The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-22
MINNESOTA
0.MAN.'S.LAND"
GOES TO STATE
CONTEST By INDIVIDUALS DE-
FE,ATED AT WASHINGTON.
Original Survey as Swamp Land Must
Stand and the State May Realize
Several Hundred Thousand Dollars
by Reason OF Ore Deposits-Ex-
plorations Yetato Be Made.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Duluth, Mimi, Jan. pa remarkable
decision, affecting mineral land on the
Mesaba range, has just been made by the
commissioner Of the general land office,
and the state of Minnesota may possibly
be several hundred thousand dollars rich
er thereby. -,
The case concerned 1856 acres of land
that for years had no owner, being a no.
man s-land between two township lines
Just north Of the village Of Virginia. Final
ly It was surveyed and returned by the
deputy as swamp land, and became the
property OF the state under the organic
act. Several years ago individuals. finding
the land. dry. contested the states rights
and filed under the government laws. Now,
after two years of hearings, in which J..
3. Foraker Of Ohio, and others appeared
as attorneys, the general land office has
ruled that the original notations Of the
governments surveyor, which classed the
land as swamp, must stand whatever its
condition at the present time. No explora-
tons have been made on this land. but it
is supposed to contain a large and valuable
deposit Of ore, and it lies adjoining the
Alpena and Sauntry mines Of the United
States Steel corporation. =
Captain H. Whitburn, who has been
working on the south range Of the Gogebic
near BeSsemer, looking for an ore forna-
IONA, to fnanageea copper mine. The men
who were with him are still at work, but
|it is a question how soon they will aban-
don the locality. ~.
|. 4 Closing Its Mines. -:
+ The Lackawanna Steel company and as
sociate interests have closed. two of
their mines and will close another soon.
These are the Odanah and Caspian, al
ready closed, and the Verona, to be idle
after. Feb. /. This will let out about 400
men.
The Oliver Iron Mining company has
closed the Dober mine, Menominee range,
after coming to an agreement with the
owners that it shall not be reopened for at
least two years.. They pay $4,000 for this
concession. Dober is a good mine. but
Of a grade that is not available just now,
when all costs are being cut to the limit.
Pickands, Mather & Co., who have been
operating the Minorca on the Mesaba
winter and have permitted it to fill with
water. The Lackawanna Steel company
also has an interest in this mine.
Cleveland Cliffs Third.
The Cleveland Cliffs Iron company
shipped total of 1,315,0oO tons Of ore
the past year, making 1t the third COM
pany in the Lake Superior region. This
total includes the company's one-fourth
interest in the Lake Superior and Regent,
oI' lHe Onlteu oldleS 0Leel corporation,
the handling Of which is entirely by the
latter. The Cleveland Cliffs has a large
amount Of ore in stock at it's docks, which
! it was unable to ship east last fall, and
its mines are running under check.
| A fine new steel shafthouse at Aragon
mine, Menominee range, is in commission.
| The Shakspere Gold Mining company,
east of the Sault, is selling treasury stock
at rs cents share to provide money fo1
development. Machinery is arriving at the
mine, and a four-drill compressor and
power plant are set up. The assays Of the
pay streak hold up to not far from $3.50 q
| ton