The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-09-29

of the Lakes before the Indians re-
linquished their rights to the North
Shore IF Lake Superior. He has made
Superior his home most of the time
since his arrival but, at one time,
lived on Minnesota Point. He was a
fisherman before coming to Minnesota
and followed that business most of his
life He also proved highly adaptable
to the life Of pioneer.
After the Chippewa Indians signed
the Treaty of LaPointe, on Madeline
island, near where Ashland now stands,
Sept 80, 1854, great activity started
on the Minnesota side Of Lake Superior:
In many Of those activities, Mr.. Nc
Lean played an important part.
Mr.. Mclean still resides in Superior,
hale and hearty, at the age Of sc years.
Some years ago, that sturdy old pioneer
narrated some of his experiences which,
with slight editing, the Rip-saw takes
great pleasure in reproducing.
Arrival in Superior in 1854.
arrived in Superior June 10, 1854,
with forty other passengers, on the old
sailing schooner Algonquin. Capt. Aneus
commanding. 1 can recall but a few
names of my fellow passengers. Among
them were John I. Post. Mrs. Post and
daughter, Mary; Miss Laura Smith, a
lady companion of Mrs. Post; French
man, his wife and her younger sister,
I never knew his right name but the
passengers called him Jack the Corker.
Thomas Kocher, George Eaton, Steve
Minter, Doc. Stock and Frank Sarrault
were other passengers. ..... ...'.
Early in August, went to work for
the proprietors Of the TOWNSHIP of the
City Of Superior. I was sent out with
party of engineers Of which Thomas
Clark was chief. I found that my as
sociates on the work were pre-emptors.
some of them hired pre-emptors. AS
became better acquainted, found out
that nearly all the people. were pre-
emptors. Conversations invariably
turned toward copper and copper claims.
There were rumors that great masses of
pure copper and large copper veins that
could be traced great distances, existed
on the North Shore, in Indian territory,
therefore not open to white men.
Sneaking for Copper.
About Sept. Is, 1854, as left the
hotel, Mr.. Clark met me on the side
walk. He told me to get my axe and
blanket and go with John Parry. an old
miner and explorer. Later in the day,
when I met Parry, he said:
care you going with me?"
envy orders are such. Where are we
going?" 1 replied.
"Wcll, you must not tell anvone,'
he answered, "but we are going to
sneak over into the North Shore to try
to find where those masses of copper
and that big vein of ore that we have
heard so much about
was told at what place to meet him
and informed that the canoe and grub
would be ready.
L was at the appointed place at the
appointed time. We st into the canoe,
crossed over to Minnesota Point and
laid under the trees until daylight. We
carried the canoe and outfit across Min
nesota Point to the lake and were MAX
ing fast time for the North Shore
without seeing anyone.
Warned BY Indians.
AS we neared the old portage where
the Duluth ship canal now is, we saw
SoIuC WcTc T..
They motioned us ashore and asked
where we were going.
"Just going down to the river to
catch some fish," Parry replied.
One of the old Indians pointed to
the North Shore and said:
"Nort Shore Injun land; white man
no can go.'
Parry assured the Indians that we
were only after fish and they allowed
us to go on.
Our first landing was at Lester river.
Both branches were examined as far up
as the rocks were exposed. After fol-
lowing up the last branch as far as
necessary, we crossed over the country
to the lake. Some exposures were found
but no copper.
Our next stop was at Onion river,
later known as Clifton. Some native
copper was found there and two small
! veins carrying copper. Parry thought
they might be feeders for the large vein
we were seeking and that he would
recommend the place as one for selec-
tion.
French river next was explored. Some
fine specimens Of copper and copper
bearing rock were found and that place
was picked for location. Smith s creek
next was selected as, also, was Sucker
river. Parry considered Knife river as
far more promising for copper than any
of the other places we had examined.
Turned Back to Report.
"I think we had better return to
Superior and report to those who sent
us down here" Parry said.
I asked him if he knew who they
were.
eyes" he replied, ct know some of
them, but not all. There are R. B.
Carlton, George and William Nettleton,
Vose Palmer, w. H. Newton, Major
Watrous, an Indian agent, Ben Thomp-
son and Major Hatch of st. Paul.
There are others but I do not know
shem. They have organized company
and as soon as they hear that the La
Pointe treaty has been signed, they
will put some men onto the places !
have selected for the company to hold. -
Later, the organization was known as
The R. B. Carlton Company.