Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1844-06-01

Making 10 all ?, 500 acres, rot foot Of which
has been sold.
A few months subsequently, 10 the opening
ofiho Land Office al Mineral Point Tor the sale
OF lands west Of the ih PM, Maj. Lega,e, Su-
porn,endau, Of tho u. s. lead mines, trans
mit,ed 10 the War Department, schedule Of
lands. comprising abou, 1000 acres. which
he stated to coaiaia lead mineral. This seized.
ule was submitted TO the President and sn or
der obiaiooI for the reservation OF The lauds
therein designated. Before this seheaule and
order reached the Land OiIice at Mineral
Point, many Of the lands thus reserved had
been sold--and legally sold. THIS was the
lEs, step towards that complication Of difficult
ties Ia which the reserved mineral lands have
since became involved. The Land Officers
were instructed to resetve from sale all such
lands as they should ascertain, upon good es-
ideace, eonlaioei mineral. These instructions
were very aeaasal IN their character; aud. ia
rclahcn 10 The important transactions which
they were designsi 10 govern, were eo1ireiy
toe vague a0d ia6sGnle, leaving open the door
to imne0se f,auds. Ia Which the ionc,ionsrles
sf the Land dice might or miga, not paE'Iei'
pate. Acting upon the above instructions The
rule was adopted Of marking upon tho T'ais,
oil lands which should DO represented by in.
gYiieals TO embrace valuable dggings or
mineral, aud of selling oil lands. whether so
marked or not. which, upon the testimony Of
several iadvidaals, was proved no, 10 con,sm
any valuable mineral discovery. Persons de.
string the reservation OF any particular tract Of
land, either thai they might strip il Of IFS tim
Der OF keep IL 90, Ct market unhl they were
better prepared to enter Il, represented the
same to contain mineral. Others wishing 10
make an eauS ofValoable mineral ground, and
from which, perhaps. large quantities Of ore
were beiag daily raised. found no diiieulty 10
addueiug abon isGt testimony tcIproVe Ina, such
tract was destitute ef mineral. That this rule.
when faithfully and scrupuloosly adhered TO.
comported with she distractions, is beyoad
grosion; bot that ltlefl easy access TO, IL i.
Gid not actually induce fraud, is equally GER
lala. ithe laoi officers til not participate
In these frauds it was not. surely, fer the wan,
Of the mos, es,endsi opportvnioty fcr doing
SO. The fault was with The Federal Execu.
,ise, or with the head ef he Department IL
whose hands was placed the powerjo regulate
the manner of rcservine Eineral lands. The
Laud officers were Instructed to sell 4, the
same nme thaiiho mineral sgen,s were insirue.
tes :, reserve, without being reqrited 10 60.
ep2era,e with eseh other. The imPos.ibfiiy
Of resetyiar scfaio lands before ,hsiS location
was aseer,Ained Al las, became apparent to the
Executive, ssl aftridess .elrr' was made 20
CoE.tcl 10 aheed,ai evils eonseques, upon
ine6cieoi management. Dr. owen was com-
visiooal 20 aasa geological SAD local sur
vcy ofiao Niuias D.s,t.e', ead 10 reroa to
Ias Var DePastEsos az such lads IS wee
faaad aelue.ly 10 eoa'aia ,aierrl. 81 sif,ae
OflLis rsfoii loog Ass Q. lsa1s ses aided 70
tie ea.5lesss &C fesSfsSS, u'aay e Which hal