New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-04-20
The Mineral Lands.

The Mineral Lands.
We have been urged from different quarters 10
advocate = postponement Of the sales Of Mineral
Lands IA the North.W est from JAY next 70 Octo'
Der or later and we believe the Legislature oil
Michigan has unanimously recommended such
change We can 90 no such thing. Having re-
pestedly urged Congress to sell we cannot turn
short around and insist that It shal! not IL Will
doubtless operate rather severely on most hooers
OF leases and claims to order sale in the present
depressed state Of the Mineral interest but IN our
Judgment founded on careful observation mere
will be nothing Of consequence done toward tne
settlement Of the Superior region or the deyefSP
nert If its resources until the and snail be sold,
and the general interest must override that Of
individuals The Government is now paying
Mineral Agen, Deputy, two or more Biologists,
Receiver and Register Of The Land Office and
how many more functionanes we do not know-aA
20 look after the Mineral Region. One year more
should reduce the list within very moderate dmen'
sions there being serious need Of more chop
pers and diggers and fewer tsxconsumers about
and above the Saul ST. Marie. The step on which
ali beyond hinges Is the sale OF the lands.
Yet sale under existing laws and circums'an-
ces would bear very hardly the Mining Tor rather
EXPLORING interest A good part Of the Lake Ss-
perior region (which could not be half sold III forty
years at a quarter of dollar an acre b ut Tor the
Mineral it is presumed 70 contain is held under
Government Leases or Permits authorizing the
holder TO explore and mine, paying Government
rent OF ak per cent Of the product That pfoouct'
except from a single mine, has thus lar been very
little; the miners finding in the landing and trans
portation OF their stores the cutting OF roads, get
ting up and sustaining Of teams building OF houses
OK ploring &c &c. with some little mining Of very
slender account, quite as much as they have been
able to do thus far. In this way thousands after
thousands have been spent-often to the fall extent
OF the miners ability-and now he is summonedto
pay twenty shillings per acre for the nine square
miles covered by his Permit or Lease or lose ms
hold entirely, and let any one who has money bid
of at public sale bis very house over bis head ana
all the fruits of bis several years exertions with
ALI the means be could raise borrow To invest In
his doubtful enterprise This cannot be Just.
The only relief so far as can see, that Con-
gress can grant in the premises consistent with the
paramount demands OF the general welfare, is TO so
modify the existing laws that any miner or mining
company may buy any part of his location being
legal subdivision or number of subdivisions, at the
upset price Of twenty shilings per acre leaving all
the rest open to public sale and to entry by whom
soever will pay the Government prize. Indeed,
we think it ought not TO sellso much as nine square
miles 10 any body however it might be desired but
rather limit each future purchaser TO mile square
at most so as 10 invite the attention and settlement
of clearers and cultvators. Stern as is the climate
and long as is the winter, Farming will pay better
there in the average than Mining for many years to
come The soil is W arm though the air is cold, and
will WELD laree crops OF Potatoes, Grass, Oats,
Turnips &c for which there is an assured home
market at very high prices for cash. Mining except
ia few choice localities, will never be profitable
till Farming has obtained good foothold 4; but no
Farmers worth having will go there to settle as
tenants of a mining company on these nine mile
locstions H. then the Government were TO allow
a presumption for but two or at most three square
miles to each leaseholder Of nise miles and put
the rest promptly into market in quarter sections
for what it would fetch it would be doing the best
thing for the country. There might be some cases
of hardship, but the general result would be good
OF course, no considerable part OF the whole
region can be sold at twenty shilhngs per acre, nor
anything like it but it may be right to exact that
price of those who claim preemptlons. Alter they
are disposed OF, and some other choice locations
sold the bulk of the land must inevitably go down
TO the usual Government price, ten shlllings But
that need not be regarded at present