Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-01-05
LAKESUPERIOR GOLD.
Facts and Figures About tho Precious
Mctal.
From the Ontonason Miner

From the Ontonason Miner.
John Mcclellan, one of the four
brothers who were the first to dis
cover and locate the veins, has re-
turned and furnished information
concerning the gold fields on the
north shore. They were also the
first discoveries Of the silvcr-bear-
ing veins of the north shore. The
Mcclellan boys and their family
have resided many years in Onton-
agon, and are well known, so that
their statements are perfectly re-
liable.
The veins discovered by them
are in what is known as the "Lake
ShabonGawan country" and is about
seventy-cight miles from Prince
Arthur's Landing, on Thunder Bay,
Lake Superior, which is the main
town or district Of the north
shore.
Lake Shabondawan is an inland
lake, is about thirty miles long, and
from one to five wide, and is on the
route used to travel to the Red
River country, by the Canadian
troops and immigrants. It's reach
ed by about forty-cight miles of
travel over this Government road
from the shores of Lake Superior,
and is splendid gravel road, SUI
.perior to the Government roads
generally built on the American
side.
1t is on the western end and north
shore of the lake, where the gold
discoveries have been made. The
veins are composed OF quartz, much
ofwhich is dccomposed, and barytcs
or heavy spar, and carry galena,
which of itself contains considora-
bic silver; silver glance very pure;
iron pyritcs (sulphurct Of irony and
free, or pure gold. The general
course Of the veins is east and
west and dip toward the north
They are enclosed in walls of slate,
the north being a slate with con-
siderable magnetic iron in it, while
the south is talcose slate. The
veins are very regular and well de-
fined, and were traced by Mr.. Nc
Kcllar for several miles. Some of
the sand was examined in the
streams and found to contain gold,
but whether in paying quantities or
not, they were not prepared to test,
as their principal business was to
trace and follow up veins already
discovered. The country is very
wild and broken up, and is what is
known as the '"height of land"
where the waters run toward Hud-
son Bay to the north and Lake Su-
perior OH the south, and consist
principally Of a series of ridges and
mountains of granite, with but little
timber or soil to make it an inviting
spot for habitation, or to produce
much toward sustaining mankind.
Under such circumstances we would
warn parties not to be too hasty in
rushing there at present. Wait till
next spring or summer, when the
snow is off the ground aud further
developments made. We see exag-,
gerated reports circulating all over
the country Of men washing out
from ten to twenty dollars worth of
gold per day. These are not substan-
tlated by Mr.. Kcllar, although he is
just fresh from the district. The
season is too far advanced now to
do much toward developing the
value Of the veins, but in the spring
they will be fully tested by strong
American company, consisting Of
Captain Fruc, A. H. Siblcy and
other well-known Lake Superior
men, which, Of itself, is sufficient
guarantee that the discoveries are
no humbug, but . veritable re-
Alitv.