Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-02-27

we find Wyota, on the extreme north
line, and the region about Monroe
the eastern extension of those mining
districts.
While working out the details OF
this system for grouping, along this
range of country through nine rang es
of townships, was never more
surprised in the results of a survey
than to find (when figuring up my
notes and bearings which had been
taken by himself with great care)
that within width Of six miles, we
have belt of mining districts along
a belt of mineral land, extending in
nearly an east and west direction for
at least fifty miles.
As | stood one beautiful day on
the high grounds above the village
of Newdiggings with my compass
set TO within a few degrees of east
and west, and looked over this long
range of mining districts, | felt con.
tident that in all my experience ia
mining, and mineral labors, | had not
seen, to such an extent, better
defined belt of mineral land. Nor
do L believe that another belt of equaL
e.rtent and depth, either an this or anu
other country, has yielded more ore
than thus, or paid better for the capital
infested"
AMOUNT ALREADY RAISED.
Unfortunately no report has been
kept of mineral raised. Prof. Whit.
Dey, who was not likely to estimate
too high, reported as reliable 1877
600, 600 pounds up to 1860, with an
annual yield Of about two million.
We may, perhaps, safely set down
for this mining district up to the
present time 100000, 900 pounds
And this amount of ore has been
taken from'a mining district not over
four miles in length and from assures
and openings mostly above the water
level, at an average depth of not over
forty-tve to fifty feet.
And this is only one of six or seven
such like districts along this belt
Aud then the mines along this entire
belt are worked IN the Galena lime
stone, mostly in the upper portion of
this formation, with the blue lime
stone underlying it all the way
And shall we now abandon orr
mineral resources here Gas we are
more than lIkely to do, unless some
special effort be made to revive our
dropping mining interests) and leave
there half developed mines to future
generations? Will they not be apt
to give US place in the scale of
civilization not much in advance of
that race from whose hands we but
a few years ago received these lands
with the mines partially opened
ANOTHER MINERAL BELT.
Looking north, we observed IN the
distance other mining districts, APP
parently arranged along a similar
line. On reaching town and fol-
lowing its south line west, taswhere
it interseots the Mississippi, we notice
very similar phenomena in that
described in the belt just referred to.
Let us put down stake here, also,
and measure four or FIVE miles mort h
and put down another, and from
these two stakes draw two lines as
before, east or little to the north of
east, and see what we include. We
have the mines of Potosi. British
Hollow, Rockville, Pin Hook. Red
Dog, Wing, and Plattevile, in Grant
county. In extending into La
Fayette county, this mineral range
encounters the elevated lands of the
Platte Mounds, and but little is seen
OF it until we near Calamine, Fayette
and Argyle, where will be seen as
mineral belt extending into Green
county, where, like the other, it is
lost in range Z. What was said of
the other belt may be said, to great
extent, of this ; only not quite as
productive, perhaps as a whole.
A THIRD BELT.
With the additional light of this
fact, is not difficult now to see an
other belt near the south line of the
town 5. A belt, though we'll defn-
ed through three ranges of towns
ships in Iowa county and one in
Grant, Gncluding the mines of Min
eral Point, Diamond Grove, Lost
Grove and Mifiiin, in Iowa county,
and New California and Crow Branch,
in Grant COunty,) is nevertheless
disturbed at the west-end, as it comes
in contact with the geological break
along the valley of Grant river.
where it seems to be borne down
little out of its course to BeetOwn,
bat there it again takes its regular
course. Towards the east end it en-
counters very heavy ridge, or ele-
walton OF land coming down from the
northwest of Dodgeville, and extend
ing In southeast direction through
the country. This belt, when cons
ing in contact with this ridge or ele,
walton of land, seems to follow its
course, and groups of mineral rang
es are found along its TANKS for ten
or fifteen miles.
The geological features are some
what different to what we find in the
other two. The strata is more brob.
| tu cNiQCuJGo Vi Vi but
lower beds of the strata are seen in
the undulations of the sand stone,
and the protrusion of the lower mag
nesian limestone in several places
through the sandstone. Owing to
this there has been greater denuda-
ton, consequently we have here, in
many places large exposure of the
blue limestone, affordiDg good
chance to study the mineral bearing
character of this formation along a
line of physical disturbance. The
mines of Mineral Point, Diamond
Grove, Lost Grove, Mifflin, and
Crow Branch, are now, and have
been for several years past, confined
mostly to this formation establish
ing beyond doubt its mineral bearing
character. To this | shall refer
again.