Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-10-18
For tho Herald.
A Trip TO PIatteviIIe.

ii Mr.. EpiToR:-knowing that your reader.
Ike to be advised OF The progress Of things in
different portions Of our large and prosperou,
county, take the liberty Of sending you fol
publication The following random notes of ira
vel. Starting from Lancaster you rave
southeast one mile and cross Pigeon creek
where Daniel BanGIl's grist.mi ongh, 10 De-
and winding up the steep hill cas-, Of the creek,
Boice prairie lies before you. one mile in width,
and extending north aud sonih in nnbroken
beauty, from near Poiosi 10 The centre Of the
county. Crossing this prairie. with the ever
lasting Plane Mounds in foil view, you next
pass into wide table land Of forest, with
which the eastern side Of Boice prairie is
skired. As yon approach the Big Platte. this
table land is broken and iumbled into ravines
and RIGGS extending 'as' and west. Down the
slope OF one Of these ridges. gradually descend
ing for miles. passes The road TO Pallevile -
As you pass into The valley Of the Big Platte,
and see The frownig barrier Of pine.cisd bluffs
beyond II, you are puzzled 10 guess how you
are to get out OF the other side. Looking to
yonr right You will observe narrow dell Of
cultivated meadow land. extending far up be.
tween the blutfs-one Of the mos charming.
comfortable looking retreats in the world; BIZ.
The road. al Col. McKenzie's. turns short 10
The ,fI. leading you across The Big Platte
very respectable looking river. tina,
seems there TO move along as leiurely as a
lazy landlord boi'lng up It's strength perhaps,
TO turn Mckinzie's mill. Pass up another IA
vine a shor, distance on the cas-, side. and you
rise tho eastern bluff over rough rocky road.
'hs, may we'll claim relation to The road I'D
the chill Of Difficulty" described by John
Bonysn. Al The top OF this hill, you come
into wide body Of undula,ing timber land,
Of which The hardy Ohiosns are taking posses.
sion; and where they are clearing up the lands
and making farms that seem like GARDENS
These thrifty and industrious settlers appear
to have taken possession between the Plates
You cross The Little Platte. good mill stream.
tina, runs like the Huland pony under whip
and spur--and wind along its eastern bank
short distance to the place where Roun,ree's
dam once held the Little Platte in confpe.
ment, until some two years since. with the
help Of fire, the Little Platte broke jai one
night. and here you turn short 10 the right,
over bridge that has always looked like
horse trap. and travel up along gradually
sloping ridge, until you reach the western verge
Of the platte Diggings."
PLArrrvrLtE.-Psssing between slaugh-
ter house aud a brckyard--'a pair Of legs very
essential TO the advancement Of any town. you
rise another hill. and The town of PIatteville is
spread out before you, extending along slope
Of timber. with soulheasIernly inclinaiion
The mos, remarkable feature of Plalteville, is
the numerous and costly monuments of its
piey. First, you come to The Catholic
church--next to The Presby church and
Acadcmy--next The brick church Of Primitive
Me,hodisis; then there is the old Methodist
church--the new brick Methodist church. and
the new brick Presbyterian church-making
no less than SIR houses fog public worship,
built ut one time and another BY this gody
town. There is also very superb Masonic
Temple, Of brick, now ia the process Of cree.
lion. Many very elegant brick houses are 20.
Ing up--Col. Henry, chief architect. is in con.
slant demand in every quarter Of The town
and David Kendall. formerly a Distinguished
builder. is no longer the Sir Christopher Wien
of Plauevllle, having rerred with wiheted
laurels from the scene OF his former architect
ural Iriamphs-searcely monumen, Of his
genius remaining except the old cotton press.
10 identify Plauevile rs the thcsue Of his
greatness. They had PlaneviIle dead once
with the saall pox-and deceRIl, buried hu,
il turned out to be only badly piI,ed" with
mineral holes; and il now more alive than
ever
BEvsNs' LEAp-This lead. now cons,itn-
ting the very soul Of business a, Plauesi IL. is
on The east udge. near the old Roaniree lead.
There are ffieen or twenty men engaged in
working IL: sheds are boiIt over The shafts so
iha, the ground csn be worked in any weather
Descending ooe Of these shafis about so feet.
you had yourself in sn opening extending cas-,
and west between two aud three hUnSted feet.
between wall rocks ten oriweive feet ssander.
I A a ~. IA. a.