Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-04-25
Ancient Mines.

The following very interesting &C
count of the ancient mines in the Lake
Superior mining region, we find in one
of series of letters to the Chicago
Republican. After having presented
numerous and interesting facts in rela
ton to the past and present condition
of the mines, and specializing on their
future Importance, the writer says:
We know, ON the authority of the
Book of Job, that even in his days
brass was "molten out Of the stone;"
and we know further, on the authority
of Geneses, that Tubal Cain was the
father of all the workers in brass and
metals but to which of his descend
ants are we to attribute the artificial
excavations that extend along the min
eral range for over hundred miles
west of Keweenaw Point? The EARL
est discoveries and writer's about Lake
SUPERIOR make no mention of these an
Gent workings and there is the very
strongest reason for believing that not
only was the art of mining and work
ing in copper utterly lost at that time
by the Indians who then inhabited. the
country, but that they had no tradition
of the art or the miners, and not even
any knowledge Of the nature of the
pits by which they were surrounded.
Almost all that we certainly know re-
specting these old pits, is, that they
are evidently artificial.
The workings of these ancient min
ers are found in greater number and OF
greater extent in Ontonagon county
than in any part Of the copper district
which may be accounted for from the
confguration Of the mineral range in
this county, on the southern slope Of
which, from the absence of any soil
the out-crop of the lodes is easily dis
covered. A brief notice must suffice
of the localities in which the principa
of these old pits have been found
West Of the Ontonagon river, at thu
Forrest mine, number Of pits on fou
different veins were discovered, and OF
being cleaned out, some of them wer'
found to be fourteen feet in depth. Ii
one of them, at the depth of ten feet
was found a fragment of woodel
bowl in the rim Of which were imbed
ded splintery pieces Of rock aud gray
ell, as if it had been used in bailing GU
water. At the Minnesota mine tn
lode was marked by series of ancien
pits, and, as has already been related
its discovery was owing to this circum
stance. The mass of copper which wa
found in one of these pits, at dept
of IS feet, measured ten feet long, thre
feet wide, and nearly two feet thicl
It had been hammered smooth all owe
and desperate efforts chad evidentl
been made to detach piece which wa
Joined to the main mass by nee
) which had been reduced by constar
hammering to about twelve inches
thickness. A few rods west of thes
pits, at point where one of the shat
of the National mine has since bee
j. sunk, a pit was discovered which ha
been sunk to a depth of fifty fee
while scafolding Of timber had bee
erected across the pit, down the side
which extended a continuous sheet
copper. The discovery Of the vein Q ;
- which the south workings of the Rocl
land mine have been opened. was OWN
to row of ancient pits, many OF the
of great depth, extending for over ha
mile along the southern face of IL
bluff, at the base of which are immeu
heaps of debris, or what the mine
term settle" e., the unproducti'
portions Of the vein matter. None
these workings have as yet been e.
tirely cleaned out, SO that the
depth has not been ascertained. /