Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-12-29

seen Invested by Sheopy Lambs ana
Others.
Especial correspondence of The Pnenix.l
Leaving Marquette, to visit the mining
suburbs, was still In the care Of the Du-
luth, South Shore and Atlantic railway.
Calumet is 10S miles distant, reached by
branch line from Nestoria, which is on the
main line to Duluth. As the train left
Marquette l noticed a radical change in
the topography of the surrounding c0un-
try. Sharply defined hills and valleys,
growing higher and deeper with each sue
ceedng lie, impressed me with the fact
that | was now traversing the foothills Of
the great Marquette iron range. The train
made It's first stop at Negaunee, II miles
from Marquette, one of the principal min
ing towns on the range The sister town
Of Ishpeming is but three miles distant, and
from these two towns goes the enormous
wealth of brown and red ores, described in
my last letter. They are both typical min
ing towns with all the concomitsnts there
unto attending. Each town contains more
than 10000 inhabitants. There are so
| licensed firms in the two towns that sell
beer and stronger intoxicants 10 the popu-
lace without regard for sex or social condi-
( zion. For this boon TO these 10000 poor
people the cities charge the licensees $40,-
000-each license costing $500-while the
old and young men work In the mines,
night and day, from April TO December,
earning the money that goes to the city
| treasury.
| According TO aboriginal nomenclature,
Ishpeming and Negaunee are typical of
| paradise and Perdition. II would not be diff
| ficult to decide which did not idealize the
former condition; but the spirit Of emula-
ton is very apparent between the two
towns TO excel in representing the latter.
| monopolized column in The Phoenix
last week in particularizng the fate Of iron
ore; but the fate OF the men who work in
the iron ore mines requires but few para
| graphs Of explanation. Chronic alcoholism,
| poverty, squal0r, ignorance, superstition
and crime are the dominating character
istics of these people, where should be
temperance, frugality, education and pros
perity.
The sidings, spur tracks and loop lines
| seemed to be covered with short ore cars
some empty, Others starting of with ore
for the pockets at Marquette or Presque
Isle, a shipping point included in the GUS
toms district Of the port Of Marquette.
After leaving Ishpeming the country Is
partially redeemed from the native forest,
the incentive being the market afforded by
the large population living in the mining
towns along the line. The fourishing
towns of Humboldt and Republic we're
passed, 22 and 80 miles from Marquette.
Only a minor part of the country through
which the train passed is now valuable for
its timber products, but quite frequently
noticed a growing settlement with the usu-
al signs OF artisans on buildings near the
| Il hn ira in
seemed 10 be in the valley of small
stream, winding its way northward towards
Superior.
The outlook was not prepossessing. The
land is uneven and denuded OF its primi-
tive trees, only worthless growth OF
shrubs remaining to cover the stony sur
face. These conditions continue through
out the last 25 miles Of the route. Although
| passed several stations with high sound
ing names, the train did not stop until the
cars rolled into Houghton.
This town is the portal 10 the Mecca OF
the thousands who either come here them
selves or by proxy to worship at the shrine
of copper. No heather goddess ever re
ceived more devoted and persistent vota-
ries than the devotees Of copper who come
in droves to this barren and cherries
coast, invoking the great Manitou, who
holds the destiny and fortune of copper
hunters at his disposal, TO graciously gram
their prayers for assistance in unloading
copper stock upon the something fol
nothing element of New England anC
elsewhere.
Fifty years ago what is now an islanC
was a low promontory or high cape, ex
tending northeasterly As miles from lati
tude 47e in the form of huge rhinoceria
| IL l. aNn rfa ~ NrAt
the conventional northern border of th'
state of Michigan it is 10 miles in width
, but where the horn bends toward the cas-
the width is reduced to six miles and soOr
terminates in a point, the whole horn be
ing called Keweenaw (Kevenor) and tn,
top end Keweenaw point. The central sur
face of this indentation into Lake SUPERB
or is about 700 feet above the lake, slop
ing gradually each way TO the shore. Th
surface gives no intimation Of the bidder
wealth which lies beneath a thick growth
of grass that seems To flourish everywhere
after the forest has been removed.
The island mentioned above was causes
by cutting a ship canal through the base o
the horn from east to west and allowing
the waters of Superior TO fill the canal
forming a route for vessels on the southern
coast of Lake Superior and saving 10
miles by not doubling Keweenaw point.
The financial status of Houghton de
ponds on its environment. The village sit
quietly on the southern bank of the POI
tage canal, with its ears glued to tn
phone, listening for the orders of the Mani
, tou, whose potent influence pervades tn
mining interests of Keweenaw, Detroit an
Boston. Hancock, on the opposite ban
of the ribbon of water that separates
from HOughton, is of secondary import
ance, though "Lenderfoot' can be serve
here In Superior style with all the moder
improvements.
A rail way crosses the canal at Houghto
and follows up the apex of the great hor
10 miles, stopping at several mining points
y terminating near Calumet. The latter da
Horace said, when an enthusiastic, thee
l. retical agriculturalist inquired of the sag
q philosopher the best way to raise goo
: crop of potatoes, stake hold of the tor
# and pull" This is the precise method adop
&c ed in Keweenaw by the copperites so year
n ago, and men, women and children hav
dabbled in copper stocks ever since; man
Z without the least knowledge of the value
& represented in the certificates they n
y ceived for their hard earned money.
Between 1845 and 1860 in the counties
q Ontonagon, Houghton and Keweenaw, II
is companies were formed and in operatio
for the exploitation of the copper that
found along the coast of Lake Superi'
81 within and yast Of the oOuntiaa ahON