New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-02-09
The copper-Mine. of Lake superior.

The Copper-NIines OF Lake superi'f'
To the Editor Of The Tribune;
A letter in your paper OF the 9'h inst 'a'eu ..
Pontiac January q, evinces SO much OF an
and reprehensble spirit and IS so wen caicu'a'oa
10 defea, the very purpose Il was Pfooao'S 'e'
n accomplish By The writer that II Is matter oi
some doubt whether reply Is mol hn unnecessary
CONSUMPTION of the space allotted 10 III your paper
The ,rri,er ba,ls from distant residence and ii
Md M, he fair 10 presume that he resides In
w Work for that would imply deception that
ono or hi. prolessed integrity would not be guilty
oCi, would serve 10 throw q shade OF suspicion
over bis honesty OF purpose throughout his letter
Then il might give force 10 the presumption that his
di.rtereseduess is coven footed. and that be might
have an interest in the Cuba mines that he sought
TO depress Copper Stocks that he might avail him
self OF the depression 10 secure an Interest IN them
and fill his own pockets. 1t certainly requires an
effort TO exercise an abundance OF charity toward
a man who denouncss an enterprise so national ana
so interesting in its character, and which has already
secured the confidence and the endorsement OF some
OF the most sagacious, shrewd and sound men IN the
Nation One must attribute 10 him either W ant OF
common judgment or common honesty
The existence OF great mineral Weaith III the oop'
per Mines Of Lake Superior is now established be,
vond all doubt The Government has, Tor several
years back, appointed her Agents at no small e%-
pense and Congress are now turning Their alien
ion 20 il TO secure the titles Of the miners lands.
The Government certainly attaches some lmpor-
lance 10 this subject Eminent Biologists unite IN
their testimony in lis favor; and of the thousands,
who for the two last have visited the mines,
all seem TO be of but one opinion. IL is too late IN
the day either fax honest sceptlcsm or tor the al
fecation Of it for sinister purposes. Neither SCOTS
nor sneers retard the enterprise. Puonc alien
ton is aroused TO that great treasury OF Copper
wealth and no misrepresentation can prevent or de-
feat It's full and successful development The cop
per riches of Lake Superior is subject OF great
National interest. 1t must increase Inc Nauohal
wealth. and the benefits which II will confer upon
the Nation rise far above the mere question OF cop.
per stocks and the narrow and selfish interests OF
any one. who would make his own private interest
the standard by which any great public good Is 10
he measured.
The suspicion OF sinister motive is confirmed,
not only by his wholesale denuncation OF the enter
prise and the men engaged III II, but as II no one
connected with it should escape, DIR. Jackson gen
,eman certainly of high probi,y OF character aud
usllv distinguished in his profession and deserved
~ enioying large share OF publc confidence Is the
subject of coarse aud vulgar asperslon, which no
one with correct notions OF courtesy and proper
share of good feeling, would have resorted TO- only
when driven 10 it by necessity aud by the force OF
truth.
have no personal acquaintance with DIR. Jack
son. but his high character has commended him 10
my respect; nor am interested in his opinion OF any
particular location at Lake Superior which he may
Ii is due TO DR. j aud the public, that the writer
should come out and specify, in what DR.. D. is de-
ceived, how and in what particular, or stand con-
vicied as cowardly calumniator
The one sided and partial view which he takes OF
the subject evnces mind singularly distorted IN It's
power of perception and reasoning, heart hlled
with disappointment or goaded by some priyategrief
or actuated by some worse motive
1t is certainly no agreeable task 10 present any
one in the light in which this writer has placed hlni'
self The truth in this great enterprise should be
known, and the foregoing remarks II they SAVIOR oil
severity or want of courtesy, are so because they
seem be necessary 10 present The whole truth IN
connection with the article referred 10.
1t is proper TO say, that in this great enterprise
that promises much wealth and winch the pubic
now views with much favor. there will be frauds
practced and there will be failures and disappoin,-
men;s The unprincipled, the mpudent the ex
lravagant the unskiiu the ardent and the SAN
gune will rush into this department OF industry and
business, they do into any other that promises
such rewards aud of its history, like that OF
manufacturing or mining in lead, will be marked by
failures and by success, by losses and by gains
1t is as certain that the prudent and the skial Will
make money as that the imprudent and the extrav-
agant will lose II.
A more Inflated and unfortunate series OF blum
ders could not well have been perpetrated i'll the
same space than are to be found in the letter, in an
attempt TO contradict the facts OF the article oil the
Boston Post.
He says that fire dollars and not four dollars per
ton is necessary for raising the ore. A highly re-
sponsible aud respectable practical miner who has
spent several years at Lake Superior, and who has
been engaged III mining Tor twenty years. Is au'hori'
~ for this assertion
Blu, admit that double the amount Is required ana
that instead of six dollars, twelve should be neces.
sary for smelling, crushing, &c still the produce VIII
tie highly profitable and lucrative.
The public are greatly indebted TO the letter Tor
the valuable admission which is vouchsaied, and
that is. &" that the Cuba aud Jamaica Macs hare
been drought for gears tcth success and sn 'corh
ins them distiug uiShed business men an Neac YORK
and Boston hare been engaged. it Is grateful, IN
deed, in this desert of scepcism TO meet with one
oasis Of fath-one green spot where truth and hope
may repose
He denies that the veins vary in width from
six inches to sixteen feet Was he ever at the
Lake Superior Mines AT Eagle River the vein is
ficeaty feet ride At the Massachusetts Co. loca-
ton four feet Bohemian about the same. The
Pittsburgh Co AT Eagle River Cliffs toar' feet wide.
He saws that black oxide veins al Copper Har-
Dor six inches in width, yield over twenty live per
cent" The fact only differs from his assertion In
this, that of tue 80 tons of black oxide shipped 10
Boston, from O. 10 6S per cent was the yield II Is
little remarkable that the in. vein referred to is 5
in and that very near it. the same location Is
another promising vein OF SiI feet in width in which
they are at work which has escaped his notice en-
tirelvi On the Superior Co. location, Immediately
adjoining that OF copper haroor is VEN llNe ieet
wide, and one feet wide, yielding from 144 10 80
per cent. according 10 the best analysis.
In vein of four foot width 10 miners and Is
common laborers, with high wages. and provisions
at highest prices, will take out 10 tons per day
during the business season, VIZ. months, which
will be 1900 tons and this at 10 per cent will pro-
duce 200 900 lbs of Copper, and this at l6 cents per
To- is 81 900 Now allowing the exorbitant charge
of $40 per ton for raising. smelling &c will leave
large margin of profit OF s2s,ooo and the whole
amount of capital employed ought not TO exceed
$4,000, including the cost of the mill for crushing,
washing &c.
In a dav or two will continue the consideration
of the remarkable letter from Pontiac. y.
n NJ FARMER, Esq Tor nearly six years Edi'
tor and Joint proprietor of Onondags Standard pub
Eshed a. Syracuse has retired from that Journal and
Mr. A l. Smith his former partner, becomes sole pro-
prieor The las. issue OF the Standard brings US Mr.
Farmers vaedcIory in which he administers 10 his par