A Wonderful Mine of Silver.

Cromwell Argus, Volume II, Issue 102, 24 October 1871, Page 6

A Wonderful Mine of Silver.

[Prom the Detroit Tribune]. The magnificent visions of Eastern romancers are equalled by the realities of Silver Island, a desolate rock some 70 to 80 feet square, projecting from the stormy waters of Lake Superior. Within the breast of this rocky point in onr great inland ocean are buried untold treasures, which for ages have laid hidden from the eyes of man, but which have been revealed to this prying nineteenth century, and which seem destined to prove a mine of wealth to the company which now owns a section of it. The island lies some 300 feet from the Canadian shore of the Lake, in Thunder Bay, and was simply regai-ded as dangerous to navigation. It is now known that the rocks of the island and its vicinity are rich in silver, and they are to be mined. Overcoming great natural difficulties, the company, in twentytwo days, sent 84,000 dollars' worth of silver ore to the smelting works, and operations are being most successfully continued. Some specimens, which we have seen, with silver richly glistening in the sun, suggest brilliant visions of wealth. One huge piece of rock weighing 200011)3. contained silver valued at 0000 dollars.

The great source of expense to companies working sih .l mines in the Far West has been the deep mining, and their expanses have been much increased by their almost inaccessible position and high cost of freight. The mines are now boring and blasting at a comparatively short distance below the surface, and it is thought no very deep work will be required, even in getting beneath the surface of the lake and working towards the mainland, some 3000 ft. distance. Every indication points to the great sneces.3 of the enterprise, and incline one to the belief that this recent addition to the mineral wealth of Lake Superior is one of the most brilliant discoveries of that marvellous region.