Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-01-19

new possessions. ne suilen ana childish
conduct of this people accounts for the
foolish manner that valuable mineral and
timber lands were given to non-residents,
who were sharp enough to take advantage
of their stupidity in parting with millions
Of acres Of their vast domain.
The total profit of the timber products,
utilizing only the natural increase, with the
net proceeds from copper and iron indus
tries, all within the state of Mi ,higan, are
sufficient to pay 81 per cent interest on
100000 for the whole Of the next
century, besides giving ample support TO
100000 people at the same time.
'Sidnaw, Change cars for Ontonagon!"
This feat was accomplished by leaving
the Duluth train and stepping aboard the
cars of the Chicago, Milwaukee and st.
Paul railroad. Ontonagon is situated on
the lake shore, % miles distant. The town
has population of more than 1000, 10 the
original centre of the copper industry, has
some commercial importance and direct
railroad connection with all parts of Wis
consin and Michigan. According to geo
logical conclusions the train is now travers-
ing the great copperized, mineral range,
extending from Keweenaw point south
west to Montreal river, the boundary line
between Michigan and Wisconsin, a dis
lance of 100 miles. The copper bearing
belt is from 10 to 10 miles in width and is
not conspicuous, externally, for beauty or
fertility. The general appearance of the
country indicates older towns and greater
breadth of cleared farming land than was
observed in the eastern end of the PENN
sula. The waters Of small, clear lakes in
silver and emerald setting, rippled by the
autumn breeze, shone bright and glistened
in ha a.
windows, while their tiny outlets seemed
to increase their speed as they passed be-
meath the railway on their journey to the
great fresh water mother, 20 miles distant
at the north.
The Gogebec iron range, near Gogebec
lake a station, where the trains stopped
| for locomotive refreshments, lies several
miles to the south, and was seen only at
distance. The forest trees, standing on
the sides of the foot hills, are large and
vigorous, having never been ravished by
ak or fire. Gogebec county, through
which the train passed, is one of the most
important in the mineral group south of
Lake Superior. The Gogebec range of
mountains is the source of the granulated
hematite iron ore which, as the reader
| will recall, is an important factor in the
ore commerce of the lakes.
There are several branch and loop lines
belonging to the Wisconsin Central,
Chicago q North Western and the Duluth,
South Shore Il Atlantic railways connect
ing with the mines Several important
towns, in this far away corner of Michigan,
dependant on the iron mines of the Goge-
bee range, were visited and all gave good
evidence of prosperity. Ironwood, Besse-
mer and Wakefield contain $1,000, 12, 600
and 1000 inhabitants respectively, and are
the last towns TO notice in this great state
whose eastern and northern borders have
now followed more than 900 miles, visiting
many towns and cities along the route.
Crossing a diminutive stream of water
called Montreal river, which is here the di-
viding line between Michigan and Wiscon-
sin, l made my entree to the society of the
Badgerites at a station called Saxon, 104
miles from Duluth. The city of Ashland is
situated on a small and we'll protected bay
about 20 miles north of the main line to Du-
luth The population is about %, 900.
Three railroads converge within the city
limits, where the products of the Gogebec
iron range are forwarded by the Bessemer
line of steamships and barges, fleet has
10 steamships and II barges with carry
ing capacity Of 100, 900 tons, to the points
of distribution on Lake Erie.
Northwestern Wisconsin, except for its
limited area and strip of territory about
40 miles wide bordering on the shore of
Lake Superior, now covered with valu-
able growth of pine and hemlock timber, is
of secondary Importance.
The counties of Burnett, Washburn.
Sawyer and Polk were visited about so
years since with a very devastating fire
that completely ruined all the growth of
timber covering more than 1000 square
miles. Subsequent to this conhagration a
party of gentlemen living at Taylor's Falls,
Wis, including the writer, made tour of
these counties with the assistance of six
Chippewa Indians as coureurs desbois. We
spent nearly four weeks in shooting and
fishing about the small lakes in Burnett
county, our camp being near the Bots
Brule burnt woody river, over which the
railroad now crosses recalling the incident
and reminding me that the train should
soon reach West Superior, the twin sister
of Duluth
If the passengers on board the Pacific ex
press of the d. S. S. & A. railway, includ-
ing myself, could have had their courage
renewed every time they came in sight Of
tavern, as st. Paul did on his journey TO
Rome, they might have arrived at desti-
nation without fear or trembling" re-
gardless of the cars being "side-tracked,
occasionally with hot box, or bumped
in the rear by an ambitious freight train