Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-11-09
DU BUQUE VISITOR.

Ct this district if in regret at leaving 20 delight
ui region; he would soc half dozen navigable
rivers taxing their sources in distant regions and
gradually accommodating their waters as they glide
steadily along through this favored region to pay
their tribute to the great Sfa,her of waters;'' he
would see lnnumerable creeks and rivulets meand-
erins through rich pasturnges, where now the do.
nestle OK has taken the place ofthe untamed bison !;
no would see here and there neat groves of oak and
elm, and walnut, half shading, half concealing
beautiful little lakes, that mirror back their waiv-
ing branching; he would see neat looking prairies
OF TWO or three miles in extent, and apparently
closed by woods on all sdes and along the borders
OF which are ranged the hewed log cabins of the
emigrants with their fields stretching far into the
praries, where their herds are luxuriating on the
native grass; he would villages splinging up,
ny magic, along the banks OF the rivers, and even
Tar III the interor; and he would see the swift
wing steamboats,, as they ply up and down the Mis-
slsspp, 10 supply the wants Of the settlers, to take
away their surplus produce, to bring accession
to this growing population, anxious to participate
in the enjoyment of natures bomtes here so lber-
ally dispensed,
The products of this district are chiefly mine al
and agricultural, though manufactures will undoubt-
ediy take their place in due time.
Bituminous coal, the oxides and the sulphureis Of
iron, limestone, sandstone, and fre-cay, are found
in numerous places; and some of these minerals oc-
Sui AZ Stodt douhuduCe. Dut the Cnlel mllerdl
wealth ofthis reg ion consists in its lead mines The
richesl mines in the United States are those narDu
Buque, i'll the northern part eff the district. The
galena has been found throughout extensvetract;
and have little doubt that it will be found etend-
ing entirely across the district, running i'll south
west direction towards the mines of Missouri.
The agricultural productions consist chisfy of
maize, wheat, rye, oats, and potatoes. Tlp large
white corn ofthe south may be produced as f north
as Rock-lsland, and yields from fifty to one hun
dred bushels per acre; but the yellow fnt-com
grows well anywhere, and yields from forty 10 sew
enty-tve bushels per acre; the latter is the more
certain crop. Wheat is produced with facility
unknown except i'll the west. have known the
sod Of the prairie to be simply tunedov the seed
narrowed in, and thirty bushels per to be har
vested But the usual crop, after the first, is from
twenty-five to forty bushels per acre with negligent
farming. Oats yield usually from sixty TO seventy
bushels per acre, and seventyve bushels have been
cut at Du Buquc. Potatoes grow abundantly, and
famous throughout the west for their fine quaity''
"Ihe larger game will, ofcourse. soon disappear
from the settlement; but at present there is great
deal OF deer, some bear, and some buffalo within
reach. Iurkies, grouse, and ducks, will long be
abundant; and of fish there never be any SC ar
city. Every stream is filed with them; and among
hem may be found the pike, the pickerel, the cat
fish, the trout, and many other varieties. Impease
quantities teken about the several rapids where
they may be easily speafed.''
ssThe population of the whole district, exclusive
of Indians, was about sixteen thousand, at ths end
of 1885, time little more than two years after the
first settlement was made. During the year 1895,
the chief part of this population arrived; and there
is every indication of vast accession during the
year 1886. Indeed large portions of the states of
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri
seem TO be about TO em crate to this region. There
are now here emIgran,s from all these states, and e.
very other state i'll the union, well as many for
| eigners. Whole neighborhoods arc now moving
from Indiana and Illinois to this land of promise.
During ride of $50 miles through the district, in
the month of January, 1886, was surprised at tho
| number ofimprovements then being made, for oc-
cupaton as soon as the warm season should set in.
The character ofthispopulation is such as is rare
ly TO be found in our ncwly acquired territories.
With very few exceptions, there is not more Or
derby, industrious, active, pans-taking population
west of the Al!eghenies, than is this of the Iowa
disttict. Those who have been accustomed to as
socate the name squatter with the idea of idleness
and recklessness, would be quite surprised to see
the systematic manner in which every thing is here
conducted. For intelligence, l boldly assert tina,
they are not surpassed as body, by an equal num-
Der of citizens of any country in the void.
1t is matter ofsurprise that, about the mining re-
gon there should be little of the recklessness that
is usual in that sort oflfs. Here is mixed mass
| Of English, French, German, Irish, Scotch and ci-
tzens of every part the United States each s,ea-
Oily pursuing hisown business without in,errupting
his neighbor. This regularity and propriety is to
be attributed to the preponderance of well-nform-
ed and well inlentioned gentlemen among them as
we'll as to the disposition of the mass of the people
1t but within few years past that of high
and cultivated character have cmigrated, in great
numbers, to our frontiers. Formerly, it was, with
some notable exceptions, the reckless in character
the desperate in fortune, or the bold hunter, that
sought concealment, wealth, or game, in the swids
ofth west" Now, it is the virtuous, the intell-
gent, and the wealthy that SEEK in the favored and
fowery regions beyond these "wilds," congenial
abode for themselves and their posterty."
r Some idea of the mining operations in tho neigh
borhood of Du Buque may be formed from the fact
that there five blast furnaces that smelt seventy
pigs each per week. one blast belonging 10 Mr.. HUI
lett that smells 10000 lbs per week; cupoa fur
uace of Mr.. Meningitis that smells &c, 900 lbs per
week-another belonging 10 MIR. Lorimier of Rip
Row that smelts 10000 per week, and several log
furnaces that melts 10 pigs of 70 lbs. each MI.
O'Ferrall's furnace is 70 feetby 80 has lately gone
into operation, and smells 900 lbs. per week.
For the supply ofthe miners, and indeed of almost
the whole population, we have been dependent for
almost every thing upon the low country, and it will
be long ere the competition in farming can render
this country otherwise than exceedingly profitable
to the agriculturist. We have iYo saw mills and
two grists in our neighborhood, but the demand il
greater than can be supplied
MARRIED-On the 9th inst, by tho Rev. Mr.
Read, Colonnl JAMES OLIPHANT, Of Bali.
A