Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-04-19
.Dodgeville iowa County
from the State Joul nal ]

reader something which he already knows,
al,ude to the mining interest in and
around the town, to which its past and
present prosperity is largely due. The
lead resources Of Iowa county commenced
developing in 1926, diggings being worked
by few miners that emigrated from the
Eastern States. In 1887 S. Hoskins, Esq.
came to this place and at once engaged in
mining, striking some rich and productive
leads. We will not attempt to 60 into
any narrative of the mining history Of
the country, but will simply glance at
the present.
During the gold excitement of Califor-
MIA the lead interest Of Wisconsin was
neglected The miners, not satisfied with
the slow process of making money by
lead mining, emigrated to the gold fields
Of California with hopes ofreturnirg to their
native home in a very short space of time
with we'll filled pockets, But this did not
prove as profitable business as they an
ticipated, consequently in the course OF
few years many of the miners returned to
the lead regions with the opinion that
there was more noise made about the rich
gold fields of California then was warran-
ted. The past few years there has been
greater attention paid to the mineral re
sources of the State by both interested
and disintercsted persons than heretofore,
and especially among the citizens OF Iowa,
LAFAYETTE and Graut counties. very
rich lead has been struck about ten miles
from Dodgeville, in the town of Ridgeway
on the land owned by one of Madison
enterprsing citizens, N. w. Dean, who
has recently received two OF the finest
specimens of mineral we have ever seen,
the two weighing 635 pounds, one 32o
snd the other $40. These specimens
were taken from the above named mines,
from which person can obtain some idea
of the quality of the mineral produced in
and around Dodgeville. This is consider
ed one of the finest diggings that has been
discovered for number of years, and the
best in the county at present. These
mines, known as the Cutler Diggings OF
Union mines, are now being worked by
Hendy, Mundy & Co., who have taken
out l25, 900 pounds of mineral during the
past three months, the ore yielding on tht
average about 60 per cent. This hrn
own a smelling furnace where the minera
is been smelted into bars of lead known a.
pigs" each weighing 70 poundS,in which
form it is shipped to Chicago. This same
firm in connection with others, are run
ming level on Mr.. Deans land, which i;
paying wages, with prospect of some
thing better. There is also another smclr
ing furnace in the village, owned by Ben
nett, George & Co., which is the larges
of the two. and is doing an extensive
business. There is a company organized
for the purpose of draining the diggings
in the vicinity of Dodgevlle, which as yet
has not met with much success, but they
appear TO be confident that when The
drain gets up into the heart of the GROUND
they will make many valuable discoveries
There is unquestionabIy large amour
of mineral deposited in Iowa county
which undoubtedly will be discovered in
time. We had a great desire to visit
these diggings, and would have done SC
had the weather not been so unfavorable
and it was quite disappointment to US
as We knew it would have been rar'
curiosity, nevertheless we managed tt
bear the disappointment with the help o
Ellwood Bros, pure grape juice, of which
we shall have more to say.
The village of Dodgeville, comparative
" speaking, is isolated from the outsid
world, which is keenly felt by every citi
I'm. there being but one public way o
getting in and out of the place,i e., poo
excuse for a stage running from Arena
thither, thence on to Mineral Point, owned
by Mr.. Kirby, who undoubtedly is wei
posted in the Holy Book, as he has pat
termed his coaches after Noah's Ark, AM
none but an experienced hand could hav
succeede! as we'll There has been con
siderable talk Of securing railroad facli
ties. by tie extension Of the Minera
Point road through this place to Lon'
Rock, thence to Tomah, there connecting
with the West Wisconsin. The road ha
been surveyed and is only waiting for as
sistance from the county for it's compile
ton: In 1853 Iowa County issued bond
to the amount of $l50,000, having beer
running at eight per cent. interest eve
since, now amounting to nearly half
million of dollars, which has put damp
err on the railroad excitement, but ever
were the railroad company to complete
thu road from the Point to Lone Rock
without any assistance FROM the county,
would prove far better paying road thai
the other end of the road running from
Mineral Point to Warren Qll) has
Dodseville is certainly entitled to a rail
road. and we hope to see her effort
crowned with success in this direction.
There are but very few counties in tn
State that possesses the mineral and agfi
cultural wealth that Iowa county does
Throughout the whole region surround
l;IIa tho land IS valuable, an