Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1857-10-31


Wisconsin Lead Hines Cause or Dsciension-
Signs of the Times.
IN 1889. AMI for some wears before that
time, mining was the leading pursuit IN
some 10 of The southwestern townships OF
Wisconsin-just as much 50 as farming
now leads mining. That year closed the
California stampede, relieving the County
|of Grant of 800 men, principally miners,
and the entire mining district Of over
1000. MANY estimated a larger number
of deserters f;om our mines, but we estl
mated 1000 men, besides women and
children. More than three-fourths OF
those leaving were lead diggers, and the
number included most of our leading oper-
atiyes in that business. 1t is estimated
that over a third have returned from Cali
|~fornia, most of them with fortunes enabling
Them TO live without work. California
emigrants from the Lead Region nave
been ~siugularly fortunate in California
most of them, having any fair amount OF
stability, amassed early fortunes. They
had been trained to the camp and cabin,
windlass and shaft, and had long practiced
abstinence from the vices, except In honn-
|pathic doses. They had learned enough
of whiskey to let it alone-enough of
cards to know when to abstain from gam
bling. The Wisconsin Mines furnished a
school which bred a class of men whom no
device could entrap, no plot deceive and
no scheme betray. Scarcely one in a hun
dred of our men has been murdered, hung
or suffered for crime, and we have yet
heard of but one having got so low as to
accept office in California. When HAIR
RIsoN REED of the Neenah Conservator
said 'the people of the mines are a pecu.
liar people, a distinct nation, incapable of
dishonor or corruption" he said we'll and
truly. The rule however has exceptions.
We have observed that mining declined
latter Is SO and has not, at any time since,
Exhibited signs of recovery. Since that
lvear, lead has risen in value, from time to
thine. $50 90 per 1000 lbs. is now a me-
ldium value. In 1852, $40 90 was an av-
erage. The former will probably stand as
a fixed market price. Rents, cost Of living
and domestic extravaganza have run thro'
their highest and are now sliding the 9th.
err way-leaying lead at its MAXIMUM
Land owners are solicitous, are even in the
market begging miners to come and dig,
on terms as easy as when Uncle Sam IN
|dertook to pocket the rents. The cost OF
living is now as low as in 1852, and do
mestic simplicity is a serious necessity
The fools Of fashion. aud the fashion of fool
are on a level; sugar, whiskey, flour, bee
and potatoes average less than a tit a
pound-soap, coffee, tobacco and other
~luxu;ias are under tao bits! A conse.
lquence of the times is also a low scale O
profits to the farmer. What will be hi.
resort-what his interest?
The result is inevitable, the conclusion
lself-evident: Mining will be resorted to
Immediately by a large share Of our farm
Iers, mechanics, one-horse merchants, militia
lawyers, loafers and clerks. Broken down
office hunters, discharged hands from east.
lern manufactures and hundreds and thou
sands of day laborers will flock here from
the east to embark in mining. Perhap,
no kind of labor in the United States viii
pay as largely, and there is no possibility
Of monopoly or fraud. Every man or brace
of miners is a self-controled, double bar.
relied corporation, charter perpetual and
law unto themselves, SO long as they don't
mortgage themselves for rot-gut or crino
line.
RUTABAGA.-Mr. John Cluff left in our
office this week for exhibition a rutabaga
furnip wairhinu OH ~ on