favor of a bridge show that at least $150,000,000 of railway property are interested in crossing the Detroit river, to say nothing of the immense mercantile and agricultural interests of the State, and, indeed, of the whole northwest, that are interested in securing quick and cheap transportation to and from the seaboard. Vessel owners assert that their interests would be materially affected, and navigation obstructed during the summer months, by a bridge across the river. Railroad men, merchants and agriculturists assert that the blockade of freight occasioned by ice during the winter months, occasions the loss of many millions of dollars annually.

How the question will be settled time only can determine. It is mentioned here merely to give a faint idea of the immense interests involved-the untold wealth and possibilities of the commerce which annually passes through and along the shores of the State of Michigan.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

MINERAL AND FOREST WEALTH OF MICHIGAN-IRON-COPPER-SALTGYPSUM-COAL-OTHER MINERALS-LUMBER.

IRON.

THE existence of iron in the Upper Peninsula has long been known. The Indians, at an early day, gave information to the white traders which led to investigations; but it was not until a comparatively recent period that operations on an extended scale commenced. The first company organized for the purpose was called the Jackson Iron Company. This company was organized in 1845. It is still in existence, and its mine has yielded the largest amount of iron of any in the district, save one-the Lake Superior mine only producing a larger amount.

Upon the organization of the Jackson Iron Company, one of the corporators visited the Lake Superior country, and, guided by the Indians, discovered and located what are now known as the Jackson and Cleveland mines. On his return home he brought a specimen of the ore, a portion of which he sent to Pittsburg, and another portion to Coldwater, in this State, for the purpose of having its quality tested. At the former place it was pronounced utterly worthless, but at the latter a more favorable report was made. In 1846 the first opening was made in the Jackson mine. The year following a forge was put in operation, in which the first ore taken out of the Jackson mine was manufactured into blooms. Hon. E. B. Ward purchased the first blooms manufactured by this company, and used the iron in constructing the walking-beam of the steamer Ocean. Other forges followed soon after, and in 1853 three or four tons of iron were shipped to the World's Fair, at New York. Owing to the difficulties of shipping, there was little done until 1856, when regular shipments commenced. The Cleveland mine was opened about the same time. The

Marquette mine was next opened, and made its first shipment in 1868. Other mines were opened from time to time, as the attention of capitalists were attracted to the region.

Notwithstanding the unfavorable report made by the Pitts

PROF. DAVID PARSONS.

DAVID PARSONS was born in the town of New Haven, Oswego county, New York, in the year 1820.

When not quite fifteen years of age, he, without a cent in his pocket and but poorly clad, started for the Territory of Michigan, where three of his brothers had preceded him. After traveling on foot and by water several hundred miles, he found two of his brothers at Ann Arbor. They being unable to assist him, he started for Spring Arbor, where his other brother was located. He found him in no better circumstances

burg parties who tested the ore first shipped to them, Lake Superior iron is now acknowledged to be the best in the world. Its strength per square inch, in pounds, has been found to be no less than 89,582. The nearest approach to this is in the best Russia iron, the strength of which is 76,069 pounds; whilst the best Swedish iron shows a strength of only 58,184. The common English and American iron bears a test of about 30,000 pounds.

Lake Superior iron has been practically tested in every possible use to which iron can be put, and the universal testimony is that it is the best in existence, both as regards strength and ease of manipulation.

The mines thus far developed are mainly in the county of Marquette. They are generally found in hills which are from 400 to 600 feet in height. These hills are in a range of about six miles wide, and one hundred miles in length. They extend from Lake Fairbanks to Keweenaw Bay. In Menominee county there is another range of hills, equally rich in this ore, but they are at present undeveloped. This range crops out at Bayfield, and at several other points large deposits of magnetic ores are found, which prove to be almost pure native iron. Five different varieties of ores have been found. The most valuable is the

than the others, and after traveling about the country some thirty miles, he finally succeeded in getting employment on a farm.

Returning to Ann Arbor in the winter, he taught the school in Lower Ann Arbor that season.

After his school closed, he again engaged in farming, about two miles south of where the city of Marshall now stands, and while thus employed, passed through many exciting and dangerous scenes with wolves and other wild animals, and endured all the severe hardships consequent upon a pioneer's life in a wild country.

Disliking farming, and having carly resolved to obtain an education and become a professional teacher, Mr. Parsons devoted all his spare moments with his books, even carrying them to the field with him that he might utilize every possible minute in which he was not otherwise employed, in acquiring information from them.

By his own unwearied exertions at teaching school winters and working on a farm summers, and through the aid of his brother John, he succeeded in receiving an academic education and preparing himself for Iris profession. At the age of twenty, he was called to take charge of

specular hematite, which yields about 60 to 75 per cent of metallic iron. The second in importance is the soft hematite, which yields about 50 per cent in the furnace, and has the advantage of being more easily reduced than any other ore of the district. The magnetic ore is found west of the other ores of the district. The Michigan, Washington, Edwards and Champion mines produce this ore almost exclusively. The flag ore is slaty or shistose silicious hematite, containing a less per centage of metallic iron than the ores above named, and is rather more difficult to reduce. It is often magnetic and sometimes banded with dull red or white quartz. The iron is cold short, which is said to be one of the best qualities of this ore. The other ores of the district are red short. This ore is believed to be the most abundant in the district. At several points in the district, and accompanying the flag ore, is found a silicious iron ore, which contains a variable amount of oxide of manganese. This is of great value as a

mixture.

There are forty mines now in the district, which have produced since their opening, up to and including the year 1872, an average of over 139,184 tons. The aggregate yield, in tons, from 1856 to 1872 inclusive, is 5,567,373. The value of this yield has

one of the public schools at Salina, New York. This school was one of the most unruly in existence, and when Mr. Parsons informed the trustees that he was going to teach it without the use of a rod, they were loth to give him the situation, but finally concluded to allow him a week's trial. At the expiration of that time, he had the pupils entirely under his control, and so complete was his success that he remained in charge of the school for three years.

Mr. Parsons was one of the early advocates of moral suasion in the public schools, his motto being "a school well taught is a school well governed. '

In 1844, the first State teachers' convention held in the State was called to meet in Syracuse, New York, and a State association organized. At that convention, Mr. Parsons had gained such a prominence among the teachers of the State as to be elected the secretary.

Shortly afterwards, he made a tour of New York State, conducting teachers' institutes, and doing much toward driving corporal punishment from the public schools.

When but twenty-one years of age, Mr. Parsons published a work on