The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-25
Lake Superior Affairs.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 16, 1861.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 10, 1861.
To the Editors of the Pioneer and Democrat:
For a number of years l have been urg-
ing upon the people of Minnesota, railroads
to the city of Superior. Seven years have
elapsed since l first visited Minnesota, and
I will now be obliged to ride over 160 miles
from La Crosse to st. Paul, in a sleigh.
What the deua haze your people, or the Leg
stature, been doing for those seven gears? 1t
is disgraceful. What will the present Leg.
isature do? 1 respectfully urge the pas.
sage of joint resolution requesting
weekly mail Of the government from Supe-
rior to Grow Wing.
1 hand you few brief extracts from the
official reports of the copper and iron mines
for 1860, viz: The Ontonagon district (l5O
miles from the city Of Superior) shipped
3,774 tons of copper, Keweenaw Point
district, about 1900 tons, AID Portage
Lake district, about 5000 tons; total, 5000
tons, worth at least 100000. Margu-
cite shipped 10000 tons iron ore and 5000
tons pig iron, worth nearly 100000. Su.
perior shipped probably over 100000
feet of lumber, 100000 shingles and lath,
besides large amout of furs. fish, potatoes,
cattle from Minnesota, etc, etc. TIE ship
ments from Detroit to Lake Superior, of
products which Minnesota could easily supp
ply, are as follows, viz: cattle 1926 head,
worth there in May, 1860, $500 to 1915
per 100 pounds gross; hogs 423 head, worth
in May, 1860, s475 gross; 4,24s bales
hay, (nearly three times more than in 1857
worth in May, 1860, from 80 to Sill 90
per ton from wagons. Oats, 1888
bushels, worth in May, 1860, IS cents per
bushel; 22947 barrels of -four, butter
329, 1924, lO.9l5 bags of feed, 29,75O bush
els potatoes, corn IL, LII bushels, eggs 533
barrels, fire brick los, 1913, ETC., etc. These
figures show an increase of more than SO per
cent. over the exports of 1859. am unable
to give the exports from Cleveland, Chicago
and Milwaukee. These figures should make
your Legislature endeavor to push along
your railroad matters, drop politics, aud
look out for the agricultural interests.
Detroit is, as the steamers run, about 764
miles from Ontonsgon. Cattle arrive there
via. railroad from so to 100 miles and more
to be shipped. City of Superior is only
$50 miles, via. lake, from OntoDagon, and
St. Paul is l60 miles from Superior. So
you have from 400 to 500 miles in your
favor. The Bay Of Superior opens about
the first week in April, and trust the
Neptune will sail then with full cargo for
the mines. The ship canal opened May IL.
1860, and May 8, 1859 Judging from
these figures we should have at least three
weeks or so before the arrival of The feet
from the lower lake ports, aud the mics are
always short OF beef, iced, &C., before the
first of April. They make large contracts,
and your people should be on hand to sill
from Superior about the first week 10 April.
The largest mines are the Minnesota,
National and ROckland, of OntOuagOu.
Lake Superior Pawabecs. Quincy, Isle
Royale and Portage, OF Lake Superior /;
Pitts'g and Boston Go and Copper Falls
Co, OF Eagle River, Lake Superior am
tired of answering inquiries about the mines.
Let contractors aud drovers be ready to sail
from Superior on the first week Of AcriI.
The Superior House charges about six
dollars Der week for board, should there be
detention by adverse winds oh, Tor
railroad to Superior, and cattle, -four, oats
and bu ter would be scarce 10 st. Paul,
while gold, silver, copper, iron, white fish,
&C., would be plenty. ,.