Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-09-02


been developed at all, into contact with
the commerce and travel of the lakes.
A pleasant ride, between heavily wood
ed shores, in the course of an hour
brings us in sight of a group of build
ings far ahead on the right, struggling
up the steep ascent. Passing bold head
land, which obstructs the view to the
left, we find the lofty hills stripped of
their beautiful growth of birch, aspen
and evergreen; and along the rocky
knobs on either side, are mingled for a
distance of mile, tasteful dwellings
and dingy shanties, smoking furnaces
and belfried churches, which disappear
finally beyond the hills /; while in
the midst of. all, running from the
shore to the summit, is a. row OF
dressed up derricks pretentiouslySsport
ing oad-brimmed hats. These prove
to be g shaft-houses, and contain ma
chinery for hosting the rock from the
vein below, whose course is indicated
by their position. Here are two princi-
pie villages lying on the lake-Hancock
and Houghton-which,t together with the
collections about the adjacent mining
districts, three miles back on either
side. are said to contain a population OF
10000. And these thriving towns have
been built up mainly within seven years,
simply by the copper deposits over
which they stand. If these should fail,
the busy swarm of people would disap-
pear as utterly as their predecessors,
who, in. their rude way, dug out copper
here more than five centuries ago and
the costly and ingenious evidences of
their activity, enterprise and skill,
would also almost as completely pass
away as have those of their rude and
despised predecessors. Here are alto
gether twenty-four mining companies,
which, at a moderate estimate, have
spent $1,000, 600 in merely developing
their mines. Six or seven of these may
be regarded as frst-class mines, one of
which has expended within three years
near half a million of dollars In perma-
nent improvements. A grand total of
4, 500 tons of ingot copper will be-sent
to market the present year, on the min
ing and manufacture of which will be
laid out here on the ground 50, 100, 900,
and which will bring at present prices
g, SOC, 900. .l asa go nvE $685.
I am impressed not so much with the
present productiveness of this region
and the magnitude of its comm rec, as
with the possibilities which an exami-
nation, somewhat prOtracted and atten-
tive of its resources, reveals. There is
no where a sign of exhaustion of any
vein that has been fairly worked; some
promising ones have not ben worked
at all; while new tracks have been
opened up on all the old veins, and new
veins of extraordinary richness, though
of theological CHARACTER, now and then
somewhat startling to the geological
pedant, have been opened up. have
no doubt that Hancock and Houghton
| will soon become the second cities in
population, productive industry and
commerce in the State, and in another
seven years increase their tonnage (last
year 30,O0O) to the region of the hun
| dred thousands. Some whom / have
met fail to be impressed with the-com-
mercial Importance of this region, after
leaving Marquette, which has shipped
from the dock the past year 24S, 900
tons of iron ore. 1t must be borne in
mind, however, that one ton of ingot
copper represents twenty tons of pig
iron. The amount of capital invested
in Marquette county, as estimated at
the close of last year, was 1000, 600,
which is probably less than that invest
ed here; and the expensiveness of OPP
erations in copper mining may be
inferred from the fact that the total
of imports at Portage lake for 1864 were
S2,000,000. To give these copper
mines development comparable with
that already obtained in the iron region,
if such q standard may be adopted,
would require, at the least, five millions
more capital,-an outlay which the
known resources of the Portage district
warrant and imperatively demand.
There are half dozen mines here,
which iudicious and energetic expend-
iture of $4,000 would raise to the rank
of dividend paying mines within year,
and which would thus be placed only
on the same relative basis as the leading
iron mines. 1t is only in one or two
exceptional cases that copper mines are
placed at reliable dividend paying
basis at less outlay than from $500, 000
to $1,000 1t is therefore manifestly
incorrect to suppose that because the
copper district does not give employ
ment to the same tonnage as the iron
district, it is less prosperous or import.
ant. 1t is incompatible with the pur-
pose Of the present letter to attempt
any elaborate exposition of the product.
i've resources of the copper range; ]
have made the foregoing observations
merely to give force to the general state,
ment that, taking its aggregate product
iveness into the account, the condition
of the peninsula was never better, and
considering the large amount of ground
being opened, both at the old mines
and new locations on well-tested veins,
itsprospects were never fairer.
Selecting C0ws.-First, / get broad
side view of the animal, at distance oil
about two rods, as l have noticed for
years that there is a great similarity in
the general proportions of all first class
mixers; being very small in girth just
back of their forward legs as compared
with the girth just forward of their hips.
have never known first rate mixer
not thus proportioned; so that il
this form is wanting in an animal
L have recommended to me, I dc
not care to look at her more, unless ]
want breeder for some other purpose
than the dairy. For breeding oxen ]
should want a COW of reverse proper
tions, i. e., larger girth forward.
next feel the size of the milk veins,
and trace them to their entrance into
the chest, which, in superior COWS, are