap
ridges and general surface Of the country, is great
| impeachment to exploration. Everywhere white ce-
dars are abundant as sedge-stalks on common,
and being low, sunted trees, they send off horizon
tai limbs that interlock with each other, which, COM
bined with spruce trees, birches and naples, coat
the whole landscape, to great extent with one uni
versal hedge, bidding almost defiance to human foot
| steps, To pass through it, the head and face have
| to be pressed forward through the brush limbs at
the risk of having the face and eyes wounded while
an awkward step may cause the traveller to stumble
| over fallen log, or slip down assure in the trap
rock at the risk of being crippled. So far, the most
successful explorations have been made along shore,
and up small rivers and creeks, where the water
| has laid the rocks bare. | have seen surveyors
coming in from the woods nearly stripped of their
clothing. Deer skin seems to be the only material
capable of the wear and tear of such universal
thicket.
| As far as mining operations have gone, the
| following to be the present condition of
things:
AT Eagle river, several locations are being work
ed, superintended by Colonel Gratiot, on which
from 10 to 80 men are employed. At Agate Har-
Dor, another company have commenced operations,
under the direction Of Mr.. Leonard, of New York,
in whose service Is or 20 Iaborers find employment.
The Pttsburg company at Copper Harbor, under
the superintendent of DR.. Petit have from 80 to
| 40 hands employed. Besides those, there are other
small parties at work in various directons that
il would that mining in the United States cop
| per-mines has commenced in earnest
Up to this time, the returns made to the agency,
by two of the above companies, show the following
quantities of ore
The company at Eagle river have raised 500, 900
| pounds of ore, worth not less than $40 per ton.
1
raised 1910 pounds Of the black oxide, the value of
which do not exactly know. Other companies
are arranging for the working of new leases-some
on the Ontonagon, and others the Little Mon
| trea river, and other places
| Considering that this agency is Of great inn
portance must confess was surprised to find it,
before stated SO badly located, and miserable quar-
ters provided for the superintendent. The mineral
surveyor is crowded into the top of log hut, with
space enough to stand upright, where, while
l,.l Nt,n,
| by persons crowdng in upon him. The superin-
tendeni's is about feet square, and just large
enough 10 admit table, bed, and two or three
chairs. Imagine the Inconvenience of such place,
in which TO receive people by dozens official BUSH
ness. Such quarters are dscreditable to the nation
al character of our people.
| The agency is located on narrow island, with
the broad lake on one side within 10 feet of the cabin
on the NORTH and within rod or two, on the other
side Of the waters edge, cutting of communications
from il in winter, while there is not enough timber
on il for fire. wood
II should by all means, be either removed TO
Eagle Harbor, or to the main land, near Fort Will
kins.
General Stockton in his administration of the DIFF
fcult post he occupies discharges his duties with
great promptness, fidelity and impartiaity. BY his
urbane and polite to all who visit the agen-
cy, with his amable disposition, he never fails to
win the esteem and goodwill of all who make his
acquaintance. The government has been very for
tunate in selecting him for the responsible situation
he fills. He has many men to deal WITH who try
every way, without effect, to bend him to serve their
own interests In the firm and regular discharge of
his duties, il must follow that he will gain some few
| enemies among such. IL is to be hoped that the
government will retain his valuable services. To al
fair and reasonable men, he succeeds in giving tic
most ample and complete satisfaction. IL is only
those who have attempted to force their plans in OPP
position to law, and in violation Of his positive in
s,ructions and been thwarted by him in SO doing,
that have spoken III of him in any He has
a large and respectable family, and receives the
confidence of all who know him best, as he justly
merits.
The population at present exploring and scattered
about the mineral region is supposed to amount to
above 500 persons
The water of Lake Superior, in deep places, and
especially Oft Point Keweena, is about as cold as
Croton water with dissolved ice in 1t, and tastes
-.u,, 90 ,yolt In shallow places, bays, &c. IL is