12 THE MAEQUETTE lEO^ST-BEAEING DISTEICT. 



Cunningham, Walter. A copy of a report of Walter CuuuiiigUam, late 

 miueral agent ou Lake Superior. Dated January 8, 1845. Communicated by Hon. 

 William Wilkins, Secretary of War, February 11, 1845. 2Stli Cougress, 2d session, 

 1814—15. Senate Documents, A'ol. VII, No. 98. 5 pages. 



After Dr. II()ii<>-litoii's unfortunate death, the first information tliat 

 comes to us concerning the geology of the Marquette district is through 

 the re})orts of tlie commissioners appointed to examine the country ceded 

 to the United States Grovernment 1)y the Chippewa Indians, a Large tract, 

 inchiding all of the area embraced in the iron and copper districts of the 

 south sliore of Lake Superior, in addition to much other land. Gen. W. 

 Cunningham had been sent by the War Department into the "Chippewa 

 laud district" to examine the country and to gather information with respect 

 to the extent of the mineral lands on the south sliore of the lake, that these 

 lauds might be designated "mineral lands" l)y the proper authorities, and 

 so treated. 



General Cumiingliam submitted his report in 1845. In it the Chocolate 

 River was fixed upon as defining the southern boundary of the mineral 

 tract, not because iron ores had been discovered near it, but presumably 

 because "in the vicinity of Death River important discoveries of lead ore 

 have been made." Very little was afterward heard of these discoveries, 

 but, at the time he wrote, Cunningham believed these occurrences of 

 galena marked the northeastern end of the lead range whose southwestern 

 extension formed the great lead region of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. 



Stockton, John. A report of John Stockton, superintendent of the mineral 

 lands on Lake Superior, with maps, etc. Dated February 24, 1845. Transmitted to 

 the Senate March 17, 1815. 28th Congress, 2d session, 1844-45. Senate Documents, 

 Vol. XI, No. 175, pages 2-22. 



Upon the designation of the "mineral lands" by General Cunningham 

 they were })laced luider the charge of General Stockton as superintendent, 

 with headquarters at Copper Harbor, on Keweenaw Point. 



In his own report Stockton deals almost exclusively witli that portion 

 of the mineral lands in which co])])er was known to occur. 



