Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-08-21
For the Waterman
A LETTER FROM WISCONSIN.

Who has not heard of Madison. Wiscon-
sin II must be some one who never reads
the pufiings and gassings, or gazes upon the
engravngs of Western paper cities. IL must
| be some candid man, possessed of penetration
enough to see through the himsy placards
IN which that city is wrapped up, or some la
menting iortune-seeker. who has been wheedl-
cd out OF bis little capital by a purchase of
Madison Lake Lots and turns away from
the very name in disgust 1t must be that
| nearly all the Eastern men have read "The
gradual progress of this Western Venice"
for every cab, car, bus and coach, bar-room
and drawing room, east, west, north and
south, are filled with these gas circulars. is
suing from the grand gasometer of the State
Madison Such being the case perhaps a
slight investigation will prevent others from
being entrapped by the misrepresentation Of
Gov Farwell and his clique
Madison lies in the center of Dane county,
in the southern part Of the State. 1t was
known by the Indians as "The Four Lakes"
having four beautiful sheets Of water upon
each side. From the shores Of these lakes
gradually rises the land, which meeting near
tho center of the city forms quite an eleva-
ton, upon which is erected the Capital build
ings. From this point you can gaze upon the
waters of Lake Winona, decked with many
sail mot exactly shps-of-the-line. and in
hale the refreshing breeze which is constantly
being waited over the surface The shores
present a beautiful variety, and now and then
an island breaks the broad expanse of water
before you. At your back lies in similar
quiet manner. the waters of Lake Mendoza,
possessed of equal variety Of scenery, while
upon each side reposes the third and fourth
lakes. For a fairy grove to repose in. Madi-
son is the place. For a man of limited
means, who is desirous of accumulatino
wealth, perhaps statistics may advise him to
settle elsewhere. BY glance at the map.
business man will perceive that Madison is no
place to locate in--frst from her unfavorable
location; and second, her destitution of those
advantages which are necessary to the perma-
nent success Of place. The towns of West
Point, Lodi Dekorra, Wyocend. Lowville,
Sprngvalle in Columbia county. lying near
est to Madison, are all tributary to Portage
City and Pacific Columbus commands the
remainder of that county, except what is nee
essarily tributary to Watertown. The towns
in Lake county are, all but two, naturally trib-
utary to Janesyille, leaving Madison only
some eight towns to rely upon for trade and
support, except the revenue deriUed by their
shppngi
The soil around Madison is like that of
any other town surrounded by lakes, very
sandy. and, of course, very barren. There
are exceptions to this. as, by the last reports
Of the Agricultural Department of the State,
| see they rank the towns of Black Earth,
Springfield and Berry, as very fertile, but the
remainder below the ordinary rank Dane
county, of which Madison is the shire town,
can boast of no water-power or woodland,
having to be supplied with the former by ev-
cry style of art, and the latter from the JEFF
ferson Woods
Perhaps the following, which was written
by citizen of Madison to the Nsto York
Tribune, will satisfy the mind Of the most
increduous:
There is no doubt that this place has been
greatly, unwarrantably be-pufFed 1t has been
spread out on paper, and then spread out be-
fore all creation. Its past, present and future
population has been duly or unduly chroni-
cled. Its business and facilities for business
have been repeatedly set forth, until in these
directions nothing is to be said nor will be
for ten or twenty years to come We are
feeling, somewhat, the natural reaction of this
overstrained trumpeting of our Attractions
There is no very manifest impulse in business
affairs. Trade has been, for six months or
more quite dull, and l hear of but little
building going forward this season. The re-
cent fires here swept away three stores, but
no indications of a purpose to rebuild appear,
and those who were burnt out have been able
to find Accommodations in other stores which
stood vacant, the result of too much building
last year and the year before"
| would here remark that in '55 the cities
took census, and Madison gave her report
as $500. but finding she was not ahead, she
tried the second time, and succeeded in raising
that number to $3.50 l know of some who
now crying up Madison who were taken
t,cico by the census taker, and would have
been the third time if the amount had not
been enough to place their city A Mol.
JANRsvILLE.
can write of this city from no personal
knowledge, having to rely entirely upon State
Reports, and work edited by Mr.. Smith,
upon Wisconsin. Having men of capital,
energy and influence, she is, of course, raised
as high as her position will admit. James
vile is tho shire town of Rock county, one
Of the richest farming tracts in the State, and
being an extreme southern county was set
tied long before Jefferson and Dodge. The
lands in that portion of Rock River valley
are very fertile, having great depth of soil,
and being prairie land. the farmer found no
difficulty in having fine farm without any
trouble. He had no forest trees 10 combat
with, but Immediately sank the plow and
reaped the harvest, owing to which fact, it
now stands as one of the richest, in point of
agriculture and wealth, in the State. James
Vile, few years since, was the second town
in that county, Beloit being much in advance
Of her, but her central position, and her en-
ergetic business men, placed her above them
all Success seemed to crown their efforts,
and she sprang momentarily into Importance,
but now as is the case with Madison, she has
r,of inst ssiirenf1l ,,ears abead of her time -