DULUTH, a city, port of entry, and the capital
of St. Louis co., Minnesota, at the S. W. extremity of Lake Superior, about 145 m. N. N. E. of St. Paul, opposite and 7 m. N. of Superior City, Wis., in lat. 46° 48′ N., lon. 92° 6′ W.; pop. in 1870, 3,131, of whom 1,865 were foreigners; in 1873, over 5,000. It is picturesquely situated on the side of a hill which overlooks the lake and rises gradually toward the N. W., reaching the height of about 600 ft. at the distance of a mile from the shore. The buildings are of wood, but blocks of brick and brown stone are in process of construction. The average temperature for the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, was 38.7°, the coldest month being December (7.7°), and the warmest August (68.1°). The rainfall was 34.44 inches. From the hill, looking S., a fine view of the harbor may be obtained. On the extreme right are St. Louis river and bay, shut in by Rice's point on the Minnesota side and Connor's point in Wisconsin, between which there is a narrow outlet. On the left of these is a body of water dotted with islands, known at the N. end as Duluth bay or the inner harbor, and at the S. as Superior bay. Duluth bay is enclosed by Minnesota point, 7 m. long, which stretches nearly across the head of the lake, and has a lighthouse on its extremity; Superior bay is shut in by Superior or Wisconsin point, between which and Minnesota point there is a channel, called the “entry,” 600 ft. wide, obstructed by shifting sand bars, which forms the only natural entrance to the inner harbor. On the left of Minnesota point is the outer harbor, protected by a breakwater about a mile beyond. The obstructions of the “entry” are avoided by a ship canal, 250 ft. wide and 16 ft. deep, through the upper part of the point, protected by piers, on the southern one of which a lighthouse is in course of erection. A dike, 1¼ m. long, was constructed in 1872 from Minnesota point to Rice's point, completely shutting in Duluth bay from the “entry,” but a passage for vessels has been cut through it. The harbor is open about 200 days in the year. Several docks, besides the extensive works of the railroad companies, have been built, and when the improvements in progress and contemplated by the United States government are completed, the city will have a dockage front of 20 m., affording accommodation for the largest vessels. The Northern Pacific and Lake Superior and Mississippi railroads terminate here, and six regular lines of steamers run to Chicago, Cleveland, Canadian ports, and the ports on the S. shore of Lake Superior. The commerce of Duluth, situated as it is in the vicinity of the mineral districts on both shores of the lake, surrounded by a well timbered country, and offering the most convenient outlet for the products of the wheat region further W., is of growing importance. The number of vessels arriving in 1870 was 158; in 1871, 263, with an aggregate tonnage of 161,567; in 1872, 369 (217