The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-09-24
tueient Mi.t"g ." superior.


Montreal, we noticed the following report,
Of the contents Of paper read by Cot
Chas Wbittlescy, Of Cleveland, concerning
ancient mining operations IN the Lake Su.
peror country. This subject IA one Of
much general interest, and VIC subjoin the
newspaper report
Col. Chas. Whttlcaey, Of Cleveland,
spoke on the ancient mining operations Of
Lake Superior. A remarkable object IN
the geography Of Lake Superior n Point
Kewcnaw, extending out into the like soIno
20 miles, in form like the leak Of an eagle.
The spine of this peninsula h elevated some
five or six hundred feet composed Of cop.
per bearing rock, which extends 70 All az
gregmtc length Of leo miles In very m
Gent periods Of time mining was carried on
, exleasixcly sLong this ranga. and excaya.
iions have been found two miles long aud
from 20 to 30 feet dep This mining wa'
by open cuts like quarrics, for the miner
had no means Of penetrating deeply into
tho earth, nor means Of raising large mass
~, had they 40 penetrated The copper
found there is well known TO exist IN iis ma
tive form, and in mnsses from minute speci-
mems To those of 500 tons. The implements
and tools made by them OF this metal, were
constructed without melting il, by simply
beating il into form IN ia cold state, ahd
there nrc no signs whatever that they had
any IDEA Of melting copper. IhSir mode
Of mining was 10 build fires 10 soften the
rock, and then break out pieces Of metal by
means Of large stone hammers masses OF
five or six tons are found from which pie
ces have been beatca. and tho rest left in
place.
At the Minnesota mine those miners had
gone down in one place 20 feet. and recent
ly. upon opening their excavation. u mass
was found. which had been raised upon ski,ls
by means of wedges. weighing q tuns. The
opening hid been filed up by rubbish IA the
miners ndyancc,l, and thus with the accamu-
lation OF centuries in addition Il was not caaly
pcrccplible. Trees Of full growth covered il
when again found. and the proof that this
wn real excavation for mining purposes
WIS afforded by burnt wood, stone ham
mers. and the like. This is n sample Of those
ancient works scattered along line Of 90
nik~ some few cavities have been found
like u room. in the face Of rocky bluils--
places where doan Incn could easily work
The mcrs' tools wero hammer. Of hard
stone, 3 10 % pounds in weight; wooden
shoycls " cedar, used for scraping dirt. a.
shown by the form 10 which they are worn;
coppr Implements likc the quarryman's
GAL. to he used IA cold 81 isca, driven by the
stone manls, SPEAR heads, copper knives ami
chisels, and the like Upon blocks OF tim
t.,... AL 90. h. Ia hee ia,
and chlscs.
These tools ami marks they have left give
hint toward proving the connection Of the
people who mined that copper, with the All
cien, Mexcans for the copper tools, as dc.
pieted in squire 4 Davis work. correspond
to those Of Lake Superior. Again, when
Col. W. frat saw the cuts upon the timber
at the Lake. he saw at once they must have
been made by an instrument like the copper
axe OF the Ohio mounds. Another fact was
noted. that in the copper tools found in the
Clio, are Scn spots OF native siiver-a well
known fact in relation to Lake copper and
this proves both that tho Ohio people Of the
Mound Epoch did not poss'Ss the art Of
smelling copper. clsc the silver would have
been melted and that they did derive their
copper from the lake. Now, squire work
ecnls to prove the Mexican and Ohio race
OF people the same the forms Of their
mounds, pyramids, Ac.. being the same,
l,ads 10 this interference amt thcss acts
equally tend to show the dentity Of the mi
ntrs OF Lake Superior,
In regard to the period wh,u the mining
operation was IN progrss, he SAID that the
timber growing IN the excavations Is OF full
sire and age He had counted $50 rings 81
annual growth. But tins docs not carry
Va back as Tar a. W. can go with SAFETY
Thcr is plenty Of evidence that these an
cicnt tries are ol second growth. at least
since the mines were deserted. This carries
us back At least too years. IL must. how
ever. not be forgot On, that the same species
Of tree does not immediately succeed, but
otls;s take tie place, The miner. OF course
mus, have ca, the timber, AMI thus We may
with confidence carry back our date 10 a
thousand or twelve hundrd years age.
Again. judging from the amount uf work
done. and their want OF facilities. their la
Dor must have extended through u period
Of five hundred YEARS From the act tina,
no remains Of houses IN that severe climate
arr found, no reads vr other improvements
made by pcrmanen, inhabitants, the conclu'
sion seems inevitable that the mines were
wrought only in the summer, and that by
some people who came hi,hsr Tor The par
pose, and departed with the approach Of
winter, The people. he is of opinl1u dwelt
In Ohio. The mounds and mlucs arr of the
SAME aye. The Indians of our age could
psSf lnN "a. i..n n hal min. h..s. hoo
tradition whatever relating TO tie mines.
Another gentleman DESCRIBES put ON
Portage Lake, twelve Ia fifteen ket docp,
wherc chtseis, many stone hammers, stones
used for Sharpening ga,k, skid charrcd by
6rv, &c. were found In this pit irc
with four handr~d annual circulars were
growing. lie concurrd iuDy in Co. VS.
CONCLUSIONS.