The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-11-12
7 OF DUBUQUE,
A Model Lead.

' we propose to indite few remarks upon
subject, which has claimed considerable shar
of public attention, in this vicinity for the las
lew months. 1t is the Lcvens lead, somewha
renowned in our mining history and which ha
been the means of bestowing upon the lucky
D discovcrer from foreign cotemporares, titles in
Vulnerable, which his modest progenitors neve
thought of--such for instance, as 'sThoma.
! Nevins, Thomas Jenkins, "Thomas Len
, kins,' &c. &c. If we do not place as high a
value upon this treasure of wealth, as a cotern-
porary once did, in pronouncing our old friend
Levens the richest man In tie State, and the
proprietor Of lead which would yield some
$3oo,ooo, it is not because there is not ground
/ enough to contain the mineral necessary to pro-
ducc this generous estimate, but because it
would be an anomaly in the history of our North
Western Mines, TO find such an immense
amount in any one body.
! In company with some halfdoz gentlemen
and in obedience to the kind invitation of Mr.
Levcns, we made visit to the said lead on
Monday last. 1t is situated about two and
half miles North West of this City, on an ele-
waited ridge, commanding a fine view of the
country about it, and from any cxternal appear
ances as little calculated to attract the scrutiny
of the miner, any portion of the mining re-
gion. The shaft is 100 feet deep and worked,
by horse power. Descending the shaft to the
distance above mentioned, you find yourself in
the centre Of an immense chamber, encrcled by
hoo, IL
filled with mineral and has been enlarged to its
present size, aflera W hole season labor in rcmov-
ing the ore. Taking the cars we passed some hun
dfeds of feet through an east drift which was |
literally lined with mineral and which gives no
indication Of failure, so far as it has been work
ed. Passing through the drift, we observed |
spot of some thirty Or forty feet in length, with I
a sheet of mineral projecting from the rock
above, which is estimated to contain from 90 to
100000 lbs. On the West side of the chamber
but SO far as traversed, has proved equally as
rich as any part of the lead. The present hirb
stage of water forblds the possibility of sinking
any deeper at present, although the whole bed
of the chamber and drifts, are solid mass Of
mineral. Up to this time, Mr.. Levens has ta-
ken out over 100000 lbs and has sufficiently
proved the balance, to be satisfied that he has
IN assurance Of at least 100000, lbs more
Such fortunes are seldom found in any country,
and when found, they invariably encourage a
stimuous for prospecting, which marks the pc
-iod as one Of uncommon prosperity. Such
has been the case to an unexampled degree in
his instance. For, soon after this discovery
was made, Nightingale's large lead followed,
Burton's, McNear's and Ka rick 81 cos have
followed in close succession and other les, i'm
portant discoveries have been made, which il
is unne cessary TO mention at this time Some
twenty-three miles North of this city, at a
place called eBueaa VISTA large and impor-
Lant discoveries have been very recently made
and in the vicinity Of Sinsinawa Mound, some
light miles from here, Messrs Turner & Snyde-,
Of this city, have made discovery, which it is
presumed will yield handsome fortune The
above enumerated new discoveries, together
with Tanning & Curran's, and Riley's old leads
and others Of less important character, in sue
cessful operation, give strong assurances of
flow into our City for some years to come. EN-
may we proclaim, that the mining in
crcst of this region, was never in more pros
porous and highly Furnishing condition.