TABLE exhibiting the wholesale Prices current of the following Articles in the Boston Market, as reported and published in the City Newspapers, from August, 1812, to April, 1840, inclusive.

PRICES of various Articles in North Carolina, from 1813 to 1840, in May each Year.

COMPARATIVE Prices of the Leading Articles in all the Chief Cities of the Union,

These prices, at many points, are affected by the depreciated nature of the currency; at Mobile, for instance, the currency is depreciated forty per cent, and prices rule nearly as much higher than at New Orleans, as the difference in the depreciation of the local currencies. Many articles, however (that of flour in particular, which is from three dollars fifty cents at one point, to nine dollars at another), display a much greater disparity in price than the cost of transportation added to the difference in the currencies.

STATEMENT of the Prices of Flour and Wheat at Cincinnati, from 1841 to 1845.

"In the year 1841, the crop of wheat was simply a good one. The average price of flour during the month of July, was four dollars six cents and a quarter per barrel-the average price of wheat, seventy-two cents and a half per bushel. The price of one bushel of wheat, therefore, entered five and three-fifth times into the price of one barrel of flour. By the close of August, flour had advanced to four dollars sixty-two cents per barrel. Wheat remained at seventyfive cents per bushel.

"In 1842, the crop was large. The average price of flour in July, was three dollars forty-nine cents and three-quarters per barrel-the average price of wheat, forty-nine cents and a half per bushel. The price of a bushel of wheat entered seven and one-tenth times into the price of a barrel of flour. By the close of August, flour had receded to two dollars sixty-two cents and a half, and wheat to forty cents to forty-five cents.

"In 1843, the yield proved to be full an average one, and with it there was much of the previous year's crop held over. The average price of flour in July was three dollars seventy-three cents; that of wheat, seventy cents. The price of a bushel of wheat entered five and one-third times into the price of a barrel of flour. The latter part of August, flour stood at three dollars sixty cents to three dollars seventy-three cents; while wheat had fallen to sixty-five cents.

66

In 1844, there was a fair crop. For the month of July, flour averaged three dollars twentynine cents per barrel, and wheat fifty-nine cents per bushel. The price of a bushel of wheat entered five and three-fifth times into the price of a barrel of flour. By the close of August, flour had advanced to three dollars sixty-five cents to three dollars seventy-six cents per barrel, and wheat to seventy cents per bushel.

“This year, 1845, Ohio had the best yield of wheat that has been given her since 1839.

"The regular proportion of wheat to flour is five bushels to one barrel. position that this is adhered to in grinding, and not taking offal into the account, the miller has received for his labour and profits, for the five seasons named, as follows:

On the sup

Price of flour in the city of New York prepared by Mr. Heyward, President of the Buffalo Board of Trade, shows the price of flour in New York city on the first Wednesday of January and July, from 1823 to 1845, inclusive :

967

CHAPTER XXIX.

MISCELLANEOUS STATEMENTS RELATIVE TO MINERALS, CANALS, RAILROADS, TRADE, SEA-PORTS, PORT AND OTHER CHARGES.*

Copper Region of Lake Superior.-It would appear, if the various accounts we have read have any truth, that the country south of Lake Superior is abundantly rich in copper. One writer states-"The scientific reader is familiar with the history of the famous Copper Rock of Lake Superior. It is a vast mass of solid copper, weighing not less than 6000 lbs., and was discovered, many years since, lying in the bed of the Ontanagon river, entirely isolated. It has rested, probably, for ages some twenty miles from the lake. For the purpose of transporting the mass to navigable water, a huge car, placed upon a moveable railroad, was built, and, by patient labour, it was gradually advanced, until it reached deep water, where it was placed on a flat, and easily floated down to the lake shore. It was intended to ship it to New Orleans. Had they succeeded, it would have been a fortune for them, as a mere curiosity. But government interfered! Although they had purchased the rock from the Indians in whose territory it was found, the government agent claimed its possession-denying the power of the Indians to dispose of it. As this claim was not set up until the great labour of transporting it to the shore of the lake was effected, the agent offered to fully compensate the enterprising gentlemen by whom it had been removed, for their trouble. This was hard, but there was no alternative. They had to submit quietly, and see the fruit of their labours borne off by the government agent to the Sault, from whence it has been shipped on board of a revenue cutter. It will be immediately forwarded to Washington, and placed in the National Institute, where it will remain for all coming time, we hope, as one of the greatest curio. sities of the age. The Indians have revealed to Mr. Ashman where another rock (but not of equal weight) may be found. It had been discovered ages before, and hid-its location being kept a profound secret, until civilisation had dissipated the superstition connected with it."

The following letter from a gentleman at Detroit furnishes more detailed particulars of this mineral curiosity :

"It is upwards of twenty-three years since I first visited this remarkable specimen of native copper in the forests of Lake Superior. It has been somewhat diminished in size and weight, in the mean time, by visiters and travellers in that remote quarter; but retains, very well, its original character and general features. I have just returned from a re-examination of it in a store, in one of the main streets of this city, where it has been deposited by the present proprietor, who designs to exhibit it to the curious. Its greatest length is four feet six inches; its greatest width about four feet, its maximum thickness eighteen inches. These are rough measurements with the rule. It is almost entirely composed of malleable copper, and bears striking marks of the visits formerly paid to it, in the evidence of portions which have from time to time been cut off. There are no scales in the city large enough, or other means of ascertaining its precise weight, and of thus terminating the uncertainty arising from the several estimates heretofore made. It has been generally estimated here, since its arrival, to weigh between 6000 lbs. and 7000 lbs, or about three tons and a half, and is by far the largest known and described specimen of native copper on the globe. It is clearly a boulder, and bears marks of attrition from the action of the water, on some parts of its rocky surface as well as the metallic portions. The adhering rock, of which there is less now than in 1820, is apparently serpentine, in some parts steatitic, whereas the copper ores of Keweena point, on that lake, are found exclusively in the amygdaloids and greenstones of the trap formation. A circular depression of opaque crystalline quartz, in the form of a semi-geode, exists in one face of it; other parts of the mass disclose the same mineral. Probably 300 lbs. of the metal have been hacked off or detached by steel chisels since it has been known to the whites, most of this within late years."

A gentleman, who recently (1845) visited Kee-nee-naw Point, the famous location of the Lake Superior Copper Mining Company, in a letter to the editors of the New York Commercial, dated at St. Marie, says :

The following miscellaneous statements we have procured from the United States since the respective heads, to which they belong, were printed. We introduce them here to complete the commercial statistics of the United States.

"This location is situated to the west of Fort Wilkins about eighteen or twenty miles, through which runs, north and south, the Eagle river. This company have now in operation three shafts. The first is seventy-four feet deep, and the vein twenty-three feet wide. The second is thirty-five feet deep, and the vein twenty-two feet wide. The third is thirty-one feet deep, and the vein six feet wide; and each of these three veins exceeds two miles and a half in length. The veins are all within half a mile of each other, and produce silver and copper, averaging from sixty to seventy per cent. They have now on hand, thrown up from the shafts, some 400 tons, which will be ready for shipment to the Boston market by the 1st of September next. Colonel Gratiot has under him nearly 125 men, who are now busily engaged in erecting pounders and crushers, under which passes the trap rock, in which the ore is found. The ore, after this process, is taken and washed in large wire sieves, which separates the rock from the metal. It is then dried, and put into kegs weighing from 300 lbs. to 500 lbs., and ready for market.”

The Wisconsin Democrat adds, that,

"If report be true, copper rocks will ere long cease to be a curiosity.

Mr. De Garmo Jones, of Detroit, who passed through this place on his way to Mineral point and Platteville, informed us that another mass of copper, much larger and purer than that obtained from the Ontanagon, had recently been discovered. In regard to the prospects of those who are prosecuting their researches after copper ore on the south shore of Lake Superior, Colonel Jones informs us that they are pretty fair."

"Mineral Resources of Alabama.—The mineral resources in Alabama are of great variety and abundance, but as yet undeveloped. From the report of the committee on agriculture, at the late session of the legislature, we learn that there are five principal, and several other minor mines of gold and silver in Randolph county, producing about 125,000 dollars annually, and affording employment to 300 or 500 persons. In the same county, are inexhaustible beds of iron ore, which does not lose twenty-five per cent in smelting. Tallapoosa, too, is rich in gold and silver mines, and they afford employment to several hundred hands. Goldville is supported by one mine. Gold, too, has been found in Coosa, Talladega, and Chambers. There are iron-foundries in Benton and Talladega. No doubt, were this rich mineral region examined by a scientific person, many valuable discoveries might be made. In Blount, nitre is found in abundance. This side of Tuscaloosa, coal is found in immense quantities, and in many other places. In Clarke, salt can be manufactured at or near Jackson. Iron ore, marble, granite, limestone, &c., are also found in this county. Lead ore, in large quantities, and of excellent quality, is found in the bed of the Tennessee, on the Muscle Shoals; and all these, and others, exist in many other sections of the state." -Hunt's Merchants' Magazine.

“Arkansas Coal.—The Arkansas Coal company are doing a profitable business in anthracite coal. They anticipate the shipment this year (1844) of 150,000 dollars' worth of coal to the numerous cities and towns on the Mississippi. The coal from the Spadra mines is of the anthracite species, burns freely, with no unpleasant smell, and makes but little dust or ashes. The mining company,' says the Arkansas Gazette, have entered into the matter with great spirit, and we predict that the day is not far distant when all the cities, towns, and villages, on the banks of the great father of waters' will receive their supplies of coal from the state of Arkansas.'"

"Kennel Coal.-The Pittsburg American states that Messrs. Reynolds and Shunk, who are building a furnace on Red Bank creek, near the Alleghany river, have discovered, in the immediate vicinity of their works, one of the largest bodies of this kind of coal that is known in our country. A friend describes it as lying in a solid body, and opening on the breast of the hill, fourteen feet in depth. This description of coal, from being free from sulphur, which is never the case with bituminous or anthracite, will, we have no doubt, be capable of being converted to great and important uses in the manufacturing of iron. The discovery of a mineral of this description is of very great value. It has heretofore been found in small veins, but this is the first discovery that has been made of so large and valuable a body."

LAKE TRADE, &c.-Cost of Transportation on Canals, Railroads, &c.—Statement made by Mr. Charles Ellet, jun., chief engineer on the James river and Kanawha canal and railroad :-Cost of freight on canals exclusive of tolls, one and a half cent per ton per mile; railroads, two and a half cents; McAdam roads, ten to fifteen cents; common turnpikes, fifteen to twenty cents; steamboats on the lakes, two to four cents per ton per mile; steamboats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, half to one and a half cent; future average, three-quarters cent per ton per mile.