The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-21

Western w isconsln.
From the Chicago Democratic Press.l
The observations which we propose TO make upon
4 Grant Crawford, Bad Axe, and La Crosse counties.
They all lie upon the Mississippi and except Grant
county, above the Wisconsin river. Our first
impressions of their sepera features and resources
were derived from thcdeck of steamer on the Mis-
sissippi, and were anything but favorable. We have
recently had an opport.tty TO travel through them
Mississippi, and have had occasion to modify our
4 opinions.
Grant county lies directly south of the Wisconsin,
and is in the great lead district. The prevailing
rock is limestone, from the disinegration of which
the soil is formed There is, should suppose more
prairie than wood land in the county, but still there
Is timber enough in the northern and western por-
tions Of it for all practical purposes. The section
between Shullsburg and Platteville is beautiful ele
waited rolling prairie. The soil appears to be very
good; but much of it has been nearly spoiled for
agricultural purposes by the miners. Mining seems
to lie carried on by digging holes In the ground at
no great distance from each other, and when GER
tain depth is reached they are abandoned. The
holes may be filed up, it is true, but long land
is 60 plenty and so cheap, this is not likely to be
done. 1t looks almost like pity to spoil so much
fine farming land, but we presume the mineral
pays better ard to this all other considerations
must yield in this utilitarian age. Platteve,
Shullsburg and Lancaster are tourisbng towns, all
situated in this county.
/ From the Herald, published at Lancaster we learn
of land subject to entry at government price. Much
OF it we have no doubt is excellent farming land,
and would prefer to trust ourselves to dig gold
out Of the rich soil of that country rather than to run
the hazard of securing "our pile' OF shining dust
from the sands OF California.
Above the Wisconsin river, the sandstone rock
pIedominates, and we have very little prairie. 4he
geology of the district interested us very much.
The general level of the country is frcm four 10 five
bundled feet above the Mississippi; but the streams
seem to have cut down deep valleys in all direc-
tor
leaving Prairie du Chen and ascending 10 the gem
cial level o! the country, the road following an In
ridge between the Kckapoo river, which empties
into tie Wisconsin few miles above its mouth, and
The Mississippi. From this ridge almost immune. "a
bic coolies run outon either side 70 the Hisss-
| sipi'i end the kicapoo. In many of them. and in
act all Of them near the commencement the
divide" there only very small rivulets and it
is not till number of these are united together that
any considerable sized stream Is formed.
tie strata of the sand rock which forms the base
of the country, lie nearly horizontal, and 1t becomes
an interesting problem II the principle that all geo.
logical phenomena are to be attributed 10 causes
now in operation is admitted, how these coolies,
running in opposite directions from the ridge,
were formed. Causes now in operation may have
produced these valleys: but they must have operated
with far greater intensity than at present. The
only explanation that suggested itself 10 mind
was, that far back in the history of 1,arct, this
same rock much less solid than at present; and
that the location of this region with reference TO the
then existing oceans, such, and the atmosphere
was so constituted in that early period, that i'm.
mense floods OF rain were poured down upon it,
wearing out the valleys as we now see them.
The springs and riyucts that are found in these
coolies are most excellent water. Spccklcd trout
are found in them in abundance. The soil is rich,
and even TO the top Of the ridges it appears 10 be
capable of cultivation For the raising Of stock,
and especially sheep, we should suppose ii to be
Of the very finest sections of country with which
we are acquainted. On the stage road TO st. Paul,
for eighty miles above Prairie du Chicn, we found
farms opened every few miles, and in the vicinity OF
Viroque, the county seat of Bad Axe county, there
is very considerable ie settlement We saw some
west of this village looking for p aces 10 locate
They appeared much pleased with the country and
their only anxiety seemed to be to makeHhe
selection.
About ten miles above Prairie du CHEN thea
are large number Of Indian mounds Of almost al
ina ENABLE shapes. They extend some eight milo
along the top Of the ridge, and are generally Opt
site to the coolies running east and west to thu
kckapoo and the Mississippi. The only impression
we could get from their location and construction
Is, that they were used in some way to defend the
inhabitants living the river the other; but
Of what service they were it would be difficult to
imagine They are from ono to five feet above the
surface, and we noticed large oak trees growing on
About twentythree miles above Prairie d., Chen
we found uDmistakeablc traces of iron ore, and we
learn that there were probably large deposits of it
surface were dnused through porous rock. and Il
appeared TO be allied to bog iron ORE We learn also
that there are deposits of lead the Kckapoo but
probably they do not extend any further north than
that locahty. Copper has also been discovered
| somewhere in that region and the mine was worked
for time but the precise location of il we did not
| ascertain.
! On the whole we do not hesitate to recommend
settlers to examine western Wisconsin when they
are seeking place to locate. II is true the land r.
broken and hiy; but this objection TO those who
have been reared among the mountains OF the New
England and Middle States. Indeed, with many Il
| would he decided recommendation The climate il
thought by many TO be too cold; but we were as
sured by those who had been In the country five or
six years, that it was not cold as il Is In New
England. The winter generally continues steadily
cold; but the thermometer does not often fall very
much below zero till the spring opens. This GER
tainly is preferable to that ever changing climate
which we have " this city. We predict that dozen
years will find these counties among the richest in
the State. Success to the enterpnsng citizens who
have made their homes among the beautiful hills and
wales Of western Wisconsin