Mineral Point Town (part 1 of 3)

The Buck Lead

In 1810, the historic diggings known for more than half a century as the " Buck Load," were being worked by the Indians, the labor being mainly performed by squaws. It was the largest body of mineral then ever discovered on Fever River, and an immense amount of galena ore was taken out by the natives and sold to traders, before the lead was worked out by Johnson, as hereinafter referred to. Mr. Farrar estimated that several million pounds had been taken from this lead by the Indians ; more, in fact, than was taken from it by white miners afterward. This lead took its name from "The Buck," a Sac or Fox chief, who was encamped with his band on Fever River in 1819, and worked it. Its existence had been known to the Indians for many years, and unquestionably by Dubuque, previous to its working by Buck and his band. Close by it and parallel with it, was a smaller lead, which may be called the " Doe " lead, in honor of Buck's favorite squaw. Before the arrival of .Johnson, in 1820-21, the Indians took from this lead the largest nugget of mineral ever raised in the region. It took all the force thev could muster to raise it, and, when they had succeeded in getting it out, the Indian miners urged that it be sent to Washington as a gift to the Great Father, but, since no record of its having been so disposed of is extant, it is reasonable to believe that the traders outweighed their inclinations by offering a slight advance on the customary price, which was a peck of corn for a peck of mineral.

In 1819, when the Buck Lead was being worked by the Indians, Jesse \V. Shull was trading at Dubuque's mines, for a company at Prairie du Chien. That company desired him to go to Fever River and trade with the Indians ; but he declared that it was unsafe, that the Sacs and Foxes had already murdered several traders, and declined to go unless he could have the protection of the United States troops. Col. Johnson, of the United States Army, subsequently was induced to summon a council of the Sac and Fox nations at Prairie du Chien, and when the chiefs had assembled, he informed them that the goods which Mr. Shull was about to brin>' among them were sent out by their Father, the President of the United States (it was not considered a sin to lie to the Indians even as long ago as then), and told them that they must not molest Shull in his business.

Having received from the Government oflScers and from the Indians assurances of protection, Shull came to Fever River late in the su:nmer of 1810, and erected a trading-house on the bottoms at the river, probably near the foot of the present Perry street. Mr. Seymour, in his of Galena," published in ISIS, fixes the location as the "site of the American House; " but, as that landmark has long since disappeared, the location is indefinite. During 1848, Mr. Seymour had a personal interview with Mr. Shull, then residing in Green County, and gathered from his lips the information given herein. Mr. Shull stated that he and Dr. Samuel C. Muir were the first white settlers on Fever River at that point. Dr. Muir began trading, witli goods furnished by Col. Davenport, at that place, the same year. Mr. Shull also said that Francois Bouthillier, a French trader known about Prairie du Cbien as early as 1812, " occupied " a rude hut at the bend, on the east side of Fever River, in 1819 ; but whether he built the same, or merely occupied a shanty already constructed by some earlier trader, is undetermined. This leaves the subject in a vague slate ; but the inference is that Bouthillier not only lived in but also built the hut.

Mr. Sliull does not appear to have been a permanent fixture at Fever River, for he soon moved to otiier places, and changed his base as tiie Indians shifted their hunting and trapping grounds. He subsequently removed to what is now La Fayette County, as is shown in the history of that county proper.

Dr. Samuel C. Muir, mentioned by Mr. Shull as trading in the district in 1819, may have been the companion of that pioneer, but no evidence goes to prove the fact. Just when he first came and how long he remained is unknown. Dr. Muir was an educated physician, a graduate oi

Edinburg, and a man of strict integrity. He was Surgeon in the United States Army previous to his settlement at La Pointe. He married an Indian woman of the Fox Nation. In 1819-20, Dr. Muir was stationed at Fort Edward-s, now AVarsaw. He resigned in the latter year, and built the first house on the site of Keokuk, but leased his claim to parties in St. Louis, and ai'ain came to La Pointe in 1820, to practice his profession. He was the first regular physician in the district. He remained ten years. Subse([(iciit'ly. he returned to Keokuk, where he suddenly died, leaving an estate badly involved. His widow and her two surviving children (two had previously died) disappeared, some say to resume her old relations with her tribe, on the Upper Missouri.

A. P. Van Matre

Pointe, where he engaged in smelting. From an article on the early settlement of this di.strict published in the Galena Senthiel in 1843, the following is taken relative to this man :

"In the fall of the year 181il, our old friend, Capt. D. G. Bates, started from St. Louis, with a French crew, for Fever River, Upper ^Lasissippi, lead mines. His vessel was a ' keel,' the only means of conveyance then of heavy burthens on the Upper Mississippi ; and the boatmen in those days were, some of them, 'half-horse and half-alligator.' But the merry French, after arriving off Pilot Knob, commenced hunting for Fever River. After a search of three days they found the m'outli, and, on the 13th of November, after pushing tlirough the high grass and rice lakes, they arrived safely at where Galena now stands, where they were greeted by some of the natives, ifrom the tall grass, as well as by our old acijuaintances, J. W. ShuU and A. P. Van Matre, wlio had taken to themselves wives from the daughters of the land, and were traders for their brethren. [A portion of the scrap is here gone. Others are evidently mentioned ; Dr. Muir, for one.] Capt. Bates, after disposing of or leaving his cargo in c.\chan"e for lead, etc., returned to St. Louis for another cargo."

Future generations will be glad to learn what the primitive "keel-boat " was. The novel craft was built to fill the peculiar demand of the locality. It was sometiiing like a modern "scow-barge," only its hull was lower. Tiiese boats were from fifty to eighty feet long and from ten to fifteen feet beam, witii two to three feet depth of iiold. On the deck was built the " cargobox," which generally extended to within about ten feet of the ends of the boat, with about two feet space between gunwales and box. This space was called a "walking-board." Sometimes there was no room for this runway, and it was projected over the hull. The rudder was a cigantic sweep. The boat was propelled by oars, sails, poles, or any other contrivance which ingenuity or necessity suggested. When the water was high and the boat near shore, the crew would seize the bushes and "bushwhack " along. The cliaracter of many men who engaged in this life was such as to render " bushwhacking " a terra of severest reproach even to this day. Frequently, a long rope was attached to the boat, and the crew organized into a towing-club. This style of navigation was called " cordelling." Sometimes a rope was made fast to a tree or an anchor and liauied upon, the crew walking from stern to stern until the craft was alongside of the anchorage, when anotlier "hitch " w.-is made. This laborious work was the only method of securing navigation in the Upper Mississippi at the time mentioned.

Francois Bouthillier, the other and later occupant of the Fever River trading-post in 1819, was a roving trader, who followed the nomadic habits of his dusky customers. Whether he remained in his shanty, calling it home, from that time on, is unknown. The second mention of him is made in the statement of J. G. Soulard, who, wiiile on his way to Fort Snelling, in 1821, found Bouthillierat Fever River, still acting as trader. Mr. Shull, in tlie intt-rview with Mr. Seymour, already mentioned, said : "Mr. Bouthillier. after he occupied a shanty at the * Bend,' in 1819, purchased a cabin then known as the cabin of Bagwell & Co., supposed to be near the lower ferry. In 1824, and previous to Bouthillier's purchase, the house and lot had lieen sohl for §80." Here Mr. Bouthillier engaged in trade and established a ferry, which is the first permanent settlement made by him of wliich authentic account is given. Capt. Harris is authority for saying that such a ferry and trading-house were built near that point.

Histoky Of The Lead Region

Tn this connection, it is well to aild that Mr. George Ferguson and Mr. Allan Tomlin, early settlers and reliable men, both express the opinion that there was a trading-post at the Portatre, three and a-half miles below La Pointe, before either of those whose names have been mentioned were at the place. However this may be, in the absence of further evidence, it must be admitted that there were a large number of Indians encamped or living in the region referred to at that time, whose women and old men were engaged in raising lead from the Buck lead, and the fame of their rude though, for them, extensive mining operations, must have naturally attracted the attention of traders, who probably came to traffic with them. The inference, if not the proof, sustains the statements of Messrs. Ferguson and Tomlin. The Portage was a narrow neck of land between Fever River and the Mississippi, so named because the Indians and traders were accustomed to transport their canoes and goods across to save the journey down tn the mouth, some two and a half miles, the neck 1)eing only a few rods in width. A furrow was plowed across the neck in 1834, by Lieut. Ilobart, and now there is a deep channel, called the " cutoff." This was certainly a good location for a trading-post.

In November, 1821, when the charge of the lead mines was transferred from the General Land Office to the War Department, no mines were known to be worked in any of the mining districts under leases or legal authority, although many were known to be worked without authority, especially in Missouri. This statement is made in the sense of United States authority, for it was only by obtaining the authority and friendship of the Indians, either by marriage with squaws or by presents, that operations could be carried on with impunity by white men.

In 1821, Thomas H. January located on "La Pointe." He brought his wife and one child - a son. This must be accepted as the first known presence of a wiiite woman in the lead region. Mrs. January died in a short time after her arrival, and her remains were taken back to Kentucky, her former home, in 1826. Mr. January was a former resident of Maysville, Ky., where he lost his fortune. He moved to the new country for the purpose of retrievintr his financial condition. He died November 29, 1828, and was buried with Masonic honors, according to the Miner's Journal, a paper he doubtless helped to establish.

The First American History

In 1822, this extreme western frontier settlement had become sufficiently well known to have a place in the literature of the day. A book called T/ie Gazetteer of lUinok and 3Iissouri was published that year. The Galena River, called frequently "Fever River," was also known as "Bean River," because the French traders had styled it "Riviere au Feve," meaning bean. The Gazetteer contained the following:

"Bean River (Riviere au Feve, Fr.), a navigable stream of Pike County, emptying into the Mississippi three miles below Catfish Creek, twenty miles below Dubui|ue's mines, and about seventy above Rock River. Nine miles up this stream a small creek empties into it from the west. The banks of this creek and the hdls, which abound in alluvium, are filled with lead ore of the best quality. Three miles below this, on the banks of Bean River, is the trader's villaf^e, consisting of ten or twelve houses or cabins. At this place the ore is obtained from the Indians, is smelted, and then sent in boats either to Canada [by way of the Wisconsin to the Portage, then down the Fox River to Green Bay] or New Orleans. The mines are at present extensively worked by Colonel Johnson, of Kentucky, wiio, during the last session of Congress (winter of 1821-22), obtained the exclusive right of working them for three years. The lands on this river are poor, and are only valuable on account of the immense quantities of mineral which they contain."

In the same work,"Chicago is simply mentioned as a "village of Pike County, containing twelve or fifteen houses, and about sixty or seventy inhabitants." It is very evident that there was a "traders' village" on or near the present site of Galena in 1822, and that it was a point of more importance, commercially, than Chicago at that time. The statement is confirmed by a letter from Capt. M. Marston, then commander at Fort Edwards, to Araos Farrar, Fever River, dated April 12, 1822, in which appears the following: "The Johnsons, of Kentucky, have leased the Fever River lead mines, and are about sending up a large number of men. It is also said that some soldiers will be stationed there. If this is all true, the Foxes, and all the trading estiif'h'shine/its now there, must remove."

An e.xplanation of the foregoing, and a confirmation of historic assertion, is found in official documents. If the lead mines attracted traders, they naturally attracted miners also. Especially so since the Missouri mines were known to be fields wherein depredations could be, and were, carried on. It followed in logical sequence that the Fever River district should not be left in exemption to the rule. Possibilities soon become probabilities and actualities.

Leaving the Indian's and unlawful white man's attempts out of further mention, it is found that the first regular operations of which records speak were those carried on by James Johnson, nf Kentucky, who is named in the foregoing extracts from the Gazetteer and letter. Mr. Johnson is spoken of as a brother of the historic Col. R. M. Johnson, famous as the accredited .slayer of Tccuraseh - a disputed point in more recent history, however, but one foreign to this chapter. Tiie date of Johnson's arrival at La Pointe must remain forever in obscurity, unless .some records not now discovered are hereafter brought to light. Capt. Marston's letter, quoted above, is supplemented by a letter written by Dr. IL Newhall, dated "Fever River, Marcli 1, 1828," in which the Doctor speaks of the Buck lead as having been " worked out by Col. Johnson while he was at these mines in 1820-21." J. G Soulard, who passed up the Mississippi in 1821, as already mentioned, also speaks of Johnson. He says the hitter's boats were seen floating down the river loaded with lead. He did not see Johnson, however. It is believed that Johnson fir.^t came to the district in 1819-20 as a trader. In 1820-21, it appears probable that he rained without Government autiiority, but under purchased permission from the Indians. At that time the Land Office, and not the War Department, had control of the matter, and a very vigorous exercise of authority was neither possible nor attempted. It is barely supposable that Johnson was there engaged merely in smelting, and did not mine at all until legally empowereil to do so.

In August or September, 1821, Amos Farrar was managing a trading-post on Fever River, as agent for the American Fur Company, and was living there with his Fox wife. This fact is established by the existence of a letter addressed to him at the " Lead Mines, Fever River," from Major S. Burbank, commander at Fort Armstrong, dated October 14, 1821. The letter was sent " by favor of Mr. Music," and tendei-ed Mr. Farrar " ray old black horse, if it will be of any service to you." A letter dated at Fort Armstrong, November 21, 1821. signed -' J. R. Stubbs," a blacksmith, was addressed to " Amos Farrar. Fever River, and introduced the bearer of the letter, Mr. Symnies, who is accompanied by Mr. Connor and Mr. Bates." These were, probably, B. Symmes and James Connor ; but whether it was David G or Nehemiah Bates, is uncertain. The documents preserved show that Mr. Farrar was, for at least two years before and up to July 22, 1821. in the service of Louis Devotion, as a trader on the Mississip])!, located at Fort Armstrong, and receiving his goods, via Green Bay, from Canada. About the date referred to, he left Devotion's service and located at Portage, on Fever River. In 1823, he had a trading-house on the bank of the river near the center of what is now Water street, Galena. On the first of June, lt^2.j, Mr. Farr.ir received a peruiit, signed Charles Smith, actin;; Sub-agent of the United States Lead Mines, permitting him to occupy five acres of United S'at' .s land for cultivation, and to build a cabin thereon, situated near the Portage. He was compelled to comply with all the timber regulations. Jlr. Farr.ir had three children by his Fox wife, but who are now dead. About two years before his death, he married Miss Sophia Gear, sister of Capt. H. II. Gear. lie died of consuraption July 24, 18o2, at his house within the stockade then existing.

In November. 1821, the jurisliotion of the lead mines was transferred from the General Land Office to the War Department, and January 4, 1822, leases were granted to T. D. Carniel and

Benjamin Johnson, and to Messrs. Suggett & Payne, all of Kentucky, for one hundred and sixiv :icre.s of land to each of the two parties to be selected by them, in the northern part of Illinois or the southern part of the then Michigan Territory, now Wisconsin. Lieut. C. Burdine, of the United States Army, was ordered to meet them in the spring at the Great Crossings of the Kentucky, proceed with them in exploring the country, assist them in the selection of their lands, protect them with an armed force, and mal -^ surveys of the ground for the information of the Government. Subsequently, leases were granted to other parties. The absence of records in the West - though probably such reports as were made can be found in the archives of the War Department, if one is desirous of gaining positive knowledge - leaves the precise movements of Lieut. Burdine in obscurity. It is presumable that he obeyed the orders of his superiors, however, and made a more or less careful survey. April 12, 1822, Capt. Marston, at Fort Edwards (Warsaw), wrote to Amos Farrar, at Fever River, that ''the Johnsons, of Kentucky, have leased the Fever Lead Mines, and are about sending up a large number of men." It is probable that under their lease they selected land to include the Buck lead; and a little later, in the same year, James Johnson and a Mr. Ward (probably D. L. Ward) came from Kentucky, bringing with them a number of negro slaves. It was thus that human slavery was introduced into the lead district. The statement is authoritatively made that the leaders were accompanied by several young white men, whose names are not now remembered. Johnson had his furnace on the site of McClosky's store, on the levee. He worked the Buck lead, and raised a large amount of ore. David G. Bates and A. P. Van Matre worked a vein of mineral on Apple River, near Elizabeth (Georgetown), but smelted their ore at Fever River. The number of miners at work at this period (1822) is not known.

During 1822, Dr. Moses Meeker visited the lead region on a tour of observation. Unquestionably others visited Fever River the same year for the same purpose, as the extraordinary deposit of mineral had become knewn in the old settlements south and east.

JIaj. John Anderson, of the United States Topographical Engineers, was stationed as Government Agent at Fever River in 1822, probably, although the exact date is not shown. He occupied a shanty on what was known as '- Anderson's Slough" (now Harris' Slough), about two and a half miles from Galena.

William Adney and wife were also in the place, Adney had been a soldier, and arrived here that spring. Mrs. Adney was the only white woman at Fever River when the Ohio colony arrived, which caused the statement to be made that she w;is the first white woman to settle in in the district. The facts already mentioned concerning Mrs. Thomas H. January's arrival in 1821, and her death a short time later, show that Mrs. Adney must have been the second white female settler. Mrs. Adney 's remains were disinterred and taken to her former home in Kentucky in 1826.

These few cabins and smelting-furnaces constituted the abodes of the white population in the entire region, but the bottoms, ravines and hill-sides were thickly dotted with the wigwams of the Sacs and Foxes. They were peaceable and treated the whites kindly. The greater portion of the meats consumed by the settlers was furnished by the Indians. The squaws and old men, who were too weak to hunt, were made to raise the mineral from the mines. The Winnebngoes and Menomonees, although living in what is now Wisconsin, used to trade with the whites on Fever River.

In 1823, large and important accessions were made to the population of the then remote pioneer settlements on Fever River, and the history of the raining region begins to emerge from the obscurity and uncertainty theretofore surrounding it. The testimony of reliable, living witnesses was obtained in 1878, by the Western Historical Company. Capt. D. S. Harris and Hiram B. Hunt, then surviving, and, indeed, the only survivors of the emigration of that year, and a few persons who came in 1824, contributed to the interest and value of the history of the region published in 1878,

In 1823, there transpired an important event. Dr. Moses Meeker, who had prospected on Fever River during the previous year, organized a colony and embarked on the 20th day of April on the keel-boat " Col. Bomford." at Cincinnati, Ohio, for the mines." There were thirty men, besides the women and chiMrcn, in the party, and seventy-five tons of freight, consisting of a complete mining outfit merchandise and provisions, sufficient to subsist the party a year after their arrival. Among the passengers, and all whose names can now be recorded, were : Dr. Moses Meeker, James Harris, his son, Daniel Smith Harris, then fifteen years old ; Benson Hunt and his wife, Elizabeth Harris Hunt ; his two daughters, Dorlesca and Dorcina, and his son, Hiram Benson - aged respectively, six, four and two years; John Doyle, wife and child; Maria Bunco and her brothers, John and Hiram; Maria Rutherford; Thomas Boyce ; Israel Garretson ; John Whittington, the steersman ; William Hewlett, and a man named House.

At St. Louis, James Harris left the boat and purchased a herd of cattle, which he drove overland, arriving two or three weeks later than the main party.

ne "Col. Bomford" reached Fever River June 20, after a safe passage of sixty days, whi.- was considered remarkably quick. The Mississippi was very high, and bushwhacking had to be resorted to frequently. Just below St. Louis, the steamer " Virginia," bound for Fort Snelling with supplies for the troops, passed the pioneers. This was the first steamer to make the trip of the Upper Mississippi, above the mouth of the Illinois River. The " Virginia " touched at Fever River, being the " first arrival " at that " port," landing in June, 1823. Her speed was but little superior to a well-manned keel-boat. The " Col. Bomford " reached haven on Sunday, June 20, and ran up the small creek known as Meeker's Branch, where a landing was effected on the south bank, not far from the main stream.

The arrival of Dr. Meeker marked a new era in the history of the mining district, and gave an impetus to the growth of the little outpost, which was then scarcely more than an Indian village, almost unknown except to traders. It required enthusiasm, energy, bravery, perseverance and patient endurance of toil and privations, not experienced in later years, to venture into the Indian country and there make permanent settlement. Dr. Meeker possessed all those characteristics in a remarkable degree, as did also James Harris, his foreman, confidential counselor and friend. The two men became the head and soul, so to speak, of the new settlement, and to them, perhaps more than to any others, it owes its rapid development, until, six years after their arrival, a town was laid off by the United States authorities. Mrs. Meeker died December, 1829, aged thirty-nine years. Dr. Meeker removed to Iowa County in 1833, and his history will be found in the chapters devoted specifically to that locality. Air. Harris lived but a few years to witness the results of his labors, as he, too, died in 1829, suddenly. He sleeps beside his former companion, in the cemetery at Galena. His children and descendants are among the respected residents of Galena and the mineral district at the present time.

Returning to the year 1823, it is seen that Dr. Meeker built a cabin on what was called Meeker's Branch, now on the east side of Main street. Galena. Hunt built a cabin a little north. Directly across the road from Meeker's cabin a well was sunk. This well still remains, although unused, to prove the identity of these pioneer cabins. Fifteen or twenty feet north of the well, Benson Hunt built a blacksmith-shop, and there did the first regular work of the kind done in the district. Harris and his son also put up cabins not far from Meeker's.

During the early years of settlement. Fever River was really an arm of the Mississippi, and the first settlers attempted to make a harbor there, with considerable success, as is shown by the early legislative proceedings.

When Dr. Meeker arrived, in June, 1823, he found less than one hundred white men in the entire region. Prominent among them were Dr. Samuel C. Muir, who was practicing medicine and was highly esteemed by all ; Thomas H. January, Amos Farrar, Jesse W. Shull, Francois Bouthillier, A. P. Vanmatre, D. G. Bates, John Conley, John Ray, James Johnson, Nehemiah

History Of The Lead Region

Bates, James Connor, B. Symmes, E. Rutter, John Burrell, Joseph Hardy, Robert Burton (not the smelter), Montgomery Wilson, Stephen P. Howard, Martin Smith, Israel Mitchell (a surveyor), John Armstrong, Cuyler Armstrong, William Thorn and others.

The War Department's Report for 1823 shows that the only persons engaged legitimately in mining and smelting in this district under Government lease were James Johnson, James Connor, B. Symmes and E. Rutter. This was in September. Dr. Meeker put up a furnace that year, but his name was not returned in the reports until 1824. During the latter year he cultivated land, and planted the first orchard in the district.

In the fall of 1823, Israel Garretson and Maria Bunce were married in the Meeker cabin, by an army officer whose name is not preserved. Probably it was Maj. John Anderson, then stationed at Fever River as Government Agent. There was neither minister nor magistrate in the district at that date. Miss Rutherford and William Hines were married at the same time. These, so far as is known, were the first marriages of white people solemnized in the district.

The First Death

About this time, a General Schimerman, whose name does not appear in other records obtainable now at tliis point, was taken sick and died at the village, whicli was the first death after the arrival of the Ohio colony.

John S. Miller and family came to the mines in 1823, and opened the first public house, in a double log-cabin, on the present northwest corner of Branch and Dodge streets. Galena.

In 1824, James Harris began the cultivation of land at Anderson's Slougli, wliich was the second farm - Meeker's being the first - in the district. It was believed until as late as 1830, that crops could not be successfully grown so far north.

August 18, 1824, Lieut. Martin Thomas was appointed superintendent of the lead mines of the Upper Mississippi, and authorized to grant leases and permits to smelters and miners, and to farmers, provided they did not interfere with the mining interests.

The First Births

In October, 1824, & son was born to Benson Hunt and wife. The old family Bible contains the following entry, which is almost illegible: "James Smith Miint, born at fifteen minutes past 1 o'clock P. M. on the 9th day of October, 1824." Soon alter this event, Mary S. Miller, daughter of John S. Miller, was born. These were the first white children born in the district. Both were born within the present city limits of Galena.

Social Development

Following the history of settlement, and reserving the narrative of the mining operations until later, it is recorded that 182.5 witnessed a large arrival of white settlers. John Foley, who became the first Sheriff of Jo Daviess County, came that year. Among the more prominent men were Capt. William Henry; Capt. James Craig, whose wife was a grand-daughter of Daniel Boone ; Col. Henry Gratiot and his brother, John P. B. Gratiot, and others. The Gratiots came in a light wagon, accompanied by three hired men, with a complete outfit. They struck mineral and made their first settlement in the valley between Hinckley's and Waddell's Mounds. Subse<iuently, the Indians made large discoveries fifteen miles from Fever River, in what is now La Fayette County, and the Gratiots located there, as is fully shown in the history of La Fayette County.

In 1826, Charles Gear came to the district, with his family and many other persons. He was an enthusiastic Freemason, and his influence can be seen in the organization of Strangers' Union Lodge, No. 14, the first Masonic society instituted in the mining district. It was chartered by the Grand Lodge of tiie State of Missouri.

Sophia Gear, sister of Charles, taught the first school presided over by a woman in the .district, in 1S27. She afterward married Amos Farrar.

Lemon Parker, William P. Tilton, D. B. Morehouse and Robert P. Guyard organized the Galena Mining Company at an early date, and are remembered as having made Ottawa, now Barton's, a place of considerable importance, where boats landed. The company smelted on an extensive scale. Tliey had several " log-furnaces," and dealt largely in miner's supplies.

The First Post Office

June 4, 182G, the first post oflSce was established in the mining region. It was called "Fever River," and designated as in Crawford County, 111. As tiie tract south of the Michigan Territorial line (Wisconsin State line), was in Peoria County, the Post Office Department evidently labored under the impression that Crawford County, Michigan Territory, was in Illinois. Ezekiel Lockwood was appointed Postmaster. The service prior to 1828 was semimonthly, and irregular at that.

In 1826, a large number of Swiss arrived and settled at Fever River. These people emigrated to the Red River of the North in 1821, under the patronage of Lord Selkirk. They became dissatisfied with their location, and went back to St. Louis in 1823. Three years later, Louis Chetlain and several of his friends came to the mining district, and, during the summer, nearly all the original colony made their homes here.

I received, by (lie last mail brought here by steamboat " Josephine," a newspaper from you, on the margin of which were endorsed ihe fnllowing words: " Write a full account." 1 was rejoiced to see once more a MassacliuseltM paper, and presume you meant by the endorsement, a full account of '- Fever River." This would puzzle me or any utber person on the river. It is a nondescript. Il is such a place as no one could conceive of without aecinj; it .-strangers hate it, and ri'.<iidents like it. The appearance of the country would convince any one ii must be healtliy ; yet, last season, it w.is more sickly than Havana or New Orleans. There is no civil law here, nor has the Gospel been yet introduced ; or. to mas« use of a common phrase here, " Neither law nor Go«peI can pass the rapids of the Mississippi." The country is cue iivmense prairie, from the Rock River on the south to the Ouiscousin ou the north, ami from the Mississippi on the west, to Lake .Michigan on the east. Il is a hilly CDuntry, and abounding with lend ore of that species called by niinonbigists "galena," whence is derived the name of our town. The lead mines of ilie Ipper Mississippi, as well as those of Missouri, are under the control of the Secretary of War. Lieut. Thomas is .Superintendent. He resides at Saint Louis ; a sub.agent resides at this place. Any person wishing to dig, gels a permit of the agent to do so, by signing certain regulations, the principal of which is that he will sell his mineral to no one but a regularly licensed smelter. He has all the mineral he can raise, and sells it at JIT.oO per thousand (poundsi, delivered at the furnaces. Any person who gels a permit, stakes off two hundred yards square. This is his lot so long as he works it, and no one can interfere with his discoveries. Any persom who will eiva bond to Governmem for $5,000, can have half a mile sipiare. on coui'iiiioa tiiat he employs meaty laboi'ers, an i pays Govcruiueal lU percent of lead made from mineral raised on his survey, or sells his mineral to a public smelter. The public smelters, of which I am one, give bond for $20,000, to pay Government one-tenth of all lead manufactured. They buy mineral of any person who has a permit to dig, manufacture it into lead, pay Government one-tenth, monthly, and are the grrat men of Ihe country. The mineral, lead, and oftsU all go into their hands. U. Newhall A: Co. got iheir furnace in operation Isl of September, lt<27. I made, by the I'jih, twenty tons of lead. My men became sick, and 1 made but 14,000 pounds until Ist of November, since which time 1 have manufactured about 17,000 pounds every week. I have a store of goods, in Galena, for the supply of those with whom I have dealings, and never sell anything for less than 00 per cent advance. My furnace ia on the Sinsinawa River, three miles from Galena, a stream navigable for boats to my furnace. * * * The privilege of working these mines, you Ijnow, was first given by the Government to Col. Johnson, of Kentucky, five years ago (in 182'2). I(e did but little and sunk money. Not mucli lead was made here till last year. Tliere were then four log buildings in Galena. Now there are 11.5 houses and stores in the place. It is the place of deposit for lead and provisions, etc., for all the mining country. There is no spot in .\nierica, of the same size, where there is one-fourth of the capital, or where so much business is done. There was manufactured here, in the year ending September last, 5,000,740 pounds of lead. The population consists mainly of Americans, Irish and French {that is, in the digjings). There are but comparatively few females. Hence, every female, unmarried, who lands on these shores, is i:nmeli itely married. Little girls, fourteen and thirteen years old, are often married here. Three young ladies, who came, fellow passengers with me, in June, and the only ones on board, are all married months since. Du'Buque's Mines, on the opposite side of the Mississippi, are worked by the Fox Indians. They, however, merely skim the surface. The windlass and bucket are not known among them. Du'Buque's Mines is a delightful spot, particularly the Fox Village, on the bank of the Mississippi. But, of all the places in the United .-states, which I have seen. Rock Island, at the lower rapids of the Mississippi, called the Rapids of the Des Moines, is by far the most beautiful. Fort Armstrong is on tliis island. At the mouth of Fever River is a trading-house of the American Fur Company. Their irading-houses are scattered up and down the Mississippi, on the river Ues .Moines, .St. Peters, etc. Their capital is so large, and they gave such extensive credit to the Indians, that no private establishment can compete with them An Indian debt is outlawed, by their own custom, in one year. The fur company credits each Indian hunter a certain amount, from $100 to $.500, according to his industry and skill in hunting and trapping. If, when they return in the spring, they have not furs and peltry enough to pay the debt, the trader loses it. But, on the goods sold to the Indians, there is a profit of 200 or 300 per ceut made, and a profit on the furs received in payment.

December 7, 1827. Fever River was closed with ice on the 21st of November, and, of course, navigation is ended, and I have not sent my letter. I now have an opportunity to forward it by private conveyance to Vandalia. We are now shut out from all intercourse with the world until tlie river opens again in the spring. We have no mail as yet, but shall have a mail once in two weeks, to commence the 1st of January next. I have not received a letter from one of my friends since I have been in Fever River. I hope you will write me before 1st of January, or as soon as you receive this letter. Sincerely yours,

This letter was mailed at Vandalia December 25, and by it is established the fact, that, although Fever River Post Office was established in 1826, it was not regularly supplied, even once a fortnight, until the spring of 1828. Mails were brought by steamboat in the summer, and in the winter the people had none.

In the fall of 1827, Strader k Thompson brought a keel-boat load of general merchandise, including a quantity of flour and pork, from St. Louis. Mr. Bouthillier, whose trading-hou.se was on the east side of the river, near the present site of the railroad station, purchased the entire cargo to secure the flour, as that was scarce, even then. Winter set in without a suflicient supply of provisions to supply the wants of the miners. Nearly all the flour obtainable was held by Bouthillier. It was sour and hard. He chopped it out of the barrels with hatchets, pounded it, sifted it loosely into other barrels, filling two with the original contents of one, and then sold it for $30 per barrel. Even then, the settlers saw with alartn, that there was not enough to last until spring. Tiie winter of 1827-28 was mild and open until January 6 ; the streets had been muddy, and "not freezing in the least, even at night " - but the river froze over then. Word had reached St. Louis that the people in the mines were destitute of provisions. The steamboat " Josephine," Capt. Clark, was loaded with flour and started oflF to take her chances of getting as near as possible to the mines. Slowly she made her way up the Mississippi, and when she reached the mouth of Fever River, the warm weather had weakened the ice, and she made ter wiiy, unheralded, to Galetia. The date of her arrival is fi.xed by the following entry in a memorandum book, kept by Dr. H. Newhall : " February 25, 1828, arrived steamboat " Josephine ;" broke the ice to get up Fever River." Farther corroborated by a letter from Dr. Newhall to his brother, dated March 1, 1828, in which he says : " To our astonishment, on Monday last, a steamboat arrived from St. Louis." The people rushed to the bank, rejoiced and amazed to see a steamboat loaded with flour, except Bouthillier. The day before, Mr. Gratiot had offered him $25 a barrel for all the flour he had, and the offer was refused. Mr. Gratiot now aske<l him he would take for his flour, and Bouthillier, with a shrug, replied : '- Dam ! hell ! suppose, by gar I what man tinks one steamboat come up Fever River in mid de wint? " February 27, the river froze over, and March 5 the boat was still detained by ice,- but arrived at St. Louis about March 14.

The following extracts from a letter from Dr. H. Newhall to his brother, dated March 1, 1828, will give some idea of social life in the mines fifty years ago :

We have hatl but two mails this winter. It has been pleasantly warm here during winter, and the heavi/ rainn caused the ice in the river to break. * It has been cxiremely cold for fmir days : the river is closed with ice. and the boat (the ".losephine," which arrived on the tioth i consequently detained. We have been almost completely isolated from the rest of the world this winter. We have received the President's Message and proceedings of Congress up to the 20th of December, since that time we have ha<l nothing. We, in Galena, enjoyed ourselves well during the winter. There have been ten or twelve balls, the Inst on the T2.'\ of February. \i noon a salute was fired from the cannon received during the Winnebago war. In the evening a ball wiis piven at the Cottage Hotel i the name applied by Dr. N. to the log tavern on the west side of Main street, corner of Green), in a hall (building) sixty feet in lenfilh. ornamented with evergreens. * * There were sixty ladies and ninety gentlemen present. The ladies were elegantly dressed, and many of them were handsome. The ball was m;iirigcd with a degree of propriety and decorum scarcely to be expected in this wild country. Had 1 been suddenly transported into the hall-room, I should have imagined myself in some Eastern city, rather than in the wilds of the Upper Mississippi. Little should I have dreamed that within live miles was the home of the savaTC, and that only twelve miles off is a large Fox village, where I have witnessed the Indian dance around a fresh-taken scalp. March 6. - The steanboat i " Josephine ") is still detained by ice. * * The Hinert' Journal, a newspaper, will be commenced at Galena by 1st of May next. The proprietor, in his prospectus, calls it the JVorMern fffraW. He altered the name at my suggestion. * * "Old Buck," the Foxchicf, who discovered ('.'i the famous '- Buck Lead," has been encamped all winter within a mile of my furnace (on the Sinsinawa, three miles from town). Himself and sons often visit me in town.

In 1829, David G. Bates built a small steamboat at Cincinnati, and called her the "Galena," to run between St. Louis and Galena. Robert S. Harris ran her up the river that summer, but the little boat was short lived.

October 10, 1829, the cholera carried off James Harris, the second victim of that terrible scourge in the mines. Mr. Harris was one of the leaders in the little colony, and his death produced a profound impression.

In the winter of 1832-33, Captain D. S. Harris and his brother R. S. Harris built the first steamboat constructed in this region. It was named "Jo Daviess," and was built at Portaire. Subsequently these men became known on the Mississippi as masters of their trade in practical steamboating.

Negro slavery existed in the mines for several years. It was not abolished altogether until 1840, In 1823, Capt. Harris says there were nearly one hundred and fifty negro slaves in the mines. Under the ordinance of 1787 slavery was prohibited in this Territory, but Illinois sought to evade this organic law by the enactment of statutes by which these slaves could be held aa '- indentured," or "registered servant.s." and these statutes are known as the "Black Laws." As late as March 10, 1829, the Commissioners of Jo Daviess County ordered a tax of one-half of one per cent to be levied and collected on " town lots, slaves, indentured or registered servants," etc.

Government Control Of The Mines

It is necessary to take a retrospective view of the history of the mines, at this point, to take up the threads of the narrative of settlement.

Prior to the appointment of Lieut. Martin Thomas as Superintendent of United States Lead Mines, in August, 1824, there does not appear to have been an agent of the Government here authorized to grant leases and permits to operate on United States lands. Leases of large tracts were obtained from the Government, and on these lands small miners were permitted to enter and dig under the lessees. But their numbers were few.

In 1823, the principal leads worked were all old Indian and French mines struck anew. There were diggings on January "s Point, about .six hundred yards above January's warehouse. On the school section just above were two leads. Next, north, was the "Hog" lead, beyond which were the " Doe" and "Buck " leads, the latter of which had been worked by French miners under Dubuiiue. Then, there were the " Old Cave Diggings," on Cave Branch, in what is now Vinegar Hill Township, that had also been worked by Dubutjue, and the old " In<lian Lead," west of the Buck lead. On the east side of the river was the " Backbone Lead," alumt half a mile east of January's Point, and " Van Matre's lead, on the east side of -Apple Hivcr. near the present village of Elizabeth. On the west, near Anderson's (now Harris") SI mgli, were two

In 1824, John and Cuyler Armstrong struck a lead on the Middle Fork of Miller's Branch (now Meeker's), ;ibovethe old Indian leads. North of this, another lead was struck, near where the Comstock lead was afterward discovered. Mr. Vanderslice had made a discovery about two miles northwest of the settlement, and two new leads east of Vinegar Hill were worked by J. Druner, Michael Byrne and John Furlong. On Cave Branch, one and one quarter miles southeast of " Cave Diggings," John Armstrong had found a good lead, and "the onlv one," says Capt Harris, " where I ever saw native lead sticking to mineral." These were all the principal diggings known in what is now Jo Daviess County when Lieut. Thomas arrived, and they had all, or nearly all, been previously worked by the Indians and French.

Up to that time it is probable that the local agent, Maj. Anderson, had not been authorized to grant leases and permits. Johnson and others had olitaincd their leases at Washington, but the Fever River lead deposits were found to be richer than tlinse of Missouri, and the greater facility with which the mines or "leads" were worked, attracted a large number of miners from Missouri. The Government of the United States had, by advertisements in the leading papers of the Union, called the attention of the people to these lead mines, and invited miners and settlers to the region. They were flocking hither, and it became indispensable to station a resident superintendent here, clothed with authority to grant permits and leases, issue regulations, settle disputes, etc. There was no other law at that time, and, as a rule, the inhabitants were quite as orderly and quite as mindful of each other's rights as they have been in later days. Property was safe and doors needed no locks.

Lieut. Thomas arrived at Fever River in October (probably), 1824, and established his headquarters in a double log cabin which then stood on the bank of the river, in the middle of what is now Main street, about sixty feet south of Gear street. On the north side of Gear street, close by the agency, was a little pond fed by a large spring, and a little creek connected the pond with the river. Immediately after his arrival, Lieut. Thomas issued an order to all miners to suspe-nd operations the next day (the absence of records renders it impossible now to fix the precise date). William Adney, D. G. Bates, John Burrell and John Furlong were working the "Old Cave Diggings," and had just uncovered a sheet of mineral when the order came to stop next day. They worked all ni^ht, and the next morning had raised 100,000 pounds. All mining operations stopped, but only for a short time. Within a week they were at work again under direction to sell ilie mineral only to licensed smelters, so that the Government could collect the rent lead. In explanation of this, it may be observed that miners could sell mineral only to licensed smelters, for which the Government collected one-tenth for rent, and paid them for smelting it. ^liners were paid for only nine-tenths of the mineral they delivered. It is said that in later years the smelters have recelveil from the Government the value of the lead thus paid, but it belonged to the miners, not to the smelters, and the money should have been expended in public improvements in the Territory, in the absence of the ri'Thtful claimants.

No records can be found of Maj. Anderson's transactions, and two old volumes marked "A" and "B," containing some of the transactions of Lieut. Thomas' agency durin<T 1825- 27. which are preserved in the archives of the county, are all of these records available' for this work. Mr. Charles Smith was the sub-agent residing here, and came with Lieut. Thomas, who lived at St. Louis and visited Fever River occasionally.

The first established regulations of which record remains, and probably the first code promulgated by Superintendent Thomas, bears date "1825," but were undoubtedly issued very early in the spring, and are as follows :

First. - All miners shiill fortliwilli report themselves to the agent, who will enter their names on a register and give lliem a written perniii to mine on ground which is not leased.

.-^co,,//. - Withoui such wrilleu iicrniii, no miner shall dig or mine ; he shall furfcit his discovery and all uiiueral he digs, and be prosecuted as a trespasser.

Thir'J. - AnT miner who gWes false testimony in any dispute or arbitration, or before any mapistraJe. or w^o 1" convicted of Hlealing ore or any other thing, setting tire to the prairie or woods, cutting timber where it is prohibited, shall forfeit bis permit to mine or dig, and no smelter shall purchase his ore or give him any employment.

Fourth. - Whcii going to dig, two or more miners must work in company. They are permitted to stake off three hundred yards square, lines to be north and south and east and west.

Srrenth. - When a dispute shall arise respecting the right to ground, the matter shall be arbitrated among miners or smelters. On their failing to settle it, a reference shall be made to the agent, whose decision shall be final.

Eighth - No person is permitted to build a cabin, cultivate land, cut timber or settle in any manner without written permission of the agent.

iVi/iM. - Whenever surveys of discovery are required, they will be surveyed twenty rods by forty, running to cardinal points, the length to correspond with the course of the lead, and the discoverer will be entitled to a certificate of survey.

Tenth. - No miner shall hold two discoveries at the same time, nor shall any miner be permitted to go on other ground until his lead is dug out or sold, nor until he abandons it and renders up his certificate of survey.

E'rienlh. - ,\11 miners must report to the agent the name of the smelter to whom they deliver their mineral, and the amount they deliver in each quarter.

Twtljth. - No certificate of survey shall be sold or transferred to any other than a miner who has a written permit, or to a smelter who lias a license ; and no survey or other diggings shall remain unwrought for more than eight days in succession, on penally of forfeiture.

Fourteenth. - .\ny miner who shall disobey or go contrary to any of these regulations shall forfeit his permit to dig or mine ; and should he attempt to cut timber, mine, farm, cultivate land or build cabins without written permission from the agent, he will be prosecuted as a trespasser on United States land.

rightfully occupieil. He is not to set fire to the prairie grass or woods, and must deliver his mineral to a licensed smelter, and comply with aH regulations. Fever River, . 1S^5.

.Smelters and lessees will have their ground on Fever River off two hundred yards in front on the river, and four hundred in depth, running in right linos prcpeiulicular to the river.

No timber to be cut within one hundred yards of Fever River bank, from one mile above its mouth to and one mile above i\\e poirtt where January's cabins are situated. M. Thomas,

Persons desirous of taking a lease are notified that bonds in the penalty $-').OO0. with two sureiies, are required, when a lease for three h\indred and twenty acres, as usual, will he granted, provided the ground is not occupied. Blank bonds may be had of the agent, who will make the survey when the bonds are given.

This agreement, made and entered into this day of , 1825, between Lieut. M. Thomas, Superintendent of the United Slates Lead Mines, and , lead smelter,

Third. - (The record was so inadei. To smelt with a log furnace or furnaces at all times, when one hundred thousand pounds of ore (or more) are on hand at any one furnace.

Seventh. - To keep books which shall contain an accurate and true account of all lead ore, ashes or zane purchased or dug, of all smelted, and of the amount of lead manufactured or purchased, from whom purchases were m.idc, and from whence the ore was dug; said books to be open for inspection by the United Slates Agon; of Mines, and a monthly transcript of the contents to be furnished lo him. to be verified on oath if required.

Eighth. - To clean, or cause to be cleaneil, all lead ore previous lo smelting it, and to weigh a charge of the log furnace when required, and the lead made from such charses.

Ninth. ^To pay to ihe Lnited States n lax of one-tcnih of all leal manufactured from ore, ashes or zane, lo be paid monthly, in clean, pure lead, to be delivered at the United Slates warehouse ^near the mines;, free of expense.

Tenth. - To build a strong log wareliouse, twenty by siiteen feet, one story liigli, the logs to be squarerl so as not to admit of a bar of lead being passed lietwoen tliem ; to have a strong door, with a good and siitficient lock ; to have a log ceiling in tlie usual manner ; said warehouse to be located at such place as the agent for mines shall direct, to be built free of expense to the United States.

K'evenlh. - Not to employ in any manner whatever any miner, lessee or smelter -who has forfeited his permit to dig, his lease or license, on written notice to that effect being given b}' the agent.

Twelfth. - A non-compliance or neglect of perfurjTiarice of any utie of the foregoing articles to constitute a forfeiture of this license, and of the bond given for the faithful performance thereof; and on proof being otlered to the agent of tlie United States that such forfeiture has been incurred, his written notice to the smelter shall be sufficient to suspend the stipulations aforesaid.

Thirteenth. - No sale, transfer or shipment of lead is to be made by said smelter, until all arrears or tax which are due are paid, nor any remov.al of lead from the place of manufacture, without the consent of the agent of the United

It is distinctly understood that the bond given for the performance of the stipulation in this license, is to be in full force anil virtue uutil all arrearages of rent or tax are paid to the agent of the United States, and a written settlement is made with him, on which a certificate that no such arrearages exist shall be given, when the bond shall be null aud void.

'-.lohn S. lliUer, a blacksmith, has permission to occupy and cultivate United States land. He will comply with all regulations for the cutting of timber, etc. Twenty acres. Dated May 16, 1825.

The first recorded survey of mineral land was of five acres, of mineral land (a discovery lot), two acres in length by one-quarter of an acre in breadth, lying and being on what is known as " January Patch Diggings," founded by "beginning at a stake on the north side of a rocky blufl',' running to stakes in mounds to the place of beginning. This was a survey for Patrick Dugan and Barney Handley, dated Fever River, May 28, 1825, and signed Charles Smith, Acting Sub-Aiient U. S. Lead Mines.

There is also recorded, June 21, 1825, a survey of 320 acres of mineral land on Apple River, for David G. Bates, the original field notes being taken July 2, 1823, signed John Anderson, Major U. S, Topographical Engineers, on Ordnance duty.

A copy of a bill of lading of May, 1825, shows that lead was transported from the Fever River to St. Louis for forty cents per hundred pounds.

According to the regulations, all disputes between the miners were settled by the U. S. Agent. The earliest account of these of which record now e.xists, is a " Record of Proceedincs in the case of Dugan & Welsh and David Mitchell.' Joseph Miller and Ebenezer Orne were witnesses for Dugan & Welsh; and Joseph Hardy, Stephen Thrasher and William H. Smith for Mr. Mitchell. There were no lawyers to complicate matters. The witnesses stated what they knew in few words, and the ca.se was summed up ami adjudicated by Lieut. Thomas, who gave one-half the mineral dug on the disputed claim to Mitchell, " and it is considered that the other half is an ample compensation to Dugan & Welsh for the labor they bestowed on dif^ging it. Their conduct was violent and quarrelsome, which will be utterly discountenanced at these mines. Mr. Charles Smith, Acting Sub-agent, will see this settlement carried into effect." Signed, M. Thomas, Lieutenant U. S. Army, Superintendent of Lead Mines, and dated May 21, 1825.

In the record of the proceedings in the case of Joseph Hardy vs. Ray, Orne & Smith, on the same day, Israel Mitchell testified that Col. Anderson stated that "Mr. Hardy was the oldest applicant for survey on the river."

The following extract from reports made by Charles Smith to his superior officers, are valuable as showing the exact state of affairs at that time:

June 11, 1825. - Hardy and Jackson are running an ash furnace ; Meeker is smeltino' in his log furnace ; Van Matre's ash furnace will be in operation to-day. Perfect harmony exists among the diggers. The regulations appear to give universal satisfaction. Every man appreciates the protection which they afford, and the security they give to their operations presents a stimulus to enterprise, and prevents encroachments upon the rights of others. The difficulty of borrowing or hiring a horse when wanted, has rendered necessary the purchase of one. I have

June 11, 1825. - I have just visited a discovery made by C. Armstrong and I. Thorn, about three-quarters of a mile south of the Cave Diggings. They dug twenty or thirty feet before they struck mineral. Two thousand pounds were taken out in three hours - six thousand pounds, at least, are in view on the west side of the diggings, and I struck mineral over one-half of the bottom. The hole is about five feet in diameter.

Lead was low. and Smith already begins to find that the miners appreciate the situation. The following extracts are significant, and indicate that the miners were not quite satisfied with the reign of Thomas, and were expecting a change. They were not delivering mineral to the licensed smelters with much alacrity :

July 4, 1825. - The diggers generally are keeping back their mineral, some with the expectation of raising the price, and others in the belief that licenses will be obtained by smelters from below. I understand that Meeker offers $18, an increase of 50 cents on the former price.

July 22, 1825. - Smith reported that in his opinion some regulation is necessary to enable the smelters to keep their furnaces in operation. The diggers are deluded with an expectation that mineral will rise, and, as they are generally able to hold on, they refuse to make deliveries.

July 22, 1825. - Lieut. Low is herewith twenty-five men, arrived on the 11th instant; he is encamped near the agency's establishment for a few days, and occupies the finished cabin, with my permission, until he can select a suitable site for building barracks.

Lieut. Low came here with his men to build barracks and renuiin to enforce the regulations and the collection of the lead rent, as well as to compel the miners to deliver their mineral to the licensed smelters, whether they desired to do so or not. Lieut. Low selected as a suitable site for barracks a point on the west side of Fever River, at about one and one-half miles below the agency establishment, cleared the ground, erected a flagstaff, but before the barracks were commenced the order was countermanded, and Low left with his command. The point is still known as " Low's Point." Tholozan <fc Detandabaratz afterward had their smelting establishment on the east side of the river, about h.alf a mile below Low's Point, or half way down the " Long Reach."

It is to be inferred that the orders of Lieut. Thomas were not always obeyed with the promptness desired by military officers. The following is selected from a large number of similar orders on record at tliat time, because Mr. Meeker was one of the prominent men at the mines, as well as to show that then,'as in later days, such men sometimes took their own time :

Sir - By an onler of Lieut. Thomas, of the 18th of May, 1825, you were require! lo erect the warehouse stipulatcil in your license as a smelter (at the place on Fever River where it will be designated to you), without delay, as it was required immediately. Vou have since, hy consent, commenced the erection of a cabin in lieu of the storehouse, and made considerable progress in tlial liuilding. Vou are now required to erect a storehouse (agreeably lo the slipulaiion in your license I. from the foundation, on such ground as will be ilesignated to you, or to romplete the cabin, at ymir election. Should the order not be complied witli within a reasonable time, the fact will he reported to the Principal Agent, and such measures adopted in the meantime as will be justified by the Twelfth Article of your license. By order, Chabi.es Smith, U. S. A,

Notice is hereby given to all the digiers of lead ore upon the public land in the vicinity of Fever River, Small- Pox and Apple Creeks, that they must forthwith deliver to the licensed smelters all the mineral they have dug; and in future, the smelters, when guaranteeing the tax to the United .States, will take measures to have the ore delivered at such times as may be convenient - it l'"' once every month. A refusal on the part of any digger to comply with this order (which is in accordance with the true intent an'l meaning of the regulations) will cause his permit to dig to be forfeited, and the ore already obtained will be taken pos.session of by the agent, for the use of the United States. (Signed) M. Thomas, Lieutenant U. S. Army, Superintendtnt of Lead Mines.

i^ir - Unless immediate provision be made for the hauling and smelting of mineral at the diggings, as well as for a satisfactory settlement thereof, notice will be given to diggers to deliver their mineral to licensed smellers, without regard to existing guarantees. It is necessary that the order of the 5th of September shouM be immediately complied with. I am, sir, Ch.vblks Smith, I'. S. Lead Mtnet, Fever River.

The first recorded return of lead mineral received and on hand at the furnaces of M. Meeker and Bates k Van Matre, the only licensed smelters at that date, from April 3 to May 31, 1825, shows that Meeker received from sundry persons 30,342 pounds, and Bates k Van Matre, 25,601 pounds. Total number of diggers who have permits, 69. June 30, the number of diggers had increased to 89 ; July 31, 96. In August, the number of diggers permitted was 105. Five smelters reported in August, viz.; Meeker, Bates & Van Matre, Hardy, Jackson and N. Bates. At the end of September, there were 127 diggers, and the five smelters had manufactured during the month 154,323 pounds of lead.

The number of diggers at the end of December is reported at 151, but the aggregate amount of lead manufactured was only 2.792 pounds. January 31, 1826, the name of Gibson appears in the list of smelters; diggers number 163; 29,185 pounds of lead manufactured, but the amount of mineral at the diggings was estimated at 425,000 pounds.

In April, 1826, the number of diggers was 287; amount of mineral at the diggings, 900,- OOO pounds ; lead manufactured, 78,528 pounds. May shows a rapid increase of the number of diggers - 350. Mineral at the diggings accumulates, but only 6,927 pounds of lead are reported as manufactured by licensed smelters. In June, the first return of Gratiot appears - 406 diggers; 173,479 pounds of lead. In July, 1826, Comstock's name appears among the licensed smelters - 441 diggers; 140,781 pounds of lead, and 1,400,000 pounds of mineral at the diggings. October, 1826 - Diggers, 548 ; smelters, 7; 269,41)5 pounds of lead ; 1,500,- 000 pounds of mineral at the diggings. This is the last report to be found.

Although this region was then heavily timbered, it seems that lessees and smelters were favored by the Government, and farmers and villagers had to go to the islands for their wood, as is shown by the following :

Notice

NOTICE. Those persons who have received permission to occupy land in the vicinity of Fever River are hereby informed that all timber for fuel, fencing or building, must be obtained from (he islands in the Mississippi, and from no other place in this vicinity, as the timber elsewhere is reserved for the purposes of smellers and lessees.

The following document will be interesting now, when people can own their land. Then, and for a long time afterward, the only title to land was by permit. All the people were tenants-at-will of the United States, liable to be ejected from their homes at any time, at the caprice of one man. It is proper to add that, in 1826, the people of the mines petitioned Congress for more permanent titles, but no attention was paid to their request :

It having been reijuested from the United .States Agent for Lead Mines to grant us permission to build and inclose in a small quantity of ground for our convenience, it has been granted upon the following conditions, viz.;

That we will not claim any right, title or interest in the said lands (other than as tenants, at the will of said agent, or such other agent as may be appointed for the superintendence of the mines i ; and we hereby bind and obligate ourselves to quit said prcniises upon one montii's notice to liiat etfect being given by said agent - it i)eing understood tliat those persons who have licenses or leases are not included in this arrangement, but are to occupy agreeably to their contract'. No transfer of said ground or improvement will be made without the consent of the agent, and will be subject to the aforesaid regulations.

A large number of names are attached to this register, among whom are many of the leading settlers. The first name is R. W. Chandler. James Harris and Jonatiian Browder, first Commi.ssioners of Jo Daviess County, are among the first signtitures. James Foley, Samuel Lawrence, George W. Britton, T H January, Thomas Ray, William H. Johnson, N. Bates, Thomas Hymer, J. P. B. Gratiot, Samuel C. Muir, A. P. Vanmcter, Amos Farrar, J. W. ShuU, F. Dent, B. Gibson, James Jones, Elijah Feriruson, Isaac Swan, David M. Robinson, E. F. Townsend, H. II. Gear and 11. H. Champion are among the signers of this unique document.

A report from Charles Smith, dated July 25, 1826, says: "I have surveyed the upper street in the town, and staked oft' the lots fifty feet, forty-one in number. There is a great itch- ing for privileges, and a superabumlant measure of independence. Complaints about right ground, and thin, that and the other right, are accumulating every day, both from diggers ani. settlers, and God knows what and tvhen will be the end of all things. The dead and the living both conspire to cause me a great deal of trouble. I am no prophet, but I will be mad enough to predict that not many months will elapse without the necessity of the intervention of military force (the only force that can be recognized in this county) to protect the interest of the mines, and to encourage their development. Every day adds proof of their immense importance, and justifies the employment of every possible means for their protection and support. The competition among smelters may, I dare say ivill, have a tendency eventually to injure the mines by producing a reaction upon themselves, and exciting a rebellious spirit among the miners."

Mr. Smith's allusion to the dead and living is explained by the fact that in earlier days the people buried their dead in various places along the bench where Bench street, Galena, is now. These remains had to be removed, of course, when the town was laid out, and caused the goodnatured Smith a deal of trouble. His gloomy predictions, happily, were not fulfilled.

Thomas McKnight succeeded Charles Smith as resident sub-agent, and remained until Lieut. Thomas was succeeded by Capt. Legate in 1829. Charles Smith died at Galena March 3, 1829.

Mr. McKnight arrived at Fever River as sub-agent November 15, 1826. His first report is dated Novombor 28, 182i), in which he says: "I arrived here on the 15th inst., but did not receive the Govornnu'nt pap-'r^i uiitd the 20th, in consequence of having a little house to repair for an office. Mr. Dent, the bearer, leaves here to-morrow morning. I am told that there is a great quantity of mineral lying, and will lie all winter, unsmelted. There is a great scarcity of corn for feeding teams. A great many of the teamsters are sending their teams down to the settlements to winter."

The "little house" referred to by Mr. McKnight is still standing on the west side of Main street. Galena, about one hundred and fifty feet north of the corner of Spring street, on Lot -i. The stone " Government house," built for a warehouse in which to store lead in 1829, by Harvey Mann and others, is still standing a little farther north, on Lot 6.

Here occurs a list of persons in whose favor the Superintendent has notified his acceptance of bonds for leases. The list was evidently made and entered of record in November or December, 182tj, and entries of dates of surveys made subsequently : John P. B. Gratiot, survey made ; John Cottle, survey made ; Ira Cottle, survey made; George Collier, survey made ; .Jesse W. Shull, survey maile; M. C. Comstock, survey made January 22, 1827; John Barrel, survey made January 22, 1827; William Henry, survey made January 22, 1827; P. Hogan, survey not made; - Bouthillier, survey not made; - Tholozan, survey not made ; Charles St. Vrain, survey made April 5, 1827 ; David G. Bates (Cave), survey not made ; John P. B. Gratiot (section timber land), survey made.

The first mention of the "town of Galena" occurs December 27, 1826, in a permit to Patrick Gray and Thomas Drum to occupy Lot No. 25, in the town of Galena, fifty feet fronting on Hill or Second street, running back to the bluff; but this permit is dated " Fever River."

January 23, 1827, a permit was granted to Gray and Drum to enclose fifty feet on First (or Front) street, north of Davis, for the purpose of building a bake-shop thereon. There may have been, probably were, other permits to persons desiring to occupy " town lots '' prior to the above, but these are the first that appear of record. The future city of Galena was laid off and evidently named in 182(5, as these records show, but permits of the Superintendent were the only titles the people could have to their lots, im])rovements and homes, and these they must vacate and abandon on thirty d.ays' notice. The United States still retained ownership.

May 12 to 15, 1827, various permits were signed by " Wash Wheelwright, Light Artillery," probably acting in Mr. McKnight's absence. Historians have given, although with questionable authority, as one of the causes of the " Winnebago war," which occurred in 1827, the fact that the Indians were dissatisfied because the miners were encroaching on their territory and digging mineral on the north side of the "ridge," which they considered the boundary of the "Five Leagues Square." In this connection, the following letter and orders will be of interest, whatever may have been the primary cause of the Indians' ill-will :

Sir - It i.s (loiililful whether yon are within the limits of the country which the Uniteil States, by treaty with the rotlawatomiea, etc., have a right to explore for mining purposes. Under this circumstance, you will not remove furllier toward llock River. Should you prefer to reiuaiu v.lrre you now are, you are at present at liberty to do so, witli tlie express understanding, however, that sliouM that part of the country be eventually decided to belong to the Winnebagoes, you remove when duly notified of tlie fict from this office.

U. S. Lead Mining Office, Galena, October 1, 1827. Sirs - Tou are hereby directed to desist from working over the Rid^e, and to employ no force whatever, eithei in hauling or snie'ting any m.aterial that may have been, or in the future may be, raised there. Also to make nc purchases of said mineral from any digger. Chahles Smith.

On the samo date miners were notified that they had no right to go beyond said ridge for the purpose of mining, and were ordered to suspend all further operations until further orders from the Superintendent.

On the 8th of October, 1827, an order was issued directing all discoveries of lead to be reported to the Lead Mining Office, Galena. On the loth of November, 1827, the following persons, having struck leads prior to the 3d of July, 1827, beyond the ridge, were licensed to dig or work them out without interruption, but no others were to be allowed to mine beyond the ridge under any circumstances whatever: Cabanal, for Ewing&Co. ; Stevens, for Kirker & Ray; Richc, for Winkle; Elijah Ferguson, Hawthorn & Deviese ; Carroll, for Dickson; Stevenson, transferred to Blanchard ; Gillespie & Hymer; Stevens & Co. ; George Ames' survey, Moore & Watson, sold to Blanchard ; Foster & Hogan.

July 2, 18-17, Lieut. Thomas granted a permit to M. C. White to " burn one lime of kiln [kiln of lime] above the mouth of Small-Po.x [creek]." On the same day, Mr. Comstock had permission to cut fifty large trees for building logs, near the large mound south of Mr. Gratiot's survey. Arbitrations were ordered between McKnight and Ewen Boyer & Co., on Mackey's survey, and between Jacob Ilimer and AVill Baker, to take place on the 7th.

NOTICE. There will not, for the present, be any town laid off at the Old Turkey Village, commonly caTTetl Grant River Town. All persons are hereby forewarned from building cabins or houses them, except such licensed smelters who may locate in that vicinity, and such smelters will first obtain a special permission.

August 14, 1827, a permit was granted to Messrs. D. G. Bates, V. Jefferson and Hempsted to make a wharf, or landing, in front of their houses and lots, provided such landing is at all times free to public use; no building to be placed upon it.

On the 8th of August, 1827, Michael Dee was convicted by arbitration of having stolen certain articles, the property of Thomas Williams, and all smelters and miners on Fever River forbidden to harbor said Dee or give him any employment.

McKnight left no records, except a few recorded permits ; and, except the two volumes from which the above extracts have been made, there are no records of the transactions of the Lead Mines Agency accessible, unless they are preserved in the War Department at Washington, and a letter to that department, asking for information, has failed to elicit a reply.

The only entries to be found of date later than 1827. are a code of regulations for miners, dated April, 1838, and signed Thomas C. Legate, Captain Second Infantry, Superintendent U. S. Mines, and another and shorter code, dated October, 1840, signed by H. King. Special Agent U. S. Lead Mines, in which miners were required to pay not to exceed 6 pei cent of the ore, or its etjuivalent in metal, to the United States.

Under Lieut. Thomas' administration, Charles Smith and Thomas McKnight were Resident Sub-Agents at Galena. About 18"2S, the agency was removed to a log building there recently erected under permit, by Barney Dignan, on the southwest corner of Main and Washington streets.

In 1829, the office was in the first building above Mr. Barnes' boarding-house, on the upper (Bench) street, and in later time, and until discontinued, the office of the Superintendent was in Newhall's building, southwest corner of Hill and Main streets.

In 1829, Lieut. Thomas was succeeded by Capt. Thomas C. Legate, Second Infantry, under whom Capt. John H. Weber was Assistant Superintendent. Maj. William Campbell, Col. A. G. S. Wight and R. H. Bell were also connected with the office. In Xovember, 1836, Capt. Weber's signature as Superintendent appears of record, and it is probable that he was appointed about that time.

As previously shown, under the old system, which generally prevailed until 1836, diggers were permitted to sell their mineral only to licensed smelters, and the Government collected the rents (10 per cent until 1830, and 6^ per cent subsequently, delivered at the United States warehouse, in Galena) of the smelters. The prices paid to miners were made with that fact in view. In 1827, as clearly indicated by the letter from Lieut. Thomas to E. Ferguson, and subsequent orders, the diggers and some of the smelters were operating on lands not owned or controlled by the United States, in some instances, having the permission of the Indians and paying them for the privilege, and in more cases, probably, trespassing on their domain. It had begun to dawn upon the people that five leagues square comprised only a very small portion of the lands rich in mineral wealth, and it was not possible for the Government agents to prevent digging for mineral outside the limits of the reservation, over which, only, could the United States exercise control. The Superintendent of the United States Mines had no authority to grant permits on Indian territory. He could forbid such tresspass, but it would require a military force to prevent mining beyond the limits of the reservation, provided the diggers obtained the consent of the native owners. It was plain tiiat the Government could rightfully collect rent only of those who obtained their mineral within the recognized limits of the " five league square." The agent could not fully demand any of the lead obtained beyond the limits of the reservation, and this led to difficulty. It was unjust to pay rent to the Indians and to pay it again to the United States, nor could the agent collect rent even if it had been surreptitiously obtained. Some of the smelters, and especially those operating on Indian lands, either with or without the permission of the natives, or buying mineral from diggers operating beyond the jurisdiction of the agent, began to refuse to pay rent, alleging that, as they obtained lead from Indian lands and were not protected by the Government, they were under no obligation to pay. The agent was placed in an embarrassing position. They were obtaining mineral on the public lands, but they were also obtaining it on lands over which the United States e.xercise no control, he had no means of determining the amount actually due the Government, and therefore could not enforce payment of any. This refusal became more general until the unauthorized sale of the mineral lands in Wisconsin, in 1831, and subsequently by the Register of the Land Office at Mineral Point (called Shake-rag " in early mining days), who, in violation of his express instructions, permitted a large number of the diggmgs actually worked to be entered. Many miners were thus outrageously defrauded, and their rights were disregarded. From that time they declined taking leases, and the lead office gradually fell into practical disuse. Capt. Weber remained as agent until about 1840, but his iigency was purely nominal. The regulations were not enforced, smelters paid no rent, and there was a season of freedom from Governmental supervision. In 1840, however, an attempt was made to revive the office. H. King, special agent, was sent to the mines, probably to investigate Weber's loose manner of doing business, nr rather his neglect of business. -'With Mr. King," says Mr Houghton, "or very nearly the same time, came John Flanagan."

A letter from Capt. W. B. Green, who was familiar with the events of that period, contains the following information : " The Lead Mine Agency was suspended for several years prior to 1841. After the inauguration of President Harrison, in 1841, the agency was revived and Flanagan appointed Superintendent - revived, probably, to give Flanagan the appointment. Previous to the suspension of the agency, the royalty to the Government was paid by the miners through the smelters. After the revival of the agency under Flanagan, the attempt was made to collect the royalty directly from the miners. The attempt was only a partial success, as the miners generally refused or evaded the payment. During the suspension of the agency, through affidavits gotten up (as affidavits can be to prove anything when taken ex-parte), a bill was lobbied through Congress, giving one of the early smelters a large sum of money for royalty paid by him on mineral reported to have been taken from Indian lands outside the original purchase. This established a precedent, of which most of the other smelters availed themselves, and in a similar manner had large sums voted them - in the aggregate, it may be, amounting to more than all the royalty received by the Government from the mines. The truth is, there was but a very inconsiderable amount taken from the Indian lands prior to the purchase of the lands south of the Wisconsin River, in the winter of 1827-28. What little there was, should, of right, have been paid to the Indians, or, ignoring their right, it should have been paid to the miners who actually paid it, as the smelters took the royalty into account when they purchased the mineral and deducted it from the value thereof."

Mr. King remained but a short time, Weber was removed or superseded, and Flanagan left in charge witli instructions to enforce the regidations established by Mr. King.

About the same time Walter Cunningham, who, says Mr. Houghton, had been appointed to investigate the Superior copper mines, returned from a tour through that region and established himself here with Flanagan. From this time, the regulations required the miners to pay the rent ''not to e.xcced G per cent of the ore or its equivalent in metal," but in practice, it is said, the rent that was collected was generally paid through the smelters, as formerly.

Flanagan, his associate, Cunningham, and a clerk named Couroddy, by their associations and habits rendered themselves exceedingly odious to the people. Flanagan commenced a large number of suits against individuals for arrears of rent, and compromised them for what he could get in cash, but, it is said, made no returns to the Government of his collections - defrauding the people and the Government at the same time. He was accustomed to say to the people that the Government must be paid first," and his arrogant declaration to smelters and others that " I am the Government," sufficiently indicates his character and the disposition he made of his collections. If he was '" the Government," there was no necessity of making returns to anybody, and none were known to be made by him. Complaints of his highhanded proceedings reached by the Secretary of War to Galena, to investigate Flanagan's administration. He came, but remained but a few days, dismissed Flanagan and placed .Vlaj. Thomas Mellville, of Galena, in charge of the office, temporarily, until reports could be made to the War Department, and a Superintendent should be appointed. The next year, 1844, according to the best information to be obtained, John G. Floyd, of Virginia, Wiis appointed to the office. Mr. Floyd made an effort to enforce the collection of rent, and in some measure succeeded, but was removed in 1845, at the instance of Hon. Joseph P. Iloge, then member of Congress for this (then Sixth) District, and James A. Mitcliel was ajipointed as iiis successor, who remained until the office was finally discontinued, about 1847, when the lands were thrown into the market. Practically, however, the office was little more than nominal after the resignation of Ca]it. Legate, in 1836. Under the pre-emption law, a large amount of mineral lands had been entered. Settlers were required to make oath that no mineral ivas being dug on the lands they desired to enter, and this requirement was easily evaded.

The people generally considered the agency as an imposition, and it was impossible to secure the implicit obedience to the rule of the superintendent that obtained in the days of Thomas and Legate. The experiment of reviving tlie office w:is not a success. The Government found upon trial that, instead of being a source of revenue, the management of the lead mines produced constant drafts upon the Treasury, and at last, after the settlers had petitioned in vain for years, early in the session of 1840-17, Congress authorized the sale of the lands. A receiver was appointed, and by the 5th day of April, 1847, says Seymour, "land to the amount of §127,700 had been sold at minimum prices, §1.25 per acre for farming, and §2.50 per acre for mineral lands, and the day.s of governmental supervision or ownership of the lead mines ended.

The amount of lead shipped from various ports on the Mississippi, principally from Galena, for nine years prior to the discovery of gold in 1849, and the estimated value thereof, is as

In 1849, the gold discoveries in California disturbed " the even balance of ordinary business operations" in the lead-mining district. The tide of immigration that had been directed to this region, was diverted to the Pacific Coast, and a large number of miners and business men, dazzled by the glitter of California gold, left to seek their fortunes on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada. Large amounts of real estate, covered by valuable improvements, were forced into market and sold at nominal prices, to obtain the means wherewith to remove to California. Enormous rates were paid for money, and a large amount of capital was withdrawn from the usual channels of trade ; iinprovoments commenced or contemplated, were suspended or delayed, and the heavy emigration from the lead to the gold mining region was seriously felt. A large number of men usually engaged in prospecting, and by whom new and important discoveries had been constantlv made, were no longer here, and operations were principally confined for a time to old "leads.'' But in compensation for this, the price of mineral advanced to §28 per thousand (it had at some perio<ls been as low as §>^ or §9, and was seldom higher than §22), and this advance caused operations to be renewed in diggings that ha<l been abandoned as too unproductive to be remunerative. Writing in 1850, in diseu-ssing the effect of the "gold fever." Mr. Seymour says : " Although lead is one of the baser metals, and does not strike the imagination like pure gold dug from the bowels of the earth, yet it immediately becomes gold in the pockets of the miner, for nothing but gohl is given in exchange for it by the smelter, and it is alwaj's in great demand at the market price. If enterprising men were willing to undergo here lialf the privations and sufferings wliich they endure by a journey to California and liard labor in the gold mining, their happiness and prosperity would probably be as well promoted by their pecuniary success, saying nothing of the extreme perils thereby avoided, and the painful disruption of domestic tics, so common to this class of emigrants."

In 1859, Hon. Charles Bracken prepared an historic statement of the early times in the lead region for the purpose of influencing a Congressional grant of lands for railroad purposes. So far as these annals are concerned, the value of tlie document lies in the expression of facts, and also in the report thereto appended, giving a list of those who mined prior to 1830, and paid rent to the Government as well as tribute to the Indians. Mr. Bracken wrote :

"At a treaty held by Gen. William H. Harrison with the Sac and Fox Indians, at St. Louis, on the 3d day of November, 1804, those Indians sold to the United States all the land east of the Mississippi River, extending from the mouth of the Illinois River to the mouth of the Wisconsin River, including the lead mines east of the Mississippi. Another treaty was held on ttie 24th of August, 1816, at Fort Crawford (St. Louis), between the United States representatives, Gov. Edwards, Gen. Chxrk and Mr. Choteati, and the Ottawa, Chippewa and Pottawatomie Indians. The Indians tlien proved, to the satisfaction of the Commissioners, that the country sold to Gen. William II. Harrison did not belong to the Sacs and Fo.xes alone, but was jointly the country of the Ottawas, Chippewas, Pottawatomies, Winnebagoes and Pottawatoraies of the Illinois. The Winnebagoes were not parties to this treaty, and, as a result, the Governinent ceded to them all the country lying north of a line running west from the southerly bend of Lake Michigan to the Mississippi, reserving, however, a quantity of land north of that line equal to five leagues square, to be laid in such tract or tracts as the President of the United States might deem proper. Some six years after the ratification of that treaty, the President, acting under authority vested in him by the act of March 3, 1807, which authorized him to lease the salt springs and lead mines belonging to the Government, directed the Secretary of War to lease the lead mines. Acting under this order, Col. Bomford, of the Ordnance Bureau, on the 15th day of June, 1822, advertised in the principal newspapers tliroughout the L^nited States that proposals would be received for leasing any land of the Government containing lead mines. Col. James Johnson, of Kentucky, responded to the notice, and became a lessee of the Government for the lead mines of the Upper Mississippi, and was the first person to come into the country for the purpose of mining under Government auspices. He proceeded with keel-boats to Fever River, where, although accompanied by Maj. Forsythe, the Indian agent at Rock Island, his landing was resisted by the Winnebago Indians (who had assembled in arms to resist the landing of any white men, saying that the Sacs, Foxes, Ottawas, Chippewas and Pottawatomies had receiveil presents and payments for lands which belonged to them, and that they never sold to the United States). After Mr. Johnson had counseled with the Indians for several days, and made them presents of merchandise and provisions, they consented to his landing and mining and smelting in their country. Others received similar leases and followed him, and the result was that, at the time of the treaty of Prairie du Chien, in 1829, when the Indian title to the country was extinguished, the miners had dispossessed the Indians of every foot of land where there were indications of lead ore. In thus taking possession of the rich mineral lands belonging to the Winnebago Indians, they carried out the object of the Government, as evinced by the clause of the treaty at Fort Edwards, in 1816, which authorized the President to reserve a quantity of land equal to two hundred and twenty-five sections in their country. As the ((uantity of land covered by a smelting lease was limited to throe hundred and twenty acres, or cne-half section, the entire quantity reserved would authorize four hundred and fifty leases, and the Government well knew that, when that number of her citizens were dotted over those lands, the country was virtually lost to the Indians forever, and the result proved the correctness of this Conclusion.