OTHER RESOURCES OF MICHIGAN 87 



ceived the plan of a combined linear and geological 

 survey of the public lands of the United States under 

 the control of the General Land Office. He was en- 

 gaged on this survey at the occurrence of his un- 

 timely death in Lake Superior near Eagle River in 

 a storm in the autumn of 1845. Houghton's re- 

 searches and published reports are credited with lay- 

 ing the scientific foundation and information for 

 the enormous mineral development that has ensued 

 in both peninsulas. His published reports related to 

 the presence of salt, marl, coal, gypsum and other 

 minerals of the southern peninsula, to copper, lime- 

 stone and minor minerals in the northern peninsula ; 

 and a party of his surveyors immediately in charge 

 of William Burt is credited with ascertaining the 

 presence of iron ore on the Marquette Range in 

 1844. 



Before active mining operations could be under- 

 taken, it was necessary to extinguish the Indian title 

 to the metalliferous lands of the region. The Sagi- 

 naw Valley, where coal and salt were later developed, 

 was relinquished by the Indians very largely in 1819, 

 while the mineral region of the northern peninsula 

 came into the possession of the United States in 1843 

 (revised in 1854). Then, following the survey of 

 these lands, exploitation was earnestly undertaken, 

 first under permits issued by the Secretary of War, 

 and then under an act of Congress in 1847 provid- 

 ing for the sale of mineral lands at a fixed price. 

 Large tracts of mineral lands came under private 

 ownership through grants made in aid of canal, road 



