Million Upon Millions

Among the unsolved mysteries oí the American continent not even the strange remains of the mighty works of the Ancient Mound Builders are so extraordinary or so puzzllng to archseologists as the ancient mines discoxered in various ettions of the countrj, but most frequently and on the most gigantic scale in the state of Michigan. When the flrst white men visited this continent they found that the Indlan races of Mexico and Peru included workers in gold and silver. These metal working arts were confined to a email class of peculiar artizans, closely related to the priesthood. ïhe art of working copper, though not of smelting it, was also partially practiced in Mexico. But copper was not mined in Mexico, and the small pieces of native copper used then came from regions unknown to the Mexican people Both in Xorth and South America were found gold and silver mines that were worked. Cinnebar (quicksilver) mines were also worked; but not for the metal, whose reduction was not understood, but ior the ore only, which was used for paiut. An extensiva PBBHISTOStC MINING WORK was discovered in North Carolina. Inasmuch as mica was unknown among the Indians, and the mine workings exhibited signs of vast antiquity, conjecture is lost in imagining the race and the civilization that excavated these mysterious works. Theïe are unquestionable evideuces also of Ilight workings of some of our lead mines. The moét immense prehistorie mining works of America are the ancient copper mines of Michigan. So immense was the work done by the long vanished anfcient race of minera that it is doubtful if a hundred years of mining by the white race, with all the skill and machinery of the nineteenth century will excávate more tons of rock or leave upon the face of the earth vaster traces. All the evidences lead to the conclusión that these ancient and unknown minera must have been at work in the Michigan copper mines not merely hundreds, but thousands of years. Not only are their VAST AND STRANGE EXCAVATIONS left, but their abandoned works - over which the debris and vegetation of lost centuries has grown- yield upon examination many of tneir rude ancient tools, and plain indications of most of tneir mining processes. Some mysteries remain, as their lost art of tempering copper like steel, which is attested by a few specimens only, showiug that it was probably rarely practiced by a few experts. Michigan is remarkable, however, not only for the vast extent of its ancient copper mines, but also because there exist traces of a greater variety of ancient mining than is known elsewhere. Michigan mines produce iron, copper, silver, gold and mica. Until recently the silver and gold mines were not discovered; but, to the astonishment of archreologists, faint but significant traces have been found indicating that these difficultly discovered veins were known and explored in AN IMMKNSKLT REMOTK FAUT by some prehistorie people. There are also signs of ancient workings of mica. It has been and still is generally supposed that the prehistorie people of America knew nothing of iron. Certainly the Indians did not. No where else in either North or South America is there a trace of the use of iron; but several ancient mounds of Michigan have reTealed from their lowest recesses traces that indícate, if they do not prove, the burial of iron, either as weapons or ornament, so many ages ago that only the paculiarly marked color in the soil tells unmistakably of the work of man, and microscopio and chemical research reveáis traces of iron. With these indications as pointers and certain appearances occaionally observed in the ïron mining regions, indicating surface remováis to a slight extend from various bodies of outoropping ore by some ancient and unknown agency, there is an increasing conjecture that the prehistorie miners of Michigan wore just discovering the art of working iron, and had probably been deTeloping it for some time, when THE GliEAT CATASTROPHE occurred (whatever it was) that overwhelmed their civilization, drove them away, and finally abolished their arts if not their race. At the Detroit International Exposition, which will open August 26 and close September 5 this year, is expected to be exhibited a large and rare collection of the ores and mining producís of Michigan, mining machinery, curious archseological collections of ancient mining tools and lmplements. constituting an exhibit of the rarest interest, alike to the student, to the curious, and the business men seeking or already interested in mlning stocks or property. There has never before been a showing upon any large or well ordered scale of THE VAST MINKRAL BICHES OF MICHIGAN, or of the Ktrunge works of that remóte and unknown past and people whose history and fate are the despair of archteological science and theunsolvable mystery oí prehistorie conjecture. One great advautage of this display will be its instruction to the general public. Very few men know valuable ores when they see them. Here they will see all kinds, properly labeled, and learn to distinguish them. Many a man, no doubt, WALKS EVKRV DAT OVER A. BIG FORTUNB on his farm or land, and never suspects its existence, from not knowing valuable mineral ores when he sees them. Some of the richest ores are difficult to flnd, even uy miners. Think how many years all aorta of mining explorers have been prodding almost every square rod of Michigan; and vet it was only lately that the silver, gold and coruudrum mines of Michigan were discovered, because the expert wlio were looking for copper and lron did not know the other ores. And utill thers are do doubt hundreds of new mines yet to be discovered. The general people do not even know the signs of ordiuary minerals, and still less many other more evasire natural treasures, some of which nm.v oxist in their vicinity. ïo some the object lessous of this exhibition may prove the beginning of happy fortunes. To all it wiil be interesting; and it will be of great value in advertising the splendid pos.-ibilties and vast natural Wealth of the state. Tbeannual campmeeting of theSeventh Day Adventista of Iowa, was auspiclously pened Tm-sday at Des Moines.