Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-05-27

/ has been from point nearer approximation 10
the standard of social maturity which prevails on
the Atlantic border and with far less sacrifice of
the advantages and refnements of modern civili-
cation, than has been true of other new States,
whether Of the North West or Of other portions
OF the great valley.
It IS, therefore, interesting question and one
which mas attracted attention public and private,
! what are the natural capabilities Of Wisconsin,
which have made so broad and permanent an i'm
preston upon the mass of mind a. home and a.
broad as to bring to ser shores so large portion
of the men and the capital that are annually seek
4 ing a home and investment in the West? The an
syer to this inquiry naturally arranges itself I'M
der a variety of heads which VIII he briefly con-
sidered
BIOGRAPHICAL POSITION.
The State of Wisconsin comprises most of
that portion Of the original North Western
territory which lies north of the parallel of
Latitude 40 30, and between Lake Mich igan
and the Mississippi river and extending north
I TO Lake Superior. A portion of this eXpanse
Of territory, lying between Green Bay and
/ Lake Superior and TO the north and east Of
Menomonee and Montreal rivers, is attached
TO Michigan; and another portion, west and
north Of the ST. Croix and the St. Lewis NV
ers. to Minnesota.
! The area of Wisconsin,, exclusive of the
waters Of Lake Michigan and Superior, CON-
/ Prises fifty four thousand square miles, or
thirty five millions Of acres.
CLIMATE.
Included between parallels AZ deg. 80 min.
and As deg. north, the climate of Wisconsin
Is of the same general character with that Of
/ New York and New England. The average
annual temperature, however. of Wisconsin is
/ not OF so low figure that of the same par
ailels the Atlantic borde-. The atmos-
Phere Is drier, more transparent and salubri-
/ Gus, and the whole area Of the State is re-
markably free from those causes Of endemic
disease which were by no means unknown in
the settlement of western New York. which
have been the misfortune of large portions of
Michigan, and the scOurge of Indiana, Illinois,
Missouri and, in part, of Iowa. Wisconsin
Is conceded to be the healthiest of the western
States. It's Summers are adapted, in temper
ature and duration, to perfect all the products
natural to the latitude, but are not oppressive
Its Autumns are proyerbally delightful. Its
Winters are close and uI#fe-9, but not harsh
( or generally severe.
GEOLOGICAL FEATURES, SOIL, &c.
The limestone, underlying the coal fields
of Illinois, forms the immediate basis of the
alluvion of Southern Wisconsin. This geo.
logical district, in addition to that portion of
the State which lies southerly of the valley Of
Wisconsin river, comprises the whole of the
slope towards Lake Michigan.
/ In many portions Of this district the lime
I rock disappears, and the out-cropping sand
stone furnishes fine material for building
The lead bearing rock of the mineral region,
Is porous lime stone, prevailing throughout
/ Iowa, Grant and La Fayette counties, comp l.
sing four ffths of the LEAD District of the
upper Mississippi; the remaining one fifth
being in the States of Illinois and Iowa.
Deposites of Iron ore, water lime stone, and
beds of Gypsum, together with other varieties
/ of Minerals. are found in localities more or
/ less numerous throughout the lime stone re-
/ gion.
All Of that section Of the State which lies
/ between Lake Superior on the north, and the
! Falls of St. Anthony on the Mississippi. and
/ the falls Of the other rivers flowing sOutherly,
/ Is primitive in its prevailing Geological char
/ acter; and II is within the primitive region,
F that the copper mines of Lake Superior are
/ iound-probably the richest in the world and
apparently ineXhausubIe. In all that portion
I Of the State, lying between the primitive re-
I glOn Just described, and the lime stone ioTma-
( tIon of the South and East, the transition sand
/ stone prevails; inteTspersed with lime stone,
and more sParsely. with rock Of a primitive
/ character. This formation comprises that
/ section Of country drained by the Wisconsin
and other rivers tributary to the upper Mis-
/ sissiPPi, and below the falls of those streams.
The character Of the soil of Wisconsin is,
/ Of course. identicated to some extent. by It's
/ geological features. The lime stone district
Of the State is overspread by a soil and subsoil
similar to that which prevails in other Por-
tons Of the great valley, and unsurpassed by
any in fertility. 1t is the distinction Of the
mineral region of Wisconsin, that 1t is over
spread by a surface Of the very finest agricul-
tural qualities; contrary TO the general fact
that mining district is worthless for the pur-
/ poses Of culture.
/ Proceeding northerly and westwardly Of the
dividing ridge between the waters of Lake
Michigan and those that flow inCo the upper
Mississippi, the soil will be observed to be-
come more sandy, and porous; character
which will be found to prevail throughout the
sand stone region above described. This por-
ton of the State admits of easy cultivation
The soil is warm and highly productive, and
the growth luxuriant.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY, SCENE
RY. &c.
The surface Of Lake Michigan is about six
hundred feet above the level of the Ocean
The surface Of the Stale is every where un-
dulating; not hilly, much less mountainous.
Its average level below latitude 40, is about
250 feet above Lake Michigan; seldom fall
ing so low as 100, and rarely arising above
400 feet. The highest Of the Blue Mounds,
, on the line between the counties of Dane and
Iowa, rises II7O feet above Lake Michigan,
and is perhaps the most elevated and in Wis
consIn. There IS a remarkable depression in
the surface of the country, running across the
Stale, from Green Bay TO the Mississippi, the
bottom Of which furnishes the channels of the
Fox and the lower Wisconsin. The portage
/ between the TWO rivers Is less than two miles,
and OF so trifiing an elevation that when swo-
I len with rains. the Wisconsin often mingles
lis waters with those of the Fox This pof-
iage IS but 223 feet above the level of Lake
Michigan; being the E ~7rion of the dividing
ridge, at this point between -.e basin OF The
Lakes and the valley of the Mississippi. Al
the mouth of the Wisconsin. The western ter.
. -. I =