Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-11-05
The Mines of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin
Their Value and Extent AN Unlim-
tied Field for Labor and Capital
from the Chicago T,lbunel

Among the vast resources yet to be
developed in the Great Northwest,
and not by any means the least in
Importance are the lead mine regions
of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin,
Possessing generality of climate
and fertility Of soil unsurpassed, with
mineral resources, the vastness of
which are as yet unknown, and
Astounding with romantic scenery,
second to none in the world, truly it
is favored land, and only requires
capital and enterprise to make it
take front rank among the mining
regions of our country.
Having recently visited some of
the mining towns, on business tour,
| take the liberty of sending you
short account of my observations,
making it as brief as possible, as the
limits of newspaper article would
not be sufficient to admit of anything
like history or description of the
lead mines in general. If a line
were drawn across the State of Wis
consin from the town of Wiota, about
fifteen miles north of the State of H.,
bearing a little south Of west to the
Mississippi, it would run through the
heart Of the lead region, and pass
over the point where the lead bear
ing rock is nearest the surface, and
run in the vicinity of the towns of
Shullsburg, New Diggings. Benton,
Hazel Green and Fairplay. So far
as discovered the richest mines are
at
sHULLsBURG,
formerly the County seat of Lafay-
cite county, lying with its one main
street along ravine between two
ranges of hills which are laden with
untold riches of lead ore with here
and there solemn looking church
edifice towering above the miners
dwellings, scattered promiscucusly
on hill and common with it's pres
tentious business blocks, its bank, its
smelling furnaces, all in some way
interested in the treasures which are
taken every year from the barren
looking hills alluded to before
Among the mining companies locat>
ed at Shullsburg and vicinity, proba
bly, the most successful at the pres
ent time, is the firm of Davenport
q Stevens, working mine on the
McNulty estate and also the Stevens
estate. In the latter mine. | under
stand, the company have recently
discovered vein of solid lead ore
over four feet thick. Having a GU
riosity to sec how lead mining was
conducted, | descended the shaft
sunk by this firm on the McNulty es.
tate. Following my guide down
series of ladders, to the depth of one
hundred and thirty feet below the
surface, | landed in an underground
chamber, with alleys or drifts branch
ing in different directions. One of
these had been worked six hundred
feet, and had yielded two million
pounds of lead ore, and, notwith,
standing the company were at the
end of their line and were compelled
to cease working, the crevice still
went on, and appeared to be as rich
as at the beginning. Ny guide now
conducted me to a cross cut, running
from one lead to another; and here,
again, nay eyes were delighted with
the sight of perhaps the richest vein
that has ever been discovered. A
solid mass Of lead, four feet thick and
oUer forty feet ride, was exposed to
view. After gathering few speci.
mems, | assembled the laddars to the
surface of the earth once more. fully
impressed with the extent of the lead
deposits and with the inexhaustible
supply that may be obtained from
this region, if the right means are
brought to bear OF course This
company have been unusually fortu-
nate, and their discoveries are among
the richest that have been made, but
with the present improved machin-
cry, and with the grand system of
tunnelling to cary off the water,
thereby enabling the miner to go be-
low the water level, | see nothing to
prevent all the companies located in
this region from realizing fair divi-
dends.
In addition to this firm there are
various stock companies and paivate
parties operating at Shullsburg.
The Oakland Mining Company,
one and half miles Southwest of
the town, who commenced operations