New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-07-10
m,.e.and m,nIns on Lake superior.

pIInes and Mining on Lake superior
Editorial Correspondence.
EAGLE HARBoR Lake Superior June II, a.
have now been week in this country and hav'
visited the locations OF ten Mining Companies elgn
of them actually at work, including nearly all ina
are doing or have done anything beyond exploring
and proving below Eagle Riveron Keewenaw foin'
from the Cliff and North American on the West
the Bohemian and Lac la Belle on the East Al
though my own qualifications for estimating th'
value and prospects Of mines, generally or specially
are very slender yet having enjoyed throughout IN
companionship and counsel Of scientific oeoo
gis,. who is visiting and examining this entire re
gion. on purely scientific mission lhe having ~
interest in anv mine whatever and desiring none,
think even | may be able to shed some LITTLE
light on subject Of great National as wen as IN
tense personal interest At ali events, will try
Let me premise that nobody here and presume
few at all qualified to Judge anywhere now douo
or affect to doubt the wealth Of this region IN MIN
erals. but especially in Copper The evidence IA
too abundant palpable indsputable 1t would be
as rational 10 doubt the existence OF London or Ter
many presume there is more Copper Undecided
in Keewenaw Point alone than is now in use and
ready for use throughout the world.
-. Bat will the existing attempts TO mine Cop
DER &c. on Lake Superior prove successful -
This is the practical and far more difficult ques
ton The safe general answer Is that some VII
and some will not though very few works Will re
imburse the outlay Of their proprietors within one
two. or even three years But this answer doe'
not fairly meet the question. The public are IN
terested In knowing not whether A. or Il
likely TO be enriched or broken by his mining oPe
rations. but whether these operations in the main
are likely to have such success as will encourage
and secure a large, steady and increasing produc-
ton Of Copper in this region, opening new ana
extensive market for the Provisions OF the West
the Manufactures of the East and the surplus La
Dor OF the Center, guaranteeing home supply Of
one of the -most valuable and extensively used
metals fol- which we have hitherto been mainly
indebted to Great Britain and South America In
the solution of this problem, few are so humble as
not To have some remote il not immediate interest.
Reduced to its last elements the question whether
the success of Mining this Lake is to be general
or only partial is simply one OF time Time was as
experience clearly proved, when Copper could not
be produced here, however abundant the material,
without involving the operators in ruinous losses
Time will be, unquestionaby, when the metal viii
be turred out here, hundreds OF tons in week,
with an increased product from month to month
and from year to year, ut such cost as will hand
sonely remunerate the shareholders in well man
aged Mining Companies. Yet if anybody expects
such result this year. or even next, | think hii
Ia, ted for all
be il understood that do not pretend to judge O
the prospects of this that particular enterprise
Ifany one sees lit to assert that his Company, any
particular Company, will realize twenty, fifty or tw,
hundred per cent. within two years shall not con
trsdict him That some Companies will make goo
dividends within that time, do not question bu
the greater number manifestly cannot, and a YER
considerable proportion never can. according 3
present appearances
But why not is fairly asked, IT the Miners
is abundant often nearly or quite up to the surface
and only needs work to bring it into marketable
shape aud position Why does no, the proper ap
plicstion OF the sbor insure the speedy scquisi
ton OF the Copper and of what Copper will bring
answer, Because, in the early stages OF Mimi
In region 90 rude az this at least ten days lsbo
must be devoted to other necessary operations
every one whchis given to actual Mining Becsus
Labor, Food. Lumber Iron. and every othe
requisite more costly here at present than amos
anywhere else in the known world and Because
after the Copper is mined il is still very far fror
market and far from being marketable Let m
illustrate these statements for the benefit OF thos
concerned.
We will suppose Company To have iast procur
ed q location, three miles square fsvoraby locste
on this Point and on which three OF four promisin
superficial indications Of Mineral have been discov
cred At the opening Of the season Agent wit
half a dozen Miners and Lsborers and q proper ou
1T, 10 sent up TO commence operations, arriving o
the Point. ordinarily, from the st to the goth
June Let US see them set to work to raise Mi
srsl and make profitable business of it,
In the hrs, place, there are Provisions Impl
ments Iron. Powder. Cattle, &c. to be landed on
coast without piers. and almost without hsrbor
1t the most convenient pcint 10 which q vessel CO
be hired to take them, since road must be cut al
bridged thence to the location. The goods must
landed In small boat Of course only when q
Lake Is calm Cattle must be pushed overboa
and swan ashore through the ice cold water. II
goods being secured in the same way the tea
and men start with the most imminently necesssl
articles sxing their way to the location. All 8
tempts hitherto to NINE in the Conglomerate form
ton, which usually stretches back two to foar mil,
from the Lake shore. have proved utter failures
the Mineral thns out or scsttes in descendir
twenty to sixty fee, and is lost even in the TIT
formation beyond, it stratum OF Conglomerst
however narrow. 10 encountered in drifting or Gin
ing. the vein is struck dead, however rich va
previous. and must be recovered by drifting Gle
through the Conglomerste into the Trap beyond
recovered ut all AL the really successful