The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-11-12

Superintendent of the South Pewaublic
Copper Mine) for himself and asso-
ciates, including among them Major
Sibley, of New York, a brother, we
think, of General Sibley, of st. Paul.
The Montreal Mining Company first
made the discovery that the island con-
tanned silver, and their agents sunk "a
shaft on the island; but these knew
little or nothing about mining, and the
water coming in upon them, further
working of their mine was abandoneda as
useless. 1t was only this last summer
that Captain F. and his company com
pleted their bargain with the Montreal
Company for the island, and secured it
by paving or agreeing to pay, S259,000
for the entire los, 900 acres. They want
Immediately to work at improving the
mine in a "workmanlike manner"
Their first step was to surround the isl
and with cribs of timber, filled with
stone, 10 serve as breakwater and ice
breaker; and within these cribs a coz
fer.dam was built, and puddled with
clay. having the effect of making the
whole interior Of the island nearly water
tight, at least from the intrusion of the
lake. The next step was to set up two
large syphon pumps worked by steam,
by which the inside was pumped dry,
or nearly so, and it has since been found
that very little working Of the pumps
daily keeps the island clear OF water
entirely. They then went TO work lay
ing bare the vein; and now have ex-
posed several feet in length, and find
it to be a true fissure vein, with per-
pendicular walls-the vein or sill
yer matrix being calcarcous spar
with some little quartz intermixed.
The vein is eight feet vide, and eye
witnesses from there state that for one
quarter Of this width it will average
seventy per cent. of pure silver. On
the first trial, after the water was got
ten out, six men took out over $50, 900
worth OF silver in four days: and up
to the latest accounts the working has
been continued at about this rate. Al
ready one hundred and twentv-three
barrels of native silver, estimated to be
worth $4,000 to 100000, have been
shipped. The yield of this mine, com
putting by the ton, is not less than
dollar to the pound The mine en-
ploys about forty men, and VIII increase
their force Immediately.
The royalty paid on this 10 the
English Government is quite small-not
exceeding onetwentieth. Eye witnesses
Of intelligence, judgment and experience
report that Captain Frew will probably
take out Of silver, up to the opening of
navigation next spring, from 81 100000
to $3,00D,0J0 in money value! The
steamer Meteor conveyed down the
lakes on her trip before last, siXty-t%o
barrels of silver. This Silver island Is
no humbug, but an actual JoNa .fds at-
fair, in which the most wonderful re-
suits have already been obtained,
and all bids fair to make it,
in yield and richness, the
most remarkable mining discov-
cry in this country for many years.
Some masses 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 eight feet in width,
is wonderfully rich, and it is from this
portion that the large silver masses are
extracted. Other rich mines Of silver
are reputed as having been found on the
main north shore in the range of the
Silver Island, and Captain Hudson, of
Portage Lake, has gone East to organ
ize a company to work them.
Much excitement exists around the
shores Of Lake Superior over this Won
derful development Of argentilerous
wealth. And doubtless, now that the
mind of the experienced mining world
in this quarter is directed to the subject,
much prospecting" will ensue and fur
Their discoveries be made. It's already
mooted in Duluth to make at effort to
reap some of the advantages from this
wealth of silver, by being its winter sup
ply point, through the construction Ola
practical wagon road ofone hundred and
fifty miles down the North Shore,
through st. Louis and Lake counties, to
the international line and beyond. The
next Minnesota Legislature will be ap
pealed to for an act authorizing State
road in that direction, and the issue Of
county bonds by Lake and st, Louis
counties for its construction.