The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1871-11-08
LAKE xNEEPIcoN
Tho Latest Discoveries Arour
inland Sea.

Inland sea.
[From the Houghton (Mich.) Gazet
For many generations Lake Neepi
been known only to the traders, 4
and Indians In the employ Of the
Bay Company. The policy of this,
fur companies, has been to exclude
ments and explorations. 1t is noI
than five years since the mystery il
Lake Neepigon had been so long enI
began to be dissipated by actual 4
The fur company have had tradin
there about two centuries, and theii|
have come out annually to Lake s.
and Fort William but they brough
ographical knowledge with them.
cared for geography, their lips wer
to this subject by the interests of Il
PlOyers, whose will is to them
law.
The general impression has bet
Lake Neepigon is located about
miles north Of Lake Superior, aE3 q
as large as Lake Erie.
During the past three years the 4
ment Of Canada has been extending
veys in the public lands along iii
shore of Lake Superior, past Fort !
toward the Red River country. n
rick, one of the Provincial surveyor
a traverse of the Neepigon river in Il
found the distance to the lake to
right line less than thirty miles. Il
instead of lying east and west two b
miles in length, has its longest d
north and south seventy miles, its
east and west being fifty miles. It'd
above Lake Superior is determined d
imately 3l3 feet or 800 above the ocej
In 1869 Robert Bell, an assistant
gist and engineer Of the Canada sur
company with Surveyor McKellor
the circuit of Lake Neepigon, expl
geographically and geoiOgically.
the reports and maps Of these bold
ers, which are before us, we are Gull
material for this article. 1t is deci0
lief to know the truth about every c
Lake Neepigon is accessible, and
it a valuable country. n
shore line of about five hundred and
miles of navigable water, and proba
thousand islands. Its waters are Gle.
and pure, and its outlet the largest
Lake Superior. A large part of the
such as produces copper. Messrs. e
McKellOr were directed to experiI
reference to q railway from the m
the NeepigOn toward the sitting su
found no obstacles in distance of Oh
dred miles in that direction. From
at the foot of the first cred
it is only twelve miles to a southern
Neepigon by land. Near the sauthJ
angle of the lake at Grand Bay, wi
q few feet of elevation between th,
Black Sturgeon river has its rise. I'll
betwesn them is so narrow and so Id
in a high stage of the lakes the wat
pear to flow over the intervening
from the lake into the head of the
Neepigon, in Chippewa, signifies do
clear water.
When the party reached the head
river at the lake it was divided. N
kellOr followed the right-hand or
shore, and Mr.. Bell the western.
in canoes, Indian fashion,
the courses with theodolits and 4
lance with mIcrOmerre. Tney aisd
for latitude and lOhgitud
the end of eight weeks they met
northern extremity of the lake, hav;
pleasant and prosperous journeys.
tude Of the northern extremity is
yrees Is minutes north. Its surSSd
ire less mountainous than Ike 81
TO the north, between Neepigon an
'on Bay, the country is represented
Indians to be comparatively level.
The Ombabika River, coming
hat direction, heads with the Alba
+, which discharges into salt "
Tames' Bay, and between them is 81
o be a fiat limestone region. Thi
f the routes of the Hudson Bay Cd
o their posts on Hudson Bay.
Southwest of Lake Neepigon, bet
nd Thunder Bay of Lake Superit
ountry is represented as capable d
alton, and the climate the counteJ
quebec. Thence westerly to lake
eg and the Red River, the coun
ONES more level. The drier part VI
uce wheat, and the clay land rye,
nd oats. Grass and vegetables are
est kind, as has been shown by
nd pictures Of the Hudson Bay Cd
DR. the past one hundred years. If
part of the United States, the Ne
nd Red River country would no loI
desert, producing nothing but W
lals and wild men.