Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1917-03-07
FARMERS GET RICH
MINING LEASES AROUND BENTON
PUT OLD SETTLERS AMONG
THE PLUTOCRACY.

Benton, Wis. (SpeciaD are
more rich farmers, and more farmers
who expect to become rich, within a
radius Of three or four miles Of this
little city Of 1000 people, than any
where else in the state. More income
taxes are paid in Benton township than
in any other township. They are paid
III large part by men who used to till
the "sile" to borrow a phrase from Ar
temus Ward, but who now reap royal
ties from beneath the ground. The
state bank Of Benton has deposits Of
$8OG,OO0.
Some Of the owners of the ground
sold their land outright, but most o.
them still own the acres they formerly
ploWed The royalty system is the
one commonly in use The customary
royalty contract is 10 per cent of the
value of the crop. One farmer living
near Benton is said to have received
$4,000 royalties for one month. A great
many receive incomes running up in
to the thousands year.
Named After Owners.
Another custom in the district is TO
name the mines after the owner of the
land, rather than to seek high sound
ing, fantastic denominatOrs, such as
one hears in Western camps. The
Klar-Piquett, Thompson, Ire
ganza, Martin, Kittoe and Winskill
mines, along with others, have been
named in this way. The mining indus
try has raised monuments to many
men through this method Of nOmencla~
ture. 1t is deserved, as men who were
busy making their crop fifteen or TWEEN
ty years ago have done much to open
up the district, particularly in the
early exploration period.
Ono of these farmers was Horace
Winskill who until about ten years
ago drove his team afield along with
the rest of the male members Of mis-
neigh borhood. He decided that more
money was to be found under the
ground than on top, and with other
farmers of the vicinity organized g
company to prove the theory.
They prospected and developed, until
they found the mine on the Winskill
farm, just as Winskill thought they
would The mine was sold for $4,000
and Winskill in addition, receives &
10 per cent royalty on metal from it.
It has produced more than $1,O00,000,
and is credited with being one of the
best producers in the district.
Gets $4,000 on One Prospect.
John Seitz, who is credited with
cleaning up $4,000 on one prospect,
l. 20, 20
Martin Schroeder E. H Mailer, and
E. F, Nehls, became wealthy when the
Empire mine was opened up. Schroeder
still lives on the farm. Mailer is
dead. Tom Alcock lived on a farm at
Platteville. A mine was opened up on
the place which became profitable, but
Alcock still lives on the site. James
Schroeder, on whose place the Block
house mine is situated, is living on his
farm as before.
The Klar brothers, Chris and Pete,
moved to Platteville and retired when
a prospect developed into pay dirt on
the old homestead. Kittoe still resides
on his farm, but he has become mine
operator on his own hook in the Hazel
Green district. Ed Strawbridge owns
land from which he receives royal
ties reputed to be large. He moved to
Platteeville. C. A. Thompson and Joe
Thompson, New Diggings, gather roy
alties and live on farms which are be-
ing followed out and whose surface is
shaded by smoke from the mills.
These men are characteristic of the
farmers who have graduated into the