The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1870-11-25
6lLYER II.


A WAols Zaand ef &i1ver on as NORTH Shore
-Alions Being zaksn ont-T1s Xoet Re.
narkaNe Disosssry y tie Age. 49,, =.
From the Duluth Mi,nesotiaa. OF a.
We have before alluded to the Silver Is
land on the north shore of Lake Superior
in the British Possessions, just below Thun-
der Cape, and some fifteen miles beyond Fl.
William. The island is quite small in d.
msnsions-say 100 feet by 4o-and the most
Of it is submerged at high waters small
part at one end il about eight feet above the
lake level. This island was entered by the
Montreal Mining Company a. part of q
tract embracing 1oe, 900 acres, and the is.
land was purchased of them by Capt. VIM.
B. Frow, formerly of Portage Lake, and
Superintendent of the South Powabic cop.
per mines, for himself and associates, in
cluding among them Major Sibley of New
York, a brother, we believe, of Gen. Sibley,
Of st. Paul. The Montreal Mining Co. first
made the discovery that the island contain
cd silver, and by their agents sunk shat
on the island; but these knew little or moth
ing about mining, and the water coming in
upon them, further working of their mine
was abandoned as useless. It was only last
summer that Capt F. and his company COM
plctcd their bargain with the Montreal Co.
for the island, ard secured it by paying or
agreeing to pay $25C, 900 for tho entire
los, 900 acres. They went Immediately to
work at improving the mine in ''work-
like manner" Their first step was to sur
round the island with cribs Of timber, filled
with stone, TO serve as breakwater and
ice.breakers and within these cribs Golfer
dam was built, and puddlcd with clay, hav-
ing the effect of making the whole interior
of the island nearly water tight, at least
from the intrusions If the lake. The next
step was to set up two large syphon pumps,
worked by steam, l,y which the inside was
pumped dry, or nearly so, and it has since
been found that a very little working of the
pumps daily keeps the island clear of water
entirely. Then they went to work laying
bare the vein, and now have exposed 70
feet in length and find 1t to be true fis-
sure vein, with perpendicular walls the
vein of silver ma:rix being calcarcous spar
with some little quartz intcrmixed. The
vein is eight feet wide, and eye.witncsscs
from there state that for -quaatcr of this
width it will average seventy per cent. of
pure silver. On the first trial, after the
water was gotten out, six men took out
$35, ,OCO worth of silver in four days, and
up to the latest accounts the working has
been continued at about this rate. Already
1923 barrels of native silver, estimated to be
worth 81, 600 to 500, 900, have been ship
ped. Tho yield of the mine, computed by
the ton. Is not less than . dollar to the
pound. The mine employs now about
forty men, and the company will increase
their force Immediately. .''..
II The royalty" paid On this to the Englisl,
-Eover...e.s ). -s.;.s small-not exceeding
onc-twentieth. Eyc.witnesscs of intclli-
gencc, judgment and experience report that
Captain Frew will probably take out, of
silver, up 10 the opening of navigation
next spring. from $1,000, 900 to $1,000, 900
in money value. The steamer Meteor con.
veyed down the lakes, on her trip before
last, sixty. two barrels of silver. This Sill
yer Island is no humbug, but an actual
bona tide affair, in which the most wonder
full results have already been obtained, and
all bids fair to make it in yield and rich.
ness the most remarkab mining discovery
in this country for many years. Some mas.
scs of silver went down on the Meteor larger
and heavier than man could lift. A part
Of the island vein, say two feet of the eigh,
feet in width, is wonderfully rich, and it is
from this portion that the large silver mas.
scs are extracted. Other rich mines of Gil.
yer arc reported ns having been found on
the main north shore, in the range of the
Silver Island and Capt Hodson has gonc
East to organize company to work them.