Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-01-28
WALLED LAKEINIOwA.

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A correspondent Of the Cincinnati Gdz
sits. gives M account of Wslled Lake il
Wight couuty, Iowa. lie SAYS:
To me il was one Of the greatest curl
ostips | hal ever seen-vnveloped as u
history is with \ mantle that will prObsbl
never lie Withdrawn. This Lake lies u
the midst Of n vast plain-the rich, gentle
uudulsliug prairie extending for many
miles ia every direction. The Lake GOV
ers nm area OF about 1000 ScreG The wa
ter is rlear and cold, with bard, sandy
botiom, from two to twenty-five feet deep
There il n strip OfIin,Ler about half way
round it, probably ten rods vide, being
ihe oniy timber in many niles. Their
IS vaH ofheavy stone all around Il.
il Us no accidental Inatter II has been
built with human hands. In some plA'
ces the land is higher than the Lake, in
which case the wall onlr appoints to some
thing like a Rip Rap protection. THIS.
| believe. is what engineers call 1t. But
10 other places the water is higher in the
Lake than the prairie outside Of the wall
The wall 10 some plac is 10 feet high
liz is l3 feet wide ut the base, sloping up
both sides to . fet vide on the top. The
wall is built entilely of boulders. from 8
tons in size, down to 50 pounds. They
are NIL what are called lost rock. ! am no
geologist, and consequently can give no
learned description Of them. They are
not, however, natives TO the manor born. ;
Nor has the wall been made by the WISH.
ing away Of the earth and leaving the
rucks. There is no native rock in this
region. Besides,thi is continuous wall,
two miles of which, at least,is higher than
than the land. The top Of the wall is
level, while the land is undUlAting-so the
wall is in some places two feet, and in
others ten feet bigh. These rocks many
Of them ut least, must have been brought
long distance-pro5ably five or ten miles.
In Wright county the best rocks are scat
tered pretty freely, but as you approach
this Lake they disappear showing that
they have been gathered by some agency
when, or by whom, history will never
unfold. Some Of the largest oaks in the
grove are growing up through the wall.
pushing the rocks in, in some cases, out
side, in others, accommodating their SHAPE
to the the rocks. The Lake abounds with
excellent fish. The land in that town.
ship yet belongs to the government.
When | was there 10 the Spring of 1856,
the wind had blown Il large piece of ice
against the southwest part of the wall and
had knocked It down, so that the water
was running out, and floodirg the farms
of some of the settlers, and they were
about 10 repair the wall to protect their
crops. 1t is beautiful farm land nearly
all around this lovely Lake.
The readers Of the Gazette should not
imagine that the wall around this Lake is
as regular and as nice as the wall around
the Fou tain in front Of the City Hall. in
New York, nor neel any entertain the
theory that it is a natural wall; but it has
been built hundreds, and probably thou
sands of years. The antiquarian may
speculate by whom this mighty, as we'll as
ornamental work was done, but it will on.
Iy he speculation.
Notwithstanding the water in the Lake
is pure aud cool, there is no visible feeder
or outlet. This Lake is about twelve
miles north Of the located line Of ihe Du-
buoue and Pacific Railroad, and about
one hundred and fifty miles west Of the
former place. The time is coming when
lhe Lake will be great place Of public
resort.