Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-01-05
ITO be continued.
A RICH REGION.
Mineral Wealth Fish. and Game on the North
Shore of Lake Superior.

Mineral Wealth Fish. and Game on the North
Shore of Lake Superior.
Dave Whitaker has just returned from
months sojourn, says The Milwaukee
Wisconsin, on the north shore of Lake
Superior, where he went to locate some
mineral and timber lands. After land
ing at Port Arthur, he went sixty to sew
enty miles back from the north shore,
where all is still wild, and where the sole
Inhabitants are Ojibiway Indians and
wild beasts. Port Arthur has grown to
be town of 5000 inhabitants. "a very
large interest there" said Mr.. Whitaker,
SIS the fisheries. During the season the
average catch is fifteen tons day of
whiteish and lake trout. They are
packed in refrigerator boxes aid shipped
to Duluth by steamers which ply along
the coast. 1t is not uncommon to catch
trout weighing forty pounds there.
One fisherman told me that in one haul
he caught $500 pounds of fish. The
fishermen used gill nets, some of them
being two miles long. Dressed fish bring
from Pc to cents a pound at Port
Arthur. In the streams OF the country,
which flow into Lake Superior, brook
trout abound. There are numerous small
lakes, and all kinds of fish are foUr
there. The Nepagong river is said TO DO
the best trout river in Canada. It is
about the size of the Wisconsin river
Speaking of the game which frequents
that region. Mr.. Whitaker mentioned
the caribou a species of reindeer. 1t is
impossible to hunt this beast with dogs,
as it would kill them. The Indians kill a
great many caribou in the snow. The
caribou is somewhat peculiar in habit,
being very fond of the lake. They swim
over from the mainland to the islands,
sometimes venturing as far as Isle Rovele
Or Thunder cape, distance of sixteen
miles. In winter they walked on
tbe ice all day, probably for protection
from the Indian hunters. At night they
go into the woods to feed. Rabbits are
very plenty. Small red squirrels are
numerous. They make the trees habit
able. Before the silver mines in the
Beaver district were found, the moose
used to range through the section in
large numbers. Black bear ar plenty,
one man at the Rabbit mine having
killed fourteen last summer. No wolves
or deer are to be found. The partridges,
which are numerous, are very tame.
Ducks and geese abound in the lax
where grows wild rice.
The Kakabee falls, on the Camnistiquay
river, are ITO feet high aDd about 100
feet across.
Mr.. Whitaker said that in his opinion it
is one of the richest countries that has
ever been opened. 81 think the reason
it has never been more thoroughly ex
plored is its extreme impassability. Bot
tomless swami s and almost perpendlcu-
lar walls are common. The Indians say
that hundred years ago it was covered
with pine. which was destroyed by great
fire. Now the timber is mostly poplar,
iackpipe, birch and tamarack. Although
no attempt has as yet been made to raise
around Port Arthur, all kinds of roots
flourish there, and there is no reason 10
doubt that wheat will thrive in the
rich soil. Few white men reside there
outside of Port Arthur. The Indians are
lords of soil, and have in their possession
all the secrets of the country, handed
down by ages of tradition.
The Indians discovered the secrets o.
the celebrated Beaver mine which is snow
ing an immense silver producing power.
The Inian revealed the secret to French
man who had married squaw, and he in
turn told it to the present owners. With
in space of three square miles ere
eighteen or twenty silver mines.
party of Sioux Falls sports colnmenc
ed a game of draw poker Friday night
with some men flom out of town with a
So ante. This was steadily incre ased to
800, and the game continued for thirty
six hours, the players having their meals
brought to them. The last jack pot con-
tained over $1,000 which was captured by
he Sioux Falls sports.
An advance of ten per cent. in freis ht
rates east and west of Pistsburg has been
announced, to take effect Jan. l.
The Greek chamber of deputies has
passed a bill authorizing the crown
prince TO act as regent while the king Is
travelling.
The pope gave audience yesterday to
the Marquis de Armijo, who presented
his Holiness with jubilee gifts from the
queen eff Spain.
Marmaduke Blake Simpson, the late
city editor of the London Times. LETT an
estate valued at S620,O00.
Warrants are out for the arrest of Mr..
Crosbie, editor of the Cork Examine, a
liberal journal