Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-02
From the Lake Superior Mining News.
Copper Mines, Farming Land, Pineries,
kc.. &c.

A long period of suspense has passed, and the
mineral wealth Of Lake Superior has been thor.
oughly tried. Speculation has exhausted its re-
sources upon this country, but the actual value Of
the Lake Superior copper mines and the confidence
Of the public in them has fustained all that has
been promised.
Three mines In the 0ntonagon district alone will
be added to the dvidendpaying list during this
year, the Toltec, the Forest and the Norwich; and
from Keweenaw Point one or two others may be
added TO the list particulars Of which we win give
10 our next number.
IL Is true that much more has been done among
the mines here than could have reasonably been
expected. All have found more copper than had
been anticipated. More has been shipped TO this
port than usual notwithstanding the depression Of
the money market.
We have In our last issue given the amount Of
copper In the Ontonagon district at l. 100 tons
equal 10 1884, 900 when smelted, and in the shape
Of ingot copper In the other portions Of the cop
per region, Keweenaw Point and Portage Lake, 900
tons have been raised, worth when smelted about
S243, 900; and at the same time much ground haa
been laid open aud made available for the produc.
ton Of copper during the coming summer.
We would add one paragraph more to express
our conviction that thorough study Of Mneralogy
and Geology must most materially assist In the
prosecution Of our mines. We know that the pre-.
vious theories Of geologists have generally failed
In their application 10 this country but that Is no
source Of wonder, for when this country was first
explored, Geology, ms q science, could not be said
to have arrived 10 the age Of maturity. More has
been added TO Il since, than had ever been known
before.
The Minnesota Mine Is sending down the copper
from their landing with all possible dispatch
They have two boats which will carry about ~ or
IL tons tip each, and they make two trips
week. They viii soon have other boats on the
river. These boats are pushed by poles in the
most primitive manner, and at good deal Of cx-
pcnse, as each boat requires six or eight men
Within FIVE miles Of this village f0ntonagon)
there are upwards Of five hundred acres of land
cleared and put into crops for the coming season,
besides the clearing constituting our village proper
II Is usually thought that the country along Lake
Superior, because IL produces copper and silver,
must be rocky, barren country. On the con
tray, Il Is entirely snsgrcultural country, Inn
mediately over the richest deposits Of copper.
SO far from being productive In It's mineral
wealth alone 10 II, that the receipts Of those who
have devoted themselves to farming have beer
much greater in proportion TO their investment
than the mines.
One person, who cleared l6 acres and put Il into
oats potatoes, turnips, 6c, at expense Of about
$500, realized from the same over ~, 500 in the
first year, and the same during the next Where
can there be greater encouragement for farmers,
their land their expense Of clearing, and all more
than paid by the pvoducts of the first year.
1t IL usually thought that nothing on Lake Su.
perior is worth prosecuting but copper mines. In
this there is great mistake, for we have, besides
our agricultural resources, large country Gov
cred BY timber.
When we consider that all the funds for the
development Of this country were first called
here by the brilliancv Of our copper exhibitions,
Il is not surprising, but have vast quantities Of
pine and other kinds Of lumber between our min
eral ranges.
There has been cut on the East and Middle
branches Of the 0ntonagon river alone, 100000
Every mine, almost, has its saw-ml, to supply
its own wants but these are not included in the
above estimate.