Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1922-06-14
1l1ttlr ttre pntnht ptnuerrh
(By Judge Wilmottl

| J3c6nC 10 Ln1S tract. IL was the OBJECT
Of the company to run level through
! this territory to drain the water from
| the land. Operations were continued
Gown the hollow a little below the
Catholic church after survey OF the
proposed course running westwardly.
The level was started in the manner
of trench until it reached the base of
the hill when tunneling began A man
| named Albert Rupee was sent on here
from New York as superintendent. He
was a college educated miner that
had never had any mining experience.
He brought his wife here with him
and they occupied Mrs. Whites house
that was in earlier times a hotel.
Mrs. Rupee was a very aristOcratic
lady, but in way was sOciable. After
being here couple of years or more,
Rupee proved to be a failure as a
mining superintendent and was called
back to New York. o. G. Hathaway,
supt. for the company, then sent a
practical miner to take charge. He
came from the company's BeetOwn
mine. His name was Henry Loomis
Shafts were cleaned up and new ones
sunk with varying success. The large
body of lead ore that was supposed to
be in these diggings was not discover
ed and in 1879 the company, after
sinking about 100000 in the enter
prise, suspended operations. Their
failure was disappointment, not only
to themselves, but to the community
at large who still believe that untold
wealth lies embedded in these hills.
The Graham Mining Co., by Mr.
Hathaway, sold their land and mining
rights to Theodore Blindert for sum
far below what it cost them. Prac-
teal miners were always of the opln-
ion this company did not mine with
that judgment which is the result OF
long acquaintance with mining Oper-
ations, and hence the failure. About
the time the Graham Mining Co. was
operating their prospect a smaller
company was organized to develop a
mine on the hill and across the hollow
from the Graham mine. This company
was composed of practical and eXper-
fenced miners, among them being Joe
Thomas, commonly called, big Joe"
Henry Wallenhorst, Joseph Lang
Langkamp, Jr., Jim Pedelty and some
others whose names have escaped my
memory. This company operated on
land owned by Matthias Wagner.
They ran a tunnel west for some hun
dred feet and were rewarded for the
work done. Many thousands OF
pounds of mineral were taken from
this tunnel.
Other mines in this territory were
worked with big success. John M.
Charles operated a smelling furnace
in the Dutch Hollow district in the
very early forties, located at the head
Of what is now known as Hogs Hol-
low" The log house that he built in
which he and hired men dwelt was
destroyed by fire a few years ago.
John NJ Charles died in this house
while yet young man.
In later years not much mining was
done in this and other mining dis
tricts in the town of Potosi and it was
not until 1904 when Frank Trego, a
Chicago capitalist, came here and be-
ng favorably impressed with the
amount of black jack found in the old
dump piles, leased the old Preston
Point mining ground and started men
70 work sinking shafts. Pumping ma
chinery was shipped here and active
work began A large concentrating
mill was built and equipped with the
latest machines. Fifty or sixty men
were employed in and about the mine.
Trego, himself, supervised the con-
struction of the mill The prevailing
wage for labOring men al that time
las S125 per day. Mr. Trego boosted
the wages to $175 and 81 per day.
This caused comment and dissatls-
action among others and municipal
tiles that were then paying dollar a
day wages Many men came from
other places to work, some bringing
families and houses vert at prem
!lnl. Hotels and boarding houses
weye filled ana saloons did a land
office business. Single men, like in
al mining camps, spent their money
freely. Mr.. Trego had several small
Buildings built at the mine. He main
tanned an office and employed book
keeper He installed electric lights
in and around the mine and at night
the lights shone through the timber,
resembling a little city. He operated
the mine for a year Or more with fair
success. He wanted concessions on
land west of his leased lands but
called to get them. Had he got lease
on the land west OF the main road he
would have put on more men at the
prospecting. Failing to get the land
he wanted, he ceased mining opera
ions here and moved his mill and all
other machinery to Platteville. This
move on the part of Mr.. Trego caused
many men to go elsewhere to obtain
work and the business of Potosi ano
adjacent villages was lessened to
noticeable degree. This prospect re-
NAMED Idle for several years when
il again became a scene Of mining
activity. A company Of Dubuque
capitalists organized to further de-
velop the mine, known as the Preston
Point Mining Co. Further paltlcu-
lars of this and other mining activi-
ties in Dutch Hollow and other points
will be given later on.
TWO DAY G.. A. r. REUNION
At ROSCOREI,. HTNE 21-22