Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-12-11
Lead Mining in the West.

ACdU WlEkfas Rn rae west.
The Golden chaaces-ssadea fortunes.
The suddenness with Which fortunes
have been acquired.in the mines equals the
marvelouspess of the tales of California or
Australia. One or two Of an amusing
character we will relate:
Several years ago a party Of miners
were at work not far from Galena. when
they were accosted by 3 yerdau, specimen
OF the Coles county tribes who, with pick
and shovel in one hand and plenty of hay
seed in his Lair, inquired Of them if they
knew "a place where be could DIG and.
strike lead" The day was intensely
hot; an August san poured down his bur-
mig rays with such intensity, that labor
anywhere was almost beyond human en-
sdnrance. Nevertheless the ufsopliistiea-
ted nature Of the inquiry psveoks she
waggishness Of tbs :niaing <psrty to
q degree thatsthey deterlniiied Is .tass( B
least his eapability to withstand the meis
ting influence of old Sol.
Directing him by cowpath to dense
alder thicket, in the center OF which WAS
the dry and baked bed of spline pond,
where the heat vas absolutely intolerable,
they assured him he would find all he de-
sired. With tie Utmost stretch Of good
faith in the honesty Of their Intentions, our
Sucker friend did as he was hidden, and
commenced work on the spot Indicated
1t was q sweltering place, and his tormen-
tors chuck!ei as they thought Of the funny
trick they had played or q green-horn;
but he persevered. and when about four
feet below the surface, he struck upon
chunk Of ore several feet in diameter which
was, as exploration progressed, followed by
another and another until after a little
time the fortuno-finder sold out his dieeins
and went back to Suckerdom, the envied
possessor Of $4,000 in gold. and fitted to
be, to the end of his days, country way
side nabob. 1t may be supposed that the
practical jokers did not soon hear the last
OF their attempt to run a saw.
A gentleman now of this city, whose
place of business is on Main street, once
commenced with a partner the labor of
sinking a shaft on range where the sup
posed mineral could DE found. They Ia
bored with eommendable perseverance,
drilling and blasting in the tough and poe
kety rock, until spring; but not the gilt
ter OF a particle Of ore encouraged them to-
proceed. At length, tired Of their fruit
less toll and disgrsted with the place, they
abandoned the work. One Sunday in the
April following enc of The partners stroll
led from his cabin down to his old diggings,
attracted b. an idle curiosity TO see the
hole he had made. When there he went
down by the windlass; but when halfway
to the bottom, be was net By an obstruc-
tion-he could not tell what. Striking a
light, he found to his establishment that
the shaft was half fill of the richest ore
In working down, they had missed a large
deposit ct mineral in :; conical cavity, by
only an inch thickness Of rock. The damp
Of the season had so softened this, that the
weight of the ore broke down this parti-
ton, with the result we have stated. Our
Main street friend had for his share the
pile Of just $4,000:
Early in March last, Afr. Marsden, we'll
known in this vicinity, after an unsuccessful
pursuit offortune in California, purchased,
within three miles of here, a farm of I60 a.
ores for $1,000, with the determination to
abandon mining forever One day he set
about cleaning out a spring, within few
yards of the house on his new place, inten-
ding to build milk house over it for sum-
mer use! He had hardly commenced when
he raked up a lump Of mineral and then a.
neither and another The search was con-
tinued, and to-day the lode that was then
discovered is one of the attractions of the
mining region, and is valued at 100000
cash. Galena Jefersonian.