New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-09-13

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LAKE SUPERIOR. Mich Sept = l-i-.
The facts | am about to narrate may seem un-
important or trivial to those who forget that a
large portion OF our vast Internal Commerce IS
daily exposed to destruction aud those employed
m 1t to death Tor want Of proper Harbors, Piers.
Brsakwaters, Sc. Those who remember how all
appropriations for such works have been defeated
under the present Administration, once by the di-
rect aud at other times by the indirect action Of
the President may regard the matter differently
"Wednesday, Aug. 3Oth, was a clear bright, bot
day-the last day Of Summer on Lake Superior.
had Just completed my hurried visit to the great
Cliff Mine, and set my face Lakcward when |
met at dusk messenger with horse for me and
word to hasten back 70 the Lake, the Propeller
was in sight on her way down from La Pointe
and Isle Royal to the Saul St. Marie. When !
reached the Lake 1t was dark the Propeller Just
coming in aud though the breeze was still mild
snd southerly, dark clouds " ere rising above the
horizon in several quarters, with lightning htiully
playing around them. The captain decided to
anchor and remain t the next noon, having con
siderable Cliff Copper to load, which the Company
we're DESTROYS to have expedited. The wind held
souiherly without rain till after midnight, when a
black squat came up, with violent though brief
rain the wind Shifting to west southwest, and
beginning to blow gale.
At SIX in the morning was startled by an nv
tation 10 get up and see the Propeller go ashore
Obeying the injunction without fully creditng the
prediction, found the matter looking somewhat
serious. The wind was high aud rising. blowing
square down the coast the sea was making ra-
pidy, and already too violent for small-boats the
Propeller ian overGrown canal-boat with a tea
kettle aud augur by way of boiler aud engnel
was rolling and pitching so that no Storage way
could be got ON her, her wheel being half the time
out of the water; and while it must be extremely
hazardous to attempt to raise sail, slip her an
chors aud get out into the open Lake, 1t was by
no means certain that she could stay where she
was On the contrary, she was said to have gone
astern since daybreak, and before \. NJ she
lost more than half her length farther by actual
observation with regard to the accuracy IF which
there could be no mistake. So we measured as
could the distance from her stern to the break
ers esst-perhsps twenty to thirty rods-dis-
i puted whether she or was not being gradn-
ally driven in shore south by the waves breaking
on her bow, and speculated on the probable effect
OF the wind working into the Northwest or
North, and SO driving her still farther in, when
she seemed already too close for safety. And
thus. with occasional observations to determine
whether her anchors held or dragged, and the
satisfaction OF seeing that they did not, wore out
the day-cloudy, squally, windy, with occasional
drizzle-and the night closed in black aud howl
ing with no prospect OF a change But the fact
that our lrusty bark had weathered the gale so
lar was worth something and when at nghtall
she worked up to her anchors in order to pay
out cable so as to secure an equal strain on the
TWO, there were some brows frightened which
had been good deal knotted up in speculations
as 10 how down country folks would make their
way down or residents get up their Winter sup
plies in our sole reliance shopid be stranded.
The night continued sQually, bu, the wind sensi
bly abated, and by morning even the sea, though
still angry. was subsiding Our good craft lay Just
where she had done since OF the last morning,
aud no longer rocked SO as to be unmanagcablc.
Her flag futtercd at masthead sgnhying that she
was going out, aud all we weary watchers took
small boats and went of tohcr-thc foremost ship
p.ag sea which covered me hike blanket batting
tie warmth. All who were in the bow were tho
roughly drenched, the weather quite unlike dog
days the water like nothing south of Baains Bay
bat Lake Superior. i had tried it the day before
when hot, but was unable to remain in it, Soon
our steam was up. then our anchors, aud leaving
the CHI Copper 10 more propitious season flor no
one OF the boats crew or passengers touched the
shore during the thirty-six hours she lay there
the Propeller put out and after touching at EAGLE
aud Copper Hsrbors, Is now bravely on her way to
the Saul where we shall anchor early To morrow
morning, though the gale has long since blown out
and been succeeded by a light breeze from the
south east
This same Eagle River Landing is one where
a commerce OF 100000 per annUm has already
sprung up 1t is likely TO grow rapidly to millions
There is no harbor here, but must be. and few
Thousand dollars would make one The little pier
which private necessity has constructed is pretty
well threshed to pieces by this storm 1t was
never approachsble by steamboat. and only
swered 70 load scows from which, IN turn, were
anloaded upon the Lake vessels-a tedious pre-
cess. and. IN view Of the exposure to storms haz-
srdous also. At Eagle Harbor an expenditure OF
$1,000 would ensure a safe haven; now the en-
trance is blind and hsz ardous that novessel dare
attempt il IN the dark gale-that is when
shelter is needed Copper Harbor is likewise
difficult Of entrance in gale know no port on
ne Lake which is nOt-and good reason; not
dollar has been expended on any Even at the
Saut there is no pier which a vessel may approach
and unload at security against being driven
over the Falls but such a rocky anchorage may
furnish. Yet the Government demands double
and qusdruple price for its Public Lands in this
sod' distant region. and is getting 1t for some OF
mem' is II not In fairness bound TO render them
accessible nc.