Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-05-09
The Lead Mines Of the West.

mines had, previous to this time, been
exercised by the Registers and Re-
ceivers of the Land Offices in tie
States and Territories where the
mines were located. For consider.
able period before the transfer of the
business to the War Department the
mining interests, so far as the pro
duction of lead was concerned, had
languished I; and st the time CT the
transfer all leases hitherto granted
by the United States for the work .
ing OF lead mines had expired. 1t
was not long. however, before the
War Department was in receipt of
applications for leases and in Janu-
ary, 1922, Messrs. Carneal & john
son and Suggett d Paine, of Ken
lucky, applied for and Obtained au-
thority to proceed to the State Of
Illinois 10 select tracts of 100 acres
each, for the purpose of working
therein the lead ore which the lands
were supposed to contain The rights
OF these parties were subsequently,
consolidated, before the expedition
set out, and were transferred to Col
onel James Johnson, one of the par
ties, who was a brother of Hon. r..
NJ. Johnson, of Kentucky.
To facilitate the location of the
mines to be selected, Lieutenant
Clark Burdine, 4th U. S. Artillery,
was sent out in February, 1922, to
join the prospecting party at Great
Crossings, Kentucky, and accompany
them to the lead mine regions w here
he was to thoroughly explore the
country and make accurate surveys
for the information OF the Govern
ment and the more particular loca.
ton of the sites that might be chosen
After parley with the Indians at
Fort Armstrong,on Rock Island, III
inois. the party, consisting of about
sixty men, proceeded to the lead re-
gion on Fever river. reaching there
on or about June 4, 1922. On the
18th or 18th of the some month a
council was held with the "Lead
Mine Indians OF the Sac and Fox
tribes, when satisfactory arrange.
ments were made with the savagas
for the occupation of the country.
The lands were already owned by
the United States, having been ced-
ed to the government by the Ottawa
Indians in 1919; but council with
the above remnant of tho Sac and
Fox tribes, who still remained at the
mines, was deemed eXpedient, in orr
der to quiet aay apprehensions they
may have INDUCED upon the sudden
appearance of SO strong a body OF
white men. Lieutenant Burdue, in
an official report to the War Depart
ment dated "Lead Mines on Fever
River, $50 miles above Rock Island
June 18th, 1922" reports that q ru,
NOR previously reported by him
shat number OF white men, par.
ticularly French" were working 81
the mines belonging to the United
States which lie in the State OF Him
OILS and Territory of Michigan" was
erroneous, Said he: "There are
several traders here, and am happy
in contradicting the report l before
had heard and communicated to you
have found all l heard 80 be false
except their trading for mineral. /"
La July. 1922. he reported strhe
Indians are very friendly, and seem
to be worry glad because we have
COME"
The reports regarding the richnes:
and extent OF the lead mine region
| of northern Illinois were so fatter
| ing at this time that it was deter.
mined by the War Department tc
send out a Typographical engineer tC
make complete survey of the coun
try, and accordingly Major Johr
Anderson, U. S. Typographical En-
gineer, waa ordered to this duty il
July 1922, to be assiste in his OPP
erations by Lieut.. Burdne. Mean.
while the War Department was il
receipt of several additional applica
lions for leases to work mines in tina
locality but these were refused pend
ing the measures then under corsid
Grafton in Congress looking TO th'
appointment of General Superin
tendent or agent to to take charge
Of the Governments interests 10 al
lead mines 10 the western country
Congress having failed to make pre-
vision in the premises, it was fnall,
determined by the President to de
tail military officer to this duty
and empower him, under existing
legislation to make leases on tn
part of the United States to all per
sons DESTROYS of engaging in mining
operations; and on April %. 1923
Capt.H. X. Craig, Ordnance Depart
ment, U. S. A. was designated s
agent for the general superintend
ence of the lead mines, more partic
ularly those in the Northwestern Of
Michigan territory" lie repaired
at once to Fever River and entered
upon his duties. On August IS, 1872
Lieut. Martin Thomas 2nd q. S. Ar
tillery, on duty ia the Ordnance De
partment was sent ont to relieve
Captain Craig and he remained il
charge of lead interests until 1929
when, under orders of April 20 o
that year, Captain f. G, Legate
Ordnance Department., was sent tt
relieve him. On the 9Th of October
1886, Major (before Captain) Legat'
was directed to transfer the books
etc., of the Superintepdency at Ga
lena. to Mr.. John H. Weber, who
bad been employed as his assistant
and in 1887 Colonel Worth proceed
to that region and reported upo,
the conditions of mining operations
recommending an indiscriminate SALE
of all the mineral lands. His repor
will be found in Ey. Docs. "a Sess
18th Cong. Vol. 9, doc. No. 807
DR.. Henry King was appointed {
special agent to visit the mines, Au-
gust IA, ls4O, to report upon a plar
of sale, and to suggest improvements
in case Congress should fail to auth
orize the sale. He made several re.
ports and in May, 1871, resigned
John FLANAGAN was thereunnn or