Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-09-01
Correspondence Of the Rochester Daily American
Marquette ON LAKE SUPERIOR,

Marquette ON LAKE SUPERIOR,
August II, 1855.
Hitherto the copper mines on Lake Superior
have commanded the chief attention, and have
been more fayorably and widely known than the
iron deposites in the same region but am nclin-
ed TO think the relative position of the two inter-
ests will soon be changed; and that at no distant
day the iron interest at Marquette alone, will weigh
down many times the whole copper business Of the
upper peninsula. Three material facts concur to
render this supposition probable, viz The mex
haustible supply Of iron ore, its great purity, and
the superior quality of the iron made from it. If
these three great elemehts In fact present, an
iron interest must grow up here, and that too,
within short period, Of a magnitude far beyond
anything in this country, and perhaps in the world
1t is difficult by any description, TO convey an
adequate idea Of the extent of this iron deposits.
Actual observation is necessary to full appreci-
alton Of their wonderful character. The jackson
Mountain, or more properly HILL is about fourteen
miles west from Marquette In the midst of dense
forest which was nearly inaccessible until road
was cut through and broken. This furnishes the
most satisfactory exhibition of the rock ore as the
mountain has been opened and worked, exposing
a naked ledge of blue black rock--of solid iron
rock nearly as rich in its native bed as the best
pig iron. little beyond this ledge, in the forest,
are some two or three blue black boulders Of great
the ground, to which, 1t is said an Indian con-
Quoted Mr.. Carr in 1845 to show him what he
called specimen Of the heavy stone," and upon
tree close by ii cut the name of Carr as discov-
erer, and the date. He afterwards entered mile
square, making this point the centre of his loca-
ton; and being resident of jackson, Michigan,
he and others organized the jackson Iron Com
pany, and called this the jackson Iron Mountain.
Carr was not, however, the original discoverer.
p,trfc n,anfs had oh cd
big ore as early IS l841, at various points between
the 800" and Marquette, amorg other places
above the pictured rocks" and In 1914 he, with
his son John Burt, then both engaged in the gov
eminent survey of these lands, discovered rock
at various places for seven miles upon the ridges
now known us the jackson, the Blueand, and the
Lake Superior Iron Mountains, the latter of which
is now the property OF John Burt, Heman b.
George, III. a. Samuel p. Ely.
About two miles beyond the jackson Iron
Mountain, in the Blueand, and about one mile
west of that is the Lake SUPERIOR at distance Of
seventeen miles from Marquette. These the
principal although not the only deposites Of iron
ore in the peninsula. These hills are about the
same in general appearance rising about 100 to
1870 feet and are parallel ranges rather than parts
of continuous chain. Along the foot of these
hills, and upon their sides, are bouders Of rock
ore, detached by some means from the main bed
while in other places the rock cups out, and in
others, especially Lake Superior Mountain, the
ledge is uncovered for several hundred feet in sue
cesson, literally a ledge of massive rock of I'M
known Depth for no shaft has been sunk to ascer-
tain the depth Of the deposte in width from 500 to
1000 feet, and extending with frequent outcups
on the Lake Superior Mountain along distance of
three miles,
most carefully in visiting which, a party Of us
spent two days encamped in the woods. 1t is
entirely safe to say that there Is more iron ore in
sight, needing no excavation to find it, than can be
removed in one generation, by the railroad now
being constructed for the sole purpose of carrying
il to the lake, which it will do at the rate of six
hundred tons per day.
The ore is also richer than any other found in
the United States. large portion of it will yield
from GO to so per cent, and 1t would be worth
working fit yielded but 30. Its mineral richness
is not the least singular feature in the case.
The quality remains to be considered Different
kinds Of iron are needed for mechanical purposes;
one requiring hard, another Soft one malle-
able another tenacious iron; and mixture OF
ore is very common TO secure the particular pro-
pertes sought. A tough, tenacious iron Is the
best for heavy machinery Of all knds and also for
railroad iron. TIE iron made from this ore is said
to be peculiarly tough and tenacious. 1t is said to
be the only iron which is found to be tough enough
to handle mass copper with when made into pooks.
But there Is very significant recognition of the
gravity Of this iron 70 be found in the fact that E.
K Collins has established forge here for the ex-
press purpose OF getting out iron for the machine
ry of his new ocean steamship Adriatic, now build
iRg, and he was, as am told, induced to do this
by series of experiments made upon the iron,
which resulted In establishing It's superior quality
The rock is easily blasted. At the jackson
mountain they have turned of 100 tons in sin
gle blast II Is estimated that il can be done
for 2s per ton, which Is owing 70 the brittle chat
acter OF the rock and its position above the sur
rounding surface. In its meteorological character,
believe the ore is both specular and magnetic.
The finest specimens in richness are Of the gran
dular species, but the bulk Of the ore, we have
seen the beds opened, presents surface some
what Eliminated, glistening, and silvery.
There are three small FORCES here engaged In
making charcoal iron, and good deal OF ore is
shipped from time TO time down the lake but as
yet nothing has been done in the way Of using
these vast deposites OF iron on scale commensu-
rate with their Importance They are, however,
preparing the way.
Heman b. Ely is constructing railroad to the
Lake Superior Iron Mountain, at an expense OF
some 5000, 900, and viii have some seven miles of
il in operation the present season. To-day freight
engine OF the first class the "Sebastopol," was re-
ceived from the dock and placed upon the first
division Of the road. The propietors OF the Jack
son and Cleveland Mountain have constructed
frame railroad, which win commence operations
this fall, and besides the Sharon Company who are
part owners Of the jackson mine, are constructing
an immense dock and breakwater, on which they
have, as ! am told, already expended between $40
and $4,000.
in another letter win speak of the place, the
forges and the railroad.
Yours faithfully, L. M.