Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-06-20
From the Wisconsin Democrat.

Lake Superior Copper Mnes.--Last
Tuesday a party Of six or eight miners ar
rived here from Plattvlle and Mineral
Point, on their way to the copper lands
on the south shore of Lake Superior.
We omitted to notice, last week, that
Mr.. Cunningham and Mr.. Campbell had
passed through on their way to Lake Supe-
rior-the former going out as principal a.
gent of the government; the latter as sub
agent or assistant. The principal agent,
we learn, Will be stationed at the Saul de
Ste. Marie; and his duty will consist in
giving out permits or leases, receiving the
rents which the lessees agree to pay, and
settling disputes among the miners &c.
In addition to those who have passed
through this place, several small parties
have gone by other routes; ana Judging
| from what we have already heard of the
number on their way, and who will soon
depart, we are led to believe that upwards
of three hundred persons will be engaged
during the summer, in exploring and min
ing to the copper region on Lake Superb
or.
Some curiosity has been excited on ac-
count Of the permits which have been re-
Gently given by the Secretary of War TO
contain persons, to select immense quanti-
ties of land in the copper region. Three
or four companies,we learn, have received
permits to select, each, twenty seven thou
sands acres Of land in three distinct tracts,
of nine thousands acres each After MAX
ing their selections they are to cause them
to be surveyed and marked-Thenthey are
to receive q mining lease, by which they
are placedin possession Of the lands select
ed for the purpose Of mining foT and smeIt-
ing copper ore. By their hands,they are
to deliver to tn agent at the Saul de Ste.
Marie, six per cent, Of all the copper that
may be made by them, Or by those who
may mine and smelt under them.
In March 1912, the senior editor Of this
paper called upon Mr.. Spencer, the la1e
Secretary Of War, in company with M.
Porter. one of the Michigan Senators, for
the purpose of ascertaining whether he or
the President of the U. S. could grant per-
mission TO a citizen to mine on the south
shore of Lake Superior; and Mr.. Spencer
then stated that his attention had been call
ed to the subject, and he had satisfied him
!
til Congress had passed law giving to the
President the necessary power.
The late treaty with The Chippewa In
dams, we believe, does not confer upon the
Executive or War Department the power
to lease this country in the manner propos-
ed by the permits which have been issued;
andthe immense tracts which Mr. Secre-
tary Porter has already engaged to lease to
contain persons would lead to the suspicion
that some grand speculation is on foot, land
that favored few are to have the monopo-
ly of The mineral lands for the purpose OF
enriching themselves and their porcJul
friends by the sweat of the Woodworking
miners who may be induced to take leases
under them. But we predict, that if the
country proves to be worthy the attention
Of orr hard Bddgcrs,t the twenty-seven thou
sands acre lease will be Of but little val
uc.
The next Congress willdoubtless inquire
into this leasing business.