New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-08-26
LAKE .sUPERIoR.



extremts Of Keveepsw Point are fast rendering
Shpps hitherto highly desirable, matters Of necessity
oe Ssut Canal low sure OF, and the whole axe
win feel lie influence from the day il s completed But
Mere are many local Improvements which cannot rnucn
longer be delayed Keweenaw Point, for instance Is
nov proved 20 be great copper mining country. a
great commercial interest is rapidly developing itsef
and the want begins TO be seriously felt OF some genera
center Of trade and exchange for it's various mines
Thus far mine or two here and mine or Two there
could transact It's egbDg business at ths that or ne
ether landing The Cliff and North American, for in-
stance could send their copper 10 Eagle River and
draw their supplies from the same pace WIN morse
teams though ridge four 10 five hundred feet high IN
teryeped These mines were then experiments and the
situation Of things did not justify the expense OF con-
irving any better means Of communication SO, too,
Conner Falls and the North Western could be
dated at Eagle HarbOr and the mines back Of Cop
per Habor have peorce been coDtented thus far with
horse track over the ridge TO that place. store at
each principal mine and few shops at each OF the little
pors have thus far answered for the absolute necess
ties Of the people, the population being small and priya
ton being readily borne. Business has not been suf
cient 10 warrant really large establishments and, SPEAK
ing generally for anything beyond such articles as are
called for daily people have had to send below For
pstance gentleman writing at another table in this
room is sending down TO Detroit for scythe and log
chain.
The necessity Of some point which shall be the center
of business Of this part oil the mining region as OntOn
aeon 10 Of the region about the river OF that name Is a
cessul ope be concentrated, vast saving would be
effected in their actual expenses besides the increased
accom- mediation which would follow.
The three rival ports on keweensw Point nov STRIVING
10 become the center of business, are Copper Harb0r
EAGLE Harbor and Eagle River. Eagle Harbor is small
hut has good depth of within yet its entrance Is
narrow very only capable OF improvement at
considerable expense At Eagle River there no har-
Dor whatsoever and If the tine pier, which Senter d.
Nspdebaura are low extending 700 feet into the lake.
should stand the ice in the spring, see not now II can
be accessible except In calm weather For copper
Harbor nature has done her best The steamboat Cap
taUs speak Of it in high terms, and declare II the best
on the South shore Of the Lake that at Grand Is
land and the only reliable one on the Point 1t Is three
miles long from East 10 West, from half mile to a
mile in width and the depth of the water given on the
chart from sixteen to thirtyone feet The entrance
broad and deep and accessible all Winds aud when once
wind that blows has power over her, as
chain of islands, points and reefs as complete
breskwaer No disnerested person, think, can stand
On the hills back of this fine little bay and not see how ad
miraby il il fitted 10 become the principal port OF TINS
region il communication at speedy. certain and
cheap were opened with the valley in which most OF the
mines lie.
Such communication a matter of some discus
sion last season, and article or two upon the subject
was admitted into the columns Of The Tribune. The
proposal at that time construct railroad through
the valleys Of the Little Montreal aud Eagle Rivers,
with ts eastern terminus at Copper Harbor In my re-
cent foot tour bther have followed the line OF the pro-
posed route and can add testimony 10 its feasibility
To those familiar with the topography Of Ke~eenaw
Point it need hardly be said that its main features de-
pend upon lofty ranges running parallel to the west
and north shore and bending that shore bends from
northea sterly to directly east, approach
the extremity.
These two ranges at distance from each other
varying from half mile to two miles, the south range
rising In places to a hight Of SS4 aud S6i feet the
nertb TO a hight nearly corresponding. OF course |
speak only OF the main lines Of hills casting out OF view
their further division here and there into ranges OF less
extent On the south side of what is here called the
north range. and looking into the uninterrupted valley
which between the two their whole length lie most
Of the principal mines. The questions arse j. Can
these miues all be accommodated with single line of
TslTOad1 and Ia there any break IN either ridge
which will allow such road to reach the lake shore'
should both questions without hesitation in the
Affirmative.
In walking from the landing 1t Copper Harbor to the
Star nine which is in the valley Of the Little Montreal
the route led the low grounds west OF beaudl ~
Nc Lake Fanny IIore, and up the Conglomerate Hll,
which forms the back ground to the view of the harbor
from the lake On the side of this hill there is natural
shelf or STEP which leads into the gorge OF the outlet OF
Lake Manganese This lake is 1876 feet above the waters
N the barbor and distant little over one and half
miles; thus making some allowance for the hight OF
Wharves, &c, offering an easy route for road at
grade something above 20 feet to the mile, much lower
tAau many grades az the east Keeping round Manga
Lake TO the East, the route would wind into
break Of the trap range which offers but obstruction,
and that easily removable, and pass into the Little Mon
n
Once within the valley the perfectly practica
BE An arm running down TO the east some six miles
would accommodate the New Lac la Belle, the Star,
Nanitou and several other mines not yet opened but
which will soon be in operation. The other arm would
pass west up the valley, by the Cape Iron City, Bluff
Aandan, North West Summit, Dana, Waterbury, Con
nectcut North Western mines, and here crossing the
swamp vhich divides the waters Of the Little Montreal
from those OF Eagle River, would pass down the east
branch Of the latter by the Eagle River aud Humboldt
(eonnected by branch of mile lengthy mines, to the
junction OF the two branches of Eagle River Thence
Up the west branch by the Eureka TO the Cliff and North
Anne, lean mines The route is also perfectly feasible,
through to Portage Lake aud onward to the proposed
Optcna gop Road The length of this arm Of the road
Ito the Cliff would BE- about ~ miles
A TO the expense OF construction though labor here
n dear tsurface hands getting readily S20per mouth
and found and al that IL must be- recolected
that freight road all that is wanted present
though Judging from the influx Of strangers this summer
apassepger car two would find ample employment, for
SEINE months in the year road that would be amply
sufficient for years might BE- constructed at very
small expense comparatively The section TO Lake
Manganese ia upon a conpOmerate which am told
easily be wrought with pick and in the valley Ii reg
ur graded road required, il could be constructed
Of the small knos Of gravel which are found at the
YOUTHS Of all the gorges III the range gentleman f
miliar with the country, with whom had
cation on the natter thinks that the better way would
~ 20 have but tile grading and the abundance of
timber the route IN constructing good portion Of
the road on piles. This he thnks would be
ncmca would tor years be all that is needed and
avoid to some extent the Inconvenience of deep suow.
What the amount OF freigbtsge would be have
liable statistics When mine is first opened there 10
htte 60 transport the necessary supplies for
II ind mi - HI