Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-10-06
MINING DEPARTMENT.

W
Of mineral land already referred to, we can
hardly fail to notice that there is great
uniformity in their eastern and western
extensions, that is they seem to extend
just 50 far east, and just so far west, as
though the boundary lines east and west,
were fixed by physical conditions over
| which they could not pass.
II, for instance, we drive down stake
at Monroe, in Green County, range No.
seven east and another at Cassville, Grant
county, range No. west, and from these
stakes draw two lines north and south, we
find while most of these belts will come
up to those lines, but few will 60 beyond
them.
Let us extend those lines farther north
and south, or little to the cast Of north,
and west of south. and then notice what
we have within them. Pursuing Cur in
vestigations north within those lines, we
lntersect the well known elevation of land
the Baraboo bills, in towns eleven and
twelve. This is well defined elevation,
with about the same bearing as the one on
the north side Of the lead district. North
of this we pass over large tract Of unex-
pored land, until we reach che Penokee
iron range in township forty-five. This
memorable iron range commences, accor-
ding to Prof Lapham's Export, at the we t
side of range three west, and extends cast or
little to the north of cast, across three
ranges of townships, and how much farther
east is not known This iron range is
not only on inc north Of the lead dis
trict, and within its boundary lines, but
has the same bearing, and apparently the
same eastern and western extension. EX
tending our lines still further nCrth, we
include large portion of Lake Superior.
1t would be claiming perhaps too much to
say that any part of the copper strata Of
Lake Superior belongs to this belt, from
the fact that we here interSect an east and
west belt. or axis of elevation extending
from the head waters Of tie Miss issippi on
| the west, to the ocean On the east; an. ak
is of elevation to which the copper Strata
Of Lake Superior doubtless leto' gs. Be-
side, the copper mines Of Lake Superior
are found mostly along the flank OF. this
east and west elevation to the cast Of
where those north and south lines of ours
will cross it, If those with which we
have started out, the one in range No. sew
| en- east. the other in range No. five west
| should continue due north, they viii reach
| the south shore of Lake Superior at about
| the west end of the upper Peninsula OF
Michigan the extreme western point of
| tie Peninsula extending to about midway
between our lines. Thus our eastern line
| comes within about fifteen miles Of the On
tonagon river consequently close to the
copper region on the east; while our wes
tern line will include several miles of the
northeastern portion of the county of Bayss
| field, with all that group of islands to the
north and east of it.
If we can produce sufficient evidence to
| prove that there is such a north and south
| axis on which our lead district rests, and
| to which it belongs, (and of this think
| shall leave but little doubt when have
| furnished ali the facts and evidence in my
| possession,) then the meeting of these two
axis of elevation along the south shore of
| Lake Superior is question worthy our
consideration. 1t will be the crossing
not of two assures wheae in practical mi
ming we expect to find our productive
points; or the crossing of ranges of ifs
sures where we expect to find mineral dig
tricts; but the crossing Of lines of coun-
try, that bear the very impress Of what
! was once the seat of physical energy and
activity; The grouping Of physical condi-
! tons, the results Of which must be impor
| tant.
1t is not my intention to teach here, dog
matically, that we are on north and south
axis. am for the present working with
in these lines for the evidences of the fact
At this distance from the lead district, and
on region of which we have no report,
|, of course, can say but little, and will
leave it for the present with the conviction
that if this should prove to be true, the
south shore of Lake Superior is one of
those places where we shall expect to find
a productive mineral region.
Let US extend now our lines across the
lake, and see what we can find on the 9TH
err shore If my map is correct, we have
within our lines, but near the east side,
the far famed silver islet. This is compar-
ativelv new mining region, sprung as it
were into existence within the last few
months. Although in this place it is I'M
usually rich, the width of the vein being
from to ] 0 feet, and the ore being worth
from two to six thousand dollars ton.
yet the extent Of the district, as mining
district, is comparatively unknown. 1t
may extend west from Thunder Bay, if so,
it will place itself squarely within our
lines. testfying in favor Of a north and
south axis. But as it is, we shall examine
it closely in reference to what information
it can afford US.
j. MURRIsH.
Mazomanie, Sept, 20. .
~ A Dutchman after 81 ooting