The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-11-20
A Model Lead,

We propose 10 Indfe few remarks up
on a subject which has claimed 4 considera-
ble share of public attention, in this vicini-
ty for the lasi few months. Ii is the LevcDs
lead, somewhat renowned IN our mining
history, and which has been the means Of
bestowing upon the lucky dIscoverer from
foreign contemporaries, titles innumerable,
which his modest progenitors never thought
of--such for instance, as Il hOnlas Nevins,
Thomas Jenkins, Thomas Lenkins,' Sc,
sc. If we do not place as high value
upon this treasure of wealth, as a cO,embo-
rary once did, in pronOuncing our old friend
Levens, sthe richest man IN the State and
the proprietor of a lead which would yield
some $500,00O, it is not that there IS not
ground enough to contain the mineral ne
cessary to produce this generous estimate,
hut because it would he an anomaly in our
Northwestern Mines, to find such an i'm
mense amount ia any one body
! In company with some half dozen gentle
men, and in obedience to the kind invitation
of Mr.. Levens, we made visit 10 the said
! lead on Monday last. 1t is situated about
two and half miles Northwes, of this city
on an elevated ridge, commanding a fine
view Of the country about it, and from any
external appearances, as little calculated TO
attract the scrutiny of the miner, az any por-
ton of the mining region. The shaft is a
40 feet deep and worked 10y horse power.
Descending the shaft to the distance above
mentioned, you find yourself in the centre
Of an immense chamber, encircled 10y heavy
walls of rock. This chamber was once
/ flied with mineral and has been enlarged
to its present size, after whole seasons
labor in removing the ore. Taking the
cars, we passed some hundreds of feet
through an east drift, which was literally
lined with mineral and which gave no indIca-
ton of failure, so far as IL has been worked.
Passing through the drift, we observed a
spo, Of some thirty or forty feet in length,
with sheet Of mineral pro jecting from the
rock above, which is estimated to contain
from 90 to 100, 600 pounds. On the ives,
side of the chamber, the crevice has been
traced but n short distance, but so far as
travers.d, has proved equally rich as any
part of the lead. The present high Stage
of water forbids the possibility Of sinking
any deeper a, present, although the whole
bed of the chamber aud drifts, are a solid
mass of mineral. Up to this time, Mr.
Lcvens has taken out over 200, 900 lbs,
and has sufficiently proved the balance, &c
be satisfied that he has an assurance of al
least 100000 lbs. more. Such fortunes
are seldom found in any country. and when
found, they invariably encourage n stimu'
lus for prospecting, which marks the pc
riod as one of Uncommon prosperity. Such
has heen the case to an unexampIed degree
in this instance. For, soon after this dis
covery was made, Nightingale's large lead
followed, Burton's, McNear' and Katrick
g. Co.'s. have followed in close succession
and other less important discoveries have
been made, which it is unnecessary to men
ton at this time. Some 90 miles north Oi
this city. at place called "Buena VISTA
large aud important discoveries have beer
very recently made, and in the vicinity o.
Sinsinawa Mound, some eight miles from
here, Messrs Turner & Snyder, of thi:
city, have made discovery, which it il
presumed will yield handsome fortune
The above enumerated new discoveries
together with the Tanning & Curran's an,
Riley's old leads, and others of less i'm
portant character, in successful operation
give strong assurances Of a steady and rapit
current Of wealth which will flow into ou
city for some years to come. E,nphaticalls
may we proclaim, that the mining interests o
this region, wns never in more prosper
Gus aud fourishing condition Dubuque
Express.