The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-06-10
LAKE SUPERIOR.

LAKE SUPERIOR.
The statistics of measurement of this great
lake are as follows: greatest length, $50
miles greatest breadth 100 miles mean
depth $40 feet; elevation 627 feet; area in
square miles $4,000.
The physical features of the basin Of the
great lakes and the St. Lawrence river and
the influence it must exert on future moral
developments, are without parallel and his
torical precedent. 1t is an American trea-
sure-its value to be estimated less by
what it has already accomplished, than by
what it must achieve III its progress. The
western extreme of the basin of the St.
Lawrence has rcceivee n larger share than
any other portion of our country of the
valuable addition to our national riches
arising from the industry, 'igence and
wealth OF the hundreds of ands who
have recently landed on our shores 1t is
impossible to estimate the enormous and
continuous accumulation Of wealth having
its basis on the ample resources and natur-
al riches of this great western region over
which the star of American Empire seems
now to rest.
The completion Of the ship canal around
the Falls of St. Mary, has opened to the
lower lakes a navigation of fully thousand
miles. Our shipping now has continuous
sweep over waters which drain more than
one hundred thousand square mile of a re-
gIon Astounding in mineral and agricultural
wealth, which may be water borne nearly
half way across the continent It's fisheries
are eXhausteSs. Nature has developed its
mineral treasures upon a scale as grand as
its waters. Its copper mines are the most
extensive and productive in the world. The
whole southern shore abounds in copper in
vast veins of almost virgin metal, the ex-
tent of which is UNEMPLOYED and incalcul-
able. Its iron mines, near the shore of the
lake, surpass those of Sweden or Russia in
extent and IN the excellence of their ma.
terial. 1t is predicted by acute metallur-
gists, that It's silver mines, though as yet
undeveloped will one day vie with those of
Mexico. The tributary rivers Of this lake
are numerous, and, bringing down a vol.
ume Of water, afford super-abundant water
power for manufactures the most extensive
IN the world, between two of which. the
St. Louis and Nemadii-lies Superior, and
both Of these streams flow through the vast
pine regions and yearly empty their trea-
sure into Superior bay, right at our very
door. The st. Louis also furnishes a vast
water power, one almost unsurpassed on
this continent. x company has Just been
organized, with a capital Of Sl,000,000 to
improve this water power, and work on.the
same is now progressing as fast as men
can push 1t. Under this head of Lake
Superior we may quote from an official re-
port made some years ago by Hon. c. T..
Jackson, MD, at one time United States
Geoiogist and Chemist. and later Mass
achusetts State Assayer:
Lake Superior is the largest sheet of
fresh water on the face of the globe, and it
is the most remarkable of the American
lakes, not only from its magnitude, but also
from the picturesque scenery Of its borders,
and IN the interest and value attaching to
its geological features. AS a mining region
1t Is one of the most important in this
country, and is rich in veins of metallic cop
per and silver, as we'll as in the ores of
those metals. At the present moment it
may he regarded as the most valuable min
ing district in North America, with the ex-
ception only of the gold deposites of Cali
tornia.
"None of the American lakes can COM
pare with Lake Superior in healthfulness,of
climate during the summer months, and
there is no place so well calculated to re-
store the health of an invalid who has suf
tered from the depressing miasmas of the
fever-breeding soil of the southwestern
States. X
at is known that Lake Superior never
freezes i'll the middle, nor anywhere except
near It's shores, from which the ice very
rarely extends TO more than ten or fifteen
miles distance