Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-25

in its immediate vicinity. or in the
extension of the rock upheaval characters
tic of the section in which it is Embedded,
and which is we'll defined in its course
across the continent, was generally dis
credited, though there were not wanting
those who had faith that in addition
to copper, both silver and
iron would yet be found
and developed in paying quantities in the
Immediate Lake Superior region.
SILVER MINES.
Among those who have been most per-
sistent in maintaining the existence in this
section of silver and iron in paying guam
titles, is Major L. M. Newson, of this city,
and by visit to his Office one will be given
look at rich specimens of silver quartz
from Lake Vermilion, some seventy seven
miles inland to the north from the head of
the lake, surface out-cropping, which he
secured some fourteen years ago. The
major will also show the visitor equally rich
specimens, gathered by himself at Pokeg-
ema Falls, showing the continuance of the
vein westward, as we'll as many other spec
linens gathered from different points in
northern Minnesota. Old settlers will re-
member how enthusiastically the major
used TO talk back in those days of fourteen
years ago, of these mineral deposits, and
of the untold wealth there was to be had
by the opening up and development of
mines. But the ma or was premature, the
country was too young, and too poor, and
the great wheat land boom had not COM
menced and attracted to the country the
eyes of the world. But he has lived to see
his claims partially verified by seeing a
silver mine opened on Silver island in
Lake Superior with, it is claimed, the larg-
est deposit of silver in the known world,
and from which more than S13.O0O,O00
worth of ore has been taken out in the
comparatively short time the mine has
been operated.
GOLD AND SILVER.
But it is not alone upon Silver island
that silver ore in paying quantities is
found in this region. From a prospectus
sent to Secretary Young, of the state
board of immigration, we find that a COM
pany calling itself the Winnipeg Consoli-
dated Gold Mining company, with CAPT
tai of $1,000,000, has commenced opera
tions on the east shore of the Lake of the
Woods, some sixteen miles east of the
town of Rat Portage. Manitoba. The
mineral belt upon which the company is
operating, crosses the lake in nearly a
straight o line running northeasterly,
as the same lodes or veins of quartz
are said to be found upon
different islands and upon the main land.
The belt is supposed to be six or seven
bn
this summer the deposit here OF mineral in
paying quantities was almost universally
doubted, and no interest was taken in the
properties except by few old miners who
had a knowledge of their values. This
year, however, a great change has taken
place and several experts have made ex-
haustive Investigations into the mining
properties of the region, ali coming to the
conclusion that the mineral wealth OF the
country cannot be overestimated." The
ore is claimed to be principally free mill
ing gold, but all the assays made show
strong tracing of silver, varying in differ
ent localities. AS to future operations the
prospectus says: "By the spring the de-
velopment work will have proceeded far
enough to enable us to keep twenty
stamp mill in continual operation, and
The especial significance of these opera
tions to Minnesotians is found in the fact
that the southern shore of the Lake of the
Woods, forming the boundary line between
the British Possessions and the state is of
the same formation as the east shore where
the mines of the above company are To-
Gated, and that the presence of gold and
silver ore at that point in Minnesota is
undoubted, gentleman of this city has
rich specimens of ore taken from that 10
cality, similar in appearance and quality
to that found by Major NewsoD, at Poke
gema Falls, Lake VermilIon and other
points In the northern portion of the
state
But more important to the immediate
future of Minnesota and st. Paul, Is the
apparently inexhaustible iron discoveries
made on the north shore of Lake Su-
perior in the last few years. This
iron region extends from a point
some thirty miles inland from
Grand Marais to,as far as present explora-
tions go to show, Lake Vermilion the iron
range at this point being almost directly
HOrtu lEOm OuluGIi, anu BOiH0 seventy
miles from the head of the lake. The dis
tance between the two extremes upon
which explorations have been made is
something over 100 miles,and as the show
ing at both the extremes show like quail
ity of ore it is fair to be supposed that the
vein covers the whole intervening space.
Theupheaval or ridge in which the ore is
found is known as the great Massauba
range, and constitutes the water shed of
the American continent, the water from
the north flowing into the Gulf of St. Law
renee and from the south finding its way
to the Gulf of Mexico.
As to the richness of The iron deposits in
this range there is no longer doubt. 1t
is equal, if not superior to that found in
any other region of the United States.
The quantity is also believed to be practI-
cally inexhaustible. Two powerful com
panies are now developing mines, as stated
above, in connection with which compa-
MES have been formed to build lines of
railroad to their respective locations. One
of these roads will run from Grand Marais
on Lake superior and connect with the
mines being opened in distance of some
thirty miles. This mine and this road is
in the hands of American and Canadian
capitalists, who, it is understood, intend