The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-12

Fitzgerald, deputy clerk Of the court,
has been instrumental in organizing,
has also secured two claims. These,
with the properties disposed Of by
Mr.. Berg last week to some Duluth
capitalists, show that American capital
is being attracted to the region AS
indicating the probable wealth of some
of the mines in that region. the own
ers of the Little American, which is
now turning out ore, refused an offer Of
100000 for the property within the
last few days.
MIR. Berg is an enthusiast on the sub
iect of the future of Ontario, but cou-
pies with it the probability that North
ern Minnesota will yet be producing
gold from mines as rich as any in tho
country.
There is no doubt in my mind"
said Mr.. Berg to a reporter for the
G o b e, that Northern Minnesota
contains gold-bearing quartz in paying
quantities. The same general forma-
tons seen in Ontario across the boun-
Diary, where there is plenty of gold,
extends into Minnesota. But the trou-
bic IS that Minnesota has no laws to
protect miners. If the government
mineral laws were extended to Mime
sofa, as Congressman Morris is now
endeaVoring to have them extended,
you will soon see gold mining in Min
nesota."
Il would soon come over this side
of the line" put in Aspelund, IF the
laws protected a man here"
Yes, and there would be hundreds
prospecting in Northern Minnesota if
the government mineral laws were
extended to Minnesota" continued Mr..
Berg.
What's the trouble?' he repeated.
We'll, man might now go and take
up mineral claim and the first thing
he knew some one would come along
and take it up under the timber act.
If you took it up under the timber
laws, ri might be jumped under the
stone act"
Are the Ontario mining lands wood
ed?" Mr.. Berg was asked.
Eyes, as a general thing they ara
covered with forest much like the lands
in Northern Minnesota"
THE only difference between Mime
sofa and Ontario" said Aspelund. .'is
that the men who have gone prospects
Ing here have been looking up and all
they could see was the lumber. On the
other side they looked into the ground
and found the gold 1t is to be found
here the same as over there if a search
were made by anybody except lumber
Jacks"
There is no doubt but what there
is gold in Minnesota" continued Mr..
Berg. Not long ago 1 was down to
KoOchiching and met a prospector
whom ] knew. What would you give
me If I took you out here and showed
you a vein with gold quartz?' he said
to me one day. 1 said I will give YOU
$50 He accepted the offer and the
next day he took me some distance
from Koochiching and onto a piece Of
ground which somebody had once TAX
en- up I suppose as timber land There
was a sort of a house or cabin on it
without q roof and 1t was seemingly
deserted. He took me down some dis
lance and stripped up q little ground
exposing q vein of rock. Some of this
we broke eff and it showed gold I
afterwards had it tested and found 1t
was all right. Now that was all the
proof I needed that there is gold on
this as we'll as the other side of the
lire. But If that were taken up as
mineral land the chances are some
body would come along and claim it
as timber property"
Mr.. Berg says the territory in which
he thinks there is plenty of gold is 800
miles from west to east and $50 miles
along the boundary between Mime
sofa and the dominion. The Canadian
Pacific railway runs right across the
tract, although there has not been
much prospecting done north of the
line up to this time. From the head
OF kaIny lake to Hunters island the
country is mountainous and full of
minerals, and Mr.. Berg thinks that in
& few years there will~abe a greater
rTsh TO that country than there Is now
to the Kootenai. The Canadian gov
eminent is alive to the Importance of