Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-07-17
MINES AND MINING ON LAKE SUPERIOR.


the locations of ten mining companies eight of them actually
work, including nearly all that doing have done any
thing beyond exploring and proving below Eagle river
Keewenaw Point, from the Cliff and North American on thu
the Bohemian and Lac Ia Belle on the east Although
my own qualifications for estimating the value and prospects
of mines, generally specially, very slender yet having
enjoyed throughout the companonship and counsel of sci
cntfc geoog who is visiting and examining this entire
gon purely scientific MISSION Che having no interest
any mine whatever and desiring none, think may
be able to shed little light subject of great naona
as well intense personal interest At all events will try
Let me premise that nobody here, and presume, few
all qualified to judge any where, doubt affect doub
the wealth of this region in minerals but especially in cop
per- The evidence is too abundant papabe ndsputabe
1t would be rational doubt the existence of London
Germany presume there more copper embedded in Kee
wenaw Point alone than is and ready for use
throughout the world.
6 But will the existing attempts to mine copper &c or
Lake Superior prove successful " This the practical ant
lar more difficult question The safe general is
that some will and some will not though very few works will
reimburse the outlay of their propreors within one two
even three years. But this does not fairly the
question. The public interested in knowing whether
A, B. is likely to be enriched broken by his mining
operations but whether these operations in the main likely
to have such success will encourage and large
steady and increasing production of copper in this region
opening new and extensive market for the provisions of
West the manufactures of the East and the surplus labor
tue Centre guarantying home supply Of Of the
valuable and extensively used metals for which have hh
eo been mainly indebted Great Britain and South Amer
lea In the solution of this problem few humble
to have some remote if not immediate interest.
Reduced TO Its last elements the question whether the
cess OF mining on this lake is to be general only partial
simply OF time. Time was experience clearly proved
when copper could be produced here however abundant
the MATERIAL without involving the operators runous losses
lime VIII be- unquesonaby, when the metal will be turned
out here hundreds OF tons week, with increased pro-
duct from month 10 month and from year year, such
cost as will handsomely remunerae the shareholders in we'll
managed mining companies Yet if any body expects such
result this year. next, think his expectations will
be disappointed Once for ALL be it understood that do not
pretend to judge of the prospects of this that particular
enterprise If any fit to assert that his company
any particular company will realize twenty fifty two hun
dred per within years shall contradict him.
That companies will make good dividends within that
time do not question but the greater number manesy
cannot and very considerable portion cam according
10 present appearances
''Bu why not is fairly asked If the mineral is album
dan often nearly quite up the surface and Ony needs
work to bring into marketable shape and position Why
does not the proper application Of the labor the speedy
acquisition Of the copper and Of what copper will bring "
answer because, in the early stage Of mining in region
so rude as this at least ten days labor be devoted
other necessary operations to every which given
tua mining because labor food, lumber iron and every
other requisite costly here present than almost any
where else in the known world and because after the cop
per is mined, il is still very far from market and far from be-
ing marketable. Let illustrate these statements for the
benefit of those concerned.
We will suppose company have Just procured a oca-
ton three miles square, avoraby located on this point and
on which three four promising superficial indications Of
mineral have been discovered At the opening of the
an agent with half dozen miners and laborers and proper
outfit, sent up to operations arriving on the
point ordinarily from the lst the Goth of June Let us
them set to work to raise mineral and make profitable
/ business of it.
In the first place, there provisions, implements ron
POWDER CATTLE &C. to be landed without PIERS and
almost without habo ut the convenient point TO which
vessel be hired to take hem since road must be cut
and bdged thence the location The goods be land
ed in small boat ofcourse only when the lake calm cat
tie be pushed overheard and ashore through the
icecoh water The goods being secured in the same way
the team and start with the emnenty necessary
articles axng their way to the location All attempts hther-
to TO mine in the conglomerae formation which usually
stretches back four miles from the lake Shore have
proved utter failures the mineral thns scaers in de-
cendng twenty sixty feet and is lost Even in the trap
formation beyond if stratum Of conglomerae however mar
row, encountered in drifting sinking the vein is struck
dead however rich yard Previous and be ecoveredb by
drifting clear through the congomeae into the trap beyond
IT. If recovered at ALL All the really successful or promising
mining operations of which have any knowledge are thus
thrown back and half six miles inland and to
attain them roads have be made swmps creeks
ravnes, often rendered ccuous by little lakes and uniform
" Obliged to wind their way precpces of three hundred to
eight hundred iee,
This effected, the ground reached, tents pitched stores
brought forward cook installed, &c, the miners may
nence not to raise mineral any extent but prove veins
assuming that such have previously been discovered Sup
pose there the location four TO eight known VEINS
rather superficial indications Of mineral it hardly probable
that hall OF these worth working at present. if ever while
1t Is very certain that OF them far vaua-
ole than the others but which these cannot be determined
from superficial indications shafts be sunk and several
ds run on vein before It's value be approximate
~ ascertaned. Meantime winter approaches, and cabins
must be built winter stores (not meager for the very
long and appetes Keen he procured from Detroit below
and brought in ,owhch end great deal Of road work.
ing &c is essential For every days work actually done
the ground another be done OFF Of il while three four
men must bc employed in raising water and rock by wind
lass m order mat TWO may work at mining Thus at the
end OF two years company has sufficiently proved its veins
10 Know oht 70 nine adyan,ageousy, may be accounted
fortunate.
Labor commands SIS to 500 per month for ordinary pur-
poses miners have thus far received $50 per month for eight
hours work per day Hay worth Sc per in Detroit
here $50 to sac per ton potatoes average 81 2 per bushe
&c no long job these rates to eat up ten thousand
dollars.
The worst encouragement all the absence Of smelling
works or any aaiuable market for mineral company,
which has perseNced through or three years. and raised
one to three hundred tons Of valuable ore Of native metal finds
its beal assessments all expended its aborers &c. camor-
ous Tor pay and us stockholders instead Of being inclined
make further advances impatient know when they 70
come III sight OF dividend. The agents or trustees are
anxious to sell what they have raised at some rate and apply
the proceeds to the discharge OF their pressing liabilities But
how sell Where There are no Smelling Works as vet
the lake. though small experimental furnaces
put up late last fall and there is much talk OF the works
which are to be put up various points this season hope