The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-10-06
MINE TITLES INVOLVED.
Aurora. Norrie. Pabst and Ashland Properties
May Revert 10 the Pubic.

May Revert 10 the Pubic.
The presence in Milwaukee Thursday
Of Theodore NJ. Davis, president of the
Lake Superior ship Canal company, and
his attorney, b. c. Bean, Of Boston, who
is treasurer OF the company, meant much
more than appeared upon the surface, or
than the newspaper men who were trail
inc after the visitors were permitted TO
10 learn from those who attended the
conferences by those gentlemen with the
Norrie mine owners The fact is that
GS. 600 acres OF valuable and very rich
mineral land, now held by Mr.. Davis
company on an old land grant from the
government and upon which are located
some of the best mines on the Gogebic
range, are liable to be lost 10 his COM
pany at an early date, M a move Is un-
der way 10 declare the grant void aud
the land forfeited under the act which
gave the company the titles
This act specifically stated that none
known rs mineral lands could be taken,
but Notwithstanding that stipulation
the men who took the land under the
grant scooped in some 6S, 900 acres OF the
best mineral land on the Gogebic range
On the disputed land is located the
Aurora, the Norrie, East Norrie, tho
Pabst, part OF the Ashland and Other
valuable mines
In 1865 or 1866 II large amount %
land in northern Michigan and Wisconsin
was gwen to the Portage Lake and Lake
Superior Ship Canal and Railway com
pnny, which was organized ior the pur
nose OF constructing a railroad and cana
across the two states, the grant bein
made 10 aid the company in its work q
railroad aud canal construction. Thu
grant, it is claimed, was most specific II
the clause that no mineral lands shoul'
be taken by the company under tll
grant. 1t h said that the projectors q
the corporation ignored this clause an
proceeded to take in n piece OF know
mining or mineral land ON the Gogebl
range. In due time certificates wer
issued by the government To the con
pany upon this with the other Ian
granted.
No question was raised upon the ma
ter until 1886, when the commissions
of the general land Office at WashGgto
looked the matter up and discovered III
evident wrong certilicatiou oi the mine
al lands. lie at once recommended IL
attorney general to begin proceedings I
u have this land restored to the public d.
c main as having been wrongiully certilie
$ TO the pnrtics who held IL. In all simili
I, cases the Supreme court has invariab
d restored lands under dispute to the pa
lie domain, and the men who are at pr'
q ent vigorously pushing this importa
Ie case expect, OF course, the same kind
u a decision when the Supreme court pass
d upon the present matter.
D. As one of the results oi the rccoI
- mcndation 10y the commissioner OF
III land Office, number Of squatters In
y appeared on the lands in question fro
NJ time to time. Many OF these have be
ne driven off 10y agents OF the alleged ow
Ills ers. but some have remained and "
ls undoubtedly bc ON deck when the Ian
10 are restored Go the government, in viii
rd case they will stand mn excellent char
TO To get some Of IL. The contested land
oi now worth many millions OF dollars II
On the present owners are naturally exec
tie insly uneasy over the turn matters :
ng taking and the persstcncy OF those W
arc back Of the move TO get the VIII
thing into the courts.