Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-04-07

| LEAD REGION AND LEAD TRADE
OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI.
| That portion Of Of our country known as
the Upper Mississippi lead region has, fer
many years, attracted much Of the attention
OF the public, and of the government. The
| richness OF the mineral deposits, the general
fertility OF the soil, and its adaptation to agr-
! cultural purposes. together with the healthful
climate of the country, have given it an i'm
Porfance scarcely exceeded by any other sec
ton. AliOrding, as it does, so large a supply
of an article which is subjected to so many
useful purposes rs that Of 'ead, it could hard
~ be otherwise regarded than a very import
ant portion of the country.
The mineral character of the country
| (called, in former times, the " Fevre River
! Mines'0 has long been known. More than
a century and a half ago, the Indians found
| traces Of lead ore on this side Of the Missis-
! sippl TO which they directed the attention of
the French voyageurs and traders. Finding
that lead could be made an article of traffic,
they commenced searching for the ore; but,
with the simple means then within their con-
troll, without much success. When they had
collected together a small quantity OF the
mineral, they would reduce it by throwing it
on to large fires. Large logs would be placed
on the ground, and smaller pieces Of wood
placed around, and the ore then heaped on.
Fire would be set to it in the evening; and
/ by the next morning, it having gone out, the
meltedlead would be found in shapeless pieces
I in the ashes, or IN small holes scratched in
the earth under the logs. These pieces of
lead were then sold to the traders. As long
ago as 1890, the traders at the old trading
! post where Peoria now stands, purchased the
product of these mines. Old Indian dig
gings" are found in different portions of the
mining region; and some Of them, ssproved
up" by the whites, have turned out very val
liable. The lode, or lead, as it is called here
which has produced more mineral than any
ever yet found in the country, and known as
/ the buck lead" was an Indian discovery,
within mile of The present city of Galena
I 1t was purchased Of the Indians by Colonel
James johnson, of kentucky, the brother of
the late ice-President, and one Of the earli-
est pioneers Of the Feyre River Mines.
Discoveries of mineral were made in the
Louisiana Territory, (now Missouri.) about
the time Of the early discoveries in the Upper
Mississippi Mines but the lead ore found
there was converted, by the heated imagina-
tionS of the early adventures, into the ore of
the more precious metals. DTbberyilIe was
the first royal French governor Of tue LOU
sana colony, and he arrived in 1899. Re
ports OF vast mineral wealth in the unexplored
regions Of America having reached France
before the departure Of D'Ibbcrville, the Far
mer-General was induced to send out with
him some experienced metallurgists Having
orders to effect settlements in the vicinity Of
the mines, Governor DIbberyille undertook
the enterprise in 1902. In that year they
built fort named D'Huiller, on Blue River,
which IS now Il rich mineral region. This
was considered by the Indians an unwarraut-
able encroachment upon their rights; and
the French. TO avoid hostilites, retired fur
ther up, about one hundred miles above the
- Ouiscousang," WISCONSIN RiyerD where
they built another fort, aud commenced q set
Element. The Indians still cherishing preiu-
: dices against them, and becoming very trou-
blesome, they found it prudent to abandon
that part Of the country.
/ The death of D'IbberyiIle happened soon
after, and the affairs of the colony fell into
great confusion, The wars Of Europe de-
manded all the attention and resources of
France; and while the king was obliged to
withhold from the colony the supplies of men
and money, he was determined to keep it out
of the hands Of his enemies, as well as to rs
lieve himself Of burden. Accordingly, Louis
! NV, by letters patent. on the I4th Of Sep
TENDER, l7l2, granted the colony to Anthony
Crozat a rich fuancIer; q man Of great en-
terpEise, and who had rendered important
' services TO the crown. 1t was confidently ex-
Pected he would retrieve the falling fortunes
of the colony, and prevent its extinction; but,
after five years Of the most desperate exer-
tons, Crozat was convinced that he had no
thing to expect from Louisiana. The great
advances he had 10 make IN order TO keep Up
his settlement, soon tired hun of his priyi-
lege; and in III be reiinquished his patent
TO the Mississippi Company, projected by the
celebrated John Law. The history Of the
'' Mississippi scheme :" Is well known. Al
ter Laws company had obtained the grant
OF Crozat, the most exaggerated accounts Of
the ineNhaus,ibie riches that we're concealed
II the mines near the Mississippi. were scat