Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-04-22
MINER POINT
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BIZ Passed aud Approged by Tie
G0rcTu0r -


are enabled to announce to our readers
and the public generally the passage and
approval of the Charter for Rail Road
from this place South to the State line.
thus giving us prospect of being bound
with iron letters to the great coal region
of Illinois, and the commercial cities on
she seaboard For years have our loco
motives for transmit of passengers and
freight been confined to the stage coach
or mud wagon of Frink & Co = or the
prairiessehooners Of the Flooding sucker
aud his six yoke Of cattle have indeed al
most rivaled the Telegraph in speed -
Our millions of pounds Of Lead and Cop
per have, with great delay and expense
been conveyed over, and frequently al5ldez,
fifty miles of mud and water to the Mis-
sissippi or perhaps one hundred and fifty
miles over marshes and Michigan rail
roads to the Lake shore Few, indeed.
are aware Of the great amount of expense
incurred in the transportation Of this pro
duct alone. Surposing that in Iowa
county, we produce annually, 5000 tons Of
Lead To carrying this TO the nearest
shipping port will cost at least - per ton.
making an annual outlay Of $4,000 for
transportation. But when we reflect that
the cost to the Lake shore. the most d.
rect route to the market, more than double
this, or S24000-thcu the advantage Of
some cheaper means Of transportation pre-
sents itself more directly Lafayette and
Grant counties produce each as much
more-thus securing to a road, passing in
this vicinity an amount of freight which
now costs So. GOO The amount Of re
turn freight can hardly be estimated
There is not town in Wisconsin west of
Milwaukee, which suffer 50 little from the
pressure of tue times and the fluctuations
and contractions Of tie money market. as
does Mineral Point And we venture 70
say that there is no town in the west, that
consumes larger portion Of imported
wares and goods We are situated in the
heart, not the outskirts as some would
have us believe of the mineral region -
We have mineral as pure and in as large
bodies as any part Of the mining country
east of the Mississippi And yet the
mines of lead. copper and zinc-the latter
of which exist in unlimited quantities, al
though as jet uudereioPed, are tie least
of ear prospective wealth. No section Of
the west offers superior Inducements to
farmers, stock raisers or wool growers
Our prairie lands compare favorably with
the most luxuriant in Illinois, yielding
wheat, corn and every variety of cereal, in
rich return for industrious toil-while
our cool springs and numerous rivulets
invite focks and herds to sport around
their fountains and Craze along their
banks
But it is unnecessary 70 call the atteu-
zion of our readers to what they are wit
Messing every day. What We wish par
ticularly to speak Of Is, the projected road
We have vast amount Of lead to trans
port-eventually we viii have as much
copper and zinc, besides all the agrieultu-
raj products our country is capable Of
producing, whenever the energy of her
citizens shall be turned in this direction
These productions call for direct and
speedy outlet to a steady market. We
stand in need of the coal Of Central Hi
nois to warm our houses, to give heat to
our furnaces, to set in motion our ma
chinery We want the Lumber from Mich
igan to come in competition with that we
now get from the north. Then will the
terror with which some timid yankee looks
upon three miles Of prairie all ready for
the pillow, vanish, and be will no longer
pine for stumps and logheaps and burning
faIIows We want means of cheap and
speedy transport for iron and all heavy
manufactures, which now double their
prices in getting to our stores and shops.
These are some of the things We want
and to obtain these we want just another
thing-the proposed Road commencing
at Mineral Point aud running thence
south until i strikes the Pecatcrica T
thence down the valley Of this stream to
some suitable point where 1t may ascend
the ridge near the head waters Of Apple
River, thence to the State lire to connect
with the Galena and Chicago or Central
Rail Road We verify believe the valley
referred to, was cut out or suukcn down
expressly for the purpose Of allowing
the Mineral Point Rail Road to thread
its way along its level bottom; and the
rocks along its sides for the whole distance
were left standing out in bold relief for
the express purpose Of exhibiting thei n
exhaustable quantity Of good material for
the building of it. No more eligible route
could be wished for. Let the people ofour
village and vicinity, then, take hold Of the
matter; let every farmer subscribe few