Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1853-10-19
General Nous.
yortls-Western Wisconsin.

. The Madison Journal gives the fol-
lowing account of the Gopher, and his
tolls in Pierce and ST. Croix Counties !:
a description of this country, howev-
er. would be incomplete were we to
fail TO speake Of the labors of that diminu-
tive animal, the Gopher. The real gen
uine Gopher here abounds f; not the lit
tie striped ground squirrel that passes
for such in this. portion of the state
They are of a grayish color, with prom !
inent ears and a solemn visage-true
marsupials-and have great aver
sion TO plowed fields and pale-faced in
truders. The industry of gopherdom
is matter Of amazement. Living under
ground, they are provided with false
cheeks,-not colored like reigning
belle-forming a pouch which hold "a
bout half pint, by which they carry on
series of tnnnellings which throw
railroad works far into the back ground.
Whole sections and townships have been
worked through at depth of about four
feet from the surface, so that they have
series of underground works of miles
and miles in extent. At suitable inter-
walls they excavate shafts, so as to Sc
cure due ventilation and a chance for
egreSs. The earth which they have
brought up covers the surface with hill
locks of the size Of common ant hills, and
the newly laid out roads give a cordu-
roy motion to carriage from this cause
not a whit more agree able to the rider
than the gopher. They are believed to
live wholly upon the roots of vegetables
and rarely visit the surface by daylight
Their love for free soil is equal to Van
Amringe or Chase, and like free sellers
generally. they "spit it right out" with
out regard to rival works Of internal i'm
provement, or wasting cheek room on
''abstractions," Virginia or Wisconsin,
With them the pillow is the great level
err, and they abandon field once tur-
ned over in huge disgust. Their labors
how ever, are not without value, as they
enable one TO derInine the character and
depth Of soil at any given point.
zyIt will be gratifying to our cili-
zens to learn that C. c. Bellows, agent
for the Mississippi Mining and Manu-
featuring Company, has commenced OPP
erations on the ground leased to the
Company by J. II. Brewster. The size
Of the siiiio.rtc commenced by Mr.. Bellows
is 6 by y feet in tie clear ana is TO be
sunk TO the depth Of three hundred feet
II is now but about Is months since the
attention Of men Of enterprise and capt.
tal has been directed to the lead mines
Of Wisconsin, and there are at present
no less than five Companies in the
counties Of Lafayette and Grant, en-
gagged in extensive mining operations
An engine is soon TO be erected on the
New Dlggings Ridge, of sufficient pow err
to drain the ground TO the depth Of four
or five hundred feet. We have been
asked By many what it was that called
the attention Of eastern capitalists to our
mines. Eighteen monthes since, il our
readers recollact, the able report on the
subject OF mining, by the Hon. James
ii. Earnest, when a member Of the Leg
tSMture in 80, they can at once answer
the question. That report was printed
III pamphlet form, at the expense Of the
State, and especial care taken TO give ii
an extensive circulation. II proved the
most clear and satisfactory document ev-
er reported on the subject, the credit Of
which belongs TO Mr.. Earnest Pick
and Cad