New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-07-12
NEW-YORK TRIBUNE.
MONDAY MORNING. JULY "a.
rhirxs - Lake -uperior-nine. and Whining
The Ciin-Land Tenures, &c. &c
sr..L.dence
LAKE, suPznfos. Jun.

-uperior-uine. and Mining
Ths CIin-Iand Tenures, &c. &c.
Editorial Correspondence.
LAKE, supzkfoR June Is. le47
rhsvs hidden adieu TO the scenes and the CON-
.s.,ous Of the last ten dsys-to the rock and the
r.vipe tie shaft and the shade have kiledmy Last
V.svsnsw mosquito--snd with the trusty Propel
lar beneath and above me- her Prov this time turn
a Eastward, q Summer heaven overhead and her
prorsss aided by light yet favoriDg airs am speed
ing back TO the region Of Culture and Civilization.
Brief a. my sojourn on the shore Of the Great Lake
has been II has not been uniruitfu Ia activity, ID
Sbssrvstion and / trust may have gained some
thing both Of vgor and Of knowledge at the cost OF
momsntary WEAKNESS and lsmeness. have regu'
larry travelled on foot some FIVE totwenty'hve miles
per day land twenty five In this rugged wilderness
Is fully equal 10 thirty Eve on good roadsl-haVe
visited most Of the working and several OF the pas
sive Locations ON the Point-have clambered over
prscipices and CROPPED my way through subterra-
mean drifts. land cannot in conscience pronounce
the descent or ascent Of the rude, muddy slippery
dubious ladders whereby mines are penetrated
pleasant exercise per @)-remitting no effort
whereby my knowledge Of this region could be ex-
tended during the few days Of my rambling resi-
dence have been patient listener TO and com
parer OF the observations Of others, my superiors
in local knowledge; and shall endesvOr 10 place
foy and faithfully before the public the results Of
my inquiries, too happy If these sha contribute in
some degree TO dissbuse the general mind Of prev
alent errors and aid in securing Justice TO most
neglected and abused region.
But first, let me undo an act OF personal IN
Justice. In a former letter j spoke in some re-
spects dispsrsgingy Of the famous Chh Nine oil
the Pittsburgh Il Boston Company. Since that
letter was written ! have given that mine more
thorough examination and wish 10 recall theop'S-
ion that il is equaled by two others hundred
others may prove as good. for aught know, when
they come TO be thoroughly opened; but to-day the
Cliff Mine has rival in tbisregion nor IN the world
Of the value Of its stock the wisdom OF its exterior
management the profit with which 1t is or may be
worked, say nothing, knowing very little bat as
a spectscle-a wonder-a manifestation OF the
bonnde.s wealth Of Nature and the marveOusness
Of Truth-I never read of its parallel. Such giant
masses of pure Copper often eight or ten feet long
four or five wide end two feet thick, intermingled
with rich Ore and occasionally with Native Silver
are exhibited 10 such profusion nowhere else They
remind you inevitably Of the Arabian Nights -
believe was wrong also in stating that, in work
ing into the cliff, a stratum of CongIomerate had
been encountered beyond which the vein had not
been found. now understand that the vein has
been traced and worked beyond or rather above,
this stratum. which dips moderately northward;
90 that il is deemed certain that the Congomerate
will prove an impeachment only, not limitation
Enough of this And now TO business
Ifany man wants a striking example Of the slen.
der wisdom and questionable honesty wherewlth
the world is governed. let him come to Lake Supe'
rior. Here is region Astounding IN natural wealth
and productive capacty-a region which ought by
this time to have proved blessing not only to its
inha plants but TO the whole country-wbich ought
now TO be largely employing as well as literally
rewardng Labor, and profering generous market
for the Food of the West and the Fabrics OF the
East yet in which there not to-day five thou
sand white people, and these not likoy 10 be in
creased the present season. aud from which not one
dollar has as yet been realized by Capital for every
ten dollars expended Of il lost forever Let
me exhibit some Of the causes Of this
When public attention began to be seriously at
trscted TO the Mineral wealth of this region, and
the proximity OF population, the extinction OF the
aboriginal title and the growth of some rude facili
ties OF sportston had rendered it accessible TO
Industrial enterprise, instead Of ordering the lands
to be promptly surveyed and sold or allotted 10 set
tiers the Federal Administration put the whole
Mir cra region in charge of the War Department
by which Mineral Agent. with platoon OF sub
ordinate leeches on the Treasury, was appointed.
The Mineral Agent was stationed at Copper Hsr
Dor, Military post then occupied by considerable /
force, and the Department began to issue Permits
to make searches for Mineral, each conveying to /
the holder the right to locate a tract not above
three miles square, for which upon the return of
the Permit ths, he had duly and marked the
lines OF his location he was to receive Lease,
giving him. for three years with the privilege of
two renewals, the exclusive right OF mining said
location, paying the Government six per cent. OF
the product as rent Such is the system under /
which all the lands South OF or surrounded by Lake
Superior supposed TO embosom Mineral have been
covered with personal claims and in good part with
Leases.
The enormous vices OF this system cannot DO
fally realized without some personal acquaintance
with the district 90 treated In the first place the
recognition or liberation by the Government Of any
private surveys and demsrcations of Public Lands
Is enough TO ruin country for half a century Now
il this were case the wrong might be palhated
by ignorance but our National history is 50 full OF
instruction with regard to 1.-THE evils Of private
surveys and boundaries are recent as well as
aasrant--our Courts are still full of the ltiga
ton they inevitably occssion-that there can be no
excuse for their renewal by any one pretending to
be Statesman. Not only are such surveys GER
tain to conflict with aud overlap each other but III
this case numerous locations were made and Leases
granted therefor sctshoHt any surrey at all One
location having been made and described il was
easy to make ON paper another and still another
bounded on the northeast by the north ives,
corner of the location Already described thence
running south three miles thence west three
miles. thence north three miles lor to the Lake
thence east to the starting point aforesaid In
this way forty locations might be made In day,
aud doubtless were, by men who stood well at
Washington but had never seen Lake Superior