mi 



wnooNsur. 



WISCONSIN. 



1151 



which the WioMt(0 Lake, through which Fox Hirer flow*, and 

 which U navigable fur .Uam WU, several of which ply regularly 

 apea it. The Ukw Buffalo, Ihickuwa, mi>l Buttes des MorU, formed 

 bjrciMiuioai of Kox River, hire been already noticed ; Fond du 

 l*c is another expansion of Fox Hirer, which opens into Great 

 BuUoe drt MorU Lake, and u remarkable for it* picturesque scenery. 

 Sooth of the Wisconsin an the Four Lakes, through which the 

 OooMkmhawn Hirer flowi; on the iathmui between Third and Fourth 

 lake*, MadUon, the capital of the itato, U situated. Lake Michigan, 

 hich bound* the Ute on the rait, U noticed under CANADA. 



Numrrou* railway* hare been projected for thi itate, and several 

 Urc bn wholly or partly coottructed. Madison is the centre of 

 UM stale railway system. One of the chief linea in operation u the 

 Milwaukee and llMabnppi railway, which connect* Milwaukee with 

 Madiaon, and will eventually be continu.nl to the Mississippi. Another 

 gnat UM connect. Chicago, on Lake Michigan, in Illinois, with Fond 

 du Lac, In all there were, on the 1st of January, 1855, in Wisconsin 

 11 line* of railway, baring 283 miles of road in operation, and 

 746 miles additional were in course of construction or projected. 

 Plank roads hare been hud down from all the chief lake port* to the 

 interior. 



Otology, JfiMnlogy. frc. The rocks of the north and north-western 

 portions of the state belong entirely to the eruptive and mctainorphic 

 aerie* ; except in the immediate vicinity of Lake Superior, where are 

 itrata of what Mr. Owen describes aa Potsdam sandstone, but which 

 Mr. Maroon think* clearly identical with the New Red-sandstone of 

 European geologist*. In this north-western section ore valuable dykes 

 of copper-trap. But the prevalent formation of Wisconsin is the 

 Silurian, which U described as extending along the entire course 

 of the Minia-ippi in this state, from the St Croix to considerably 

 east of the Chippeway, along Lake Michigan, and to occupy almost 

 the whole of the southern moiety of the state. Of this extensive 

 tract Lower Silurian strata occupy by far the largest portion. The 

 lowest of these strata is the hard crystalline sandstone, known as Pots- 

 Jam sandstone ; in the western part of the state it is of considerable 

 thickness, and U characterised by containing a larger number of 

 Ltugula and Orbicula than is found in any other part of America. 

 Above this occur strata, chiefly of blue-limestone and blue clays, with, 

 in some places, layers of sandstone. The limestones are mostly mag- 

 nstUn, in which are included the Galena limestones, which supply the 

 lead veins that constitute so important a port of the wealth of south- 

 rrn Wisconsin. To this division of the Lower Silurian strata chiefly 

 belong the rocks which border Oreen Bay. The St Peter's shell- 

 limestone, or the upper division of the Lower Silurian strata of America, 

 is also said to have been recognised in some ports of Wisconsin. 

 Upper Silurian strata form a comparatively narrow band, extending 

 along Lake Michigan from Green Bay into Illinois : these strata con- 

 sist entirely of limestone rocks. In the extreme south-eastern angle 

 of the state, south of Milwaukee, they consist chiefly of light gray 

 limestone*, and are designated by Mr. Owen the lied Cedar Hirer 



: : .' . :. 



Wisconsin is very rich in minerals, and though so new a state, 

 mining operations are carried on upon an extensive scale. In the 

 north-western portion of the state, or the region of igneous rocks, 

 veins of copper-ore occur of remarkable richness, and which are said 

 to be apparently inexhaustible. The copper-mines are chiefly in the 

 neighbourhood of Lake Superior. The lead-mines of Wisconsin supply 

 however by far the larger proportion of its mineral wealth. The lead 

 occurs in the porous limestone of the southern part of the state, and 

 the mine* are worked to great profit. In 1852 about 40,000,000 Ibs. 

 of lead were exported from Galena, of which nine-tenths are said to 

 have been raised in Wisconsin, and the quantities shipped at other 

 port* on the Mississippi and Wisconsin are said to be more than equal 

 to the remaining tenth part Iron-ore occurs along tho upper course 

 of the Miwiatippi and elsewhere, but it has not yet been turned to 

 much account In the copper-veins zinc and calamine are found. The 

 Silurian sandstone forma an excellent building-stone, for which purpose 

 it U largely quarried. .White-marble abounds in the southern and 

 eastern portions of the ttate. Gypsum, chalcedony, jasper, &c., are 

 met with in various places. 



foU, Climate, Production*, Jte.ln the prairie districts the soil 

 generally consist* of a dark vegetable mould of considerable depth, 

 resting on a clayey loam. It contains a large proportion of carbonate 

 of hmc, U quite free from stone* or gravel, and it very fertile. The 

 oil of the timUred land is neither so deep nor to rich as that of the 

 prairie*; that of the evergreen district is sandy nnd far from fertile. 

 There is also a great deal of poor sandy laud along tho eastern side of 

 the cute. In the raining districts there are many very fertile tracts. 



The winters are Icng and very cold, and the hummer* are very hot. 

 iffrrence between the two season* is much greater than in' the 

 northern countries <if Euroi*, which are under the same degree of 

 Utitude and nearly ns elevated as Wisconsin. During the winter 

 months the thermometer frequently descends below zero, which very 

 seldom take* place in Foutbcru Sweden. But the temperature rises 

 rapidly in March, and tho spring is much warmer than in Europe, in 

 place* which have the same mean annual temperature. On tho other 

 head, the decrease of heat in the months of October and November 

 U also greater. The mean annual temperature ia about 45, but it 



di(Ter of course i omen-hat in different parti of the state. X. 

 standing the numerous lake* and swamps, the climate of Wisconsin is 

 said to be very healthy. 



The prevailing winds in the countries situated near the shores of 

 Lake Michigan are from the south-west for at least ten months in the 

 year. But on the banks of the Mississippi the north-west ia the pre- 

 vailing wind, except in May and June, when the south-east is more 

 frequent Thunderstorms are frequent, especially at the beginning 

 of the spring and towards the end of the summer. 



Wisconsin is mainly an agricultural country, and its agricultural 

 operations are yearly extending rapidly. The oak openings, the result 

 of the annual lires which have for an indefinite period swept over a 

 large portion of the state, offer great facilities for the operations of 

 immigrant farmers; and Wisconsin has continued to attract for some 

 years past a steadily increasing influx from the south and east, while 

 the returns show a corresponding increase of improved lauds. Of 

 the cereals wheat is the principal crop, and the quantity raised had 

 increased from 212,116 bushels in 1840 to 4,286,181 bushels in 1850; 

 an increase of 1920 per cent in 10 years. OaU is tho next largest 

 crop, and then maize; the quantity grown of both of these bad 

 increased very largely (though a good deal less than that of wheat) 

 between the above dates, liarlcy, rye, and buckwheat are also grown 

 to a considerable extent Potatoes are raised in large quart 

 Some hops are grown. The cultivation of hemp and flax ia inci easing. 

 Home manufactures were only valued at 12,567 dollars. 



The forests consist chiefly of white and other pines, but they also 

 contain various kinds of onk, hickory, walnut, sugar-maple, linn 

 cotton-wood, white, blue, and black ash, elm, red cedar, sassafras, 

 willow, elm, white birch, white cedar, spruce, and juniper. About 

 200,000,000 feet of lumber are annually sawn and sent down the rivers 

 of Wisconsin. 



The prairies, especially in the southern districts, are covered with 

 a fine turf, and afford good postures for cattle and sheep. Horses, 

 cattle, and sheep are becoming numerous. Swine have increased very 

 greatly. The wool sheared in 1850 amounted to 253,963 Ibs. Of 

 butter 3,633,750 Ibs., and of cheese 400,283 Ibs. were mode. There 

 are wild animals of several kinds, though their number is rapidly 

 decreasing. In the northern districts are buffaloes, elk, and deer; but 

 these animals are rare in the southern districts. Bears, wolves, and 

 foxes are not uncommon. The black and silver fox are greatly prized 

 for their skins. The other animals are beavers, otters, minks, martens, 

 sables, and musk-rats, which are now found only in the nortlu-rii 

 districts. The lakes, swamps, and rivers abound in water-fowl, such 

 aa swans, geese, ducks, and teal. There are also eagles, falcons, storks, 

 wild turkeys, and partridges. Fish abound in the lakes. The mn.-t 

 important kind is the white-fish, which weighs from 4 to 6 Ibs., and is 

 very numerous in some of the northern lakes. The rivers abound in 

 sturgeon. 



Commerce, Manufactures, <kc. The direct foreign commerce of Wis- 

 consin is chiefly with Canada, and is not of much importance. But 

 the coasting-trade carried on from the lake ports of this state and by 

 the Mississippi is very large. The imports at the ports on Lake 

 Michigan in 1850-1 amounted to above 6,300,000 dollars, and the 

 exports to about 3,000,000 dollars. The exports from the Mississippi 

 ports are chiefly of minerals. The quantity of lumber annually sent 

 down the rivers has been already stated. 



The manufactures are chiefly of agricultural implements and the 

 kinds of articles which are required in an agricultural country, the 

 great bulk of what are entered in the state returns under the head of 

 manufacturing establishments, being saw-mills, flour-mills, and tan- 

 neries. There are however also several iron-works, woollen factories, 

 breweries, distilleries, &c. A large quantity of maple sugar is made 

 by the farmers. 



Diviiiont, Totem, Ac. Wisconsin is divided into 45 counties. The 

 political capital is Madison, but the commercial centra and by far the 

 largest town in the state is Milwaukee. The following comprise most 

 of the more important towns, but new towns are constantly rising 

 into comparative importance in this as in the other more flourishing 

 of the new states. 



Madison, the capital, is situated on the isthmus between the Third 

 and Fourth Lakes, of the series known as the Four Lakes; 85 miles 

 W. from Milwaukee : population 1525 in 1850, and 3500 in 1853. On 

 Wisconsin being organised as a territory this spot was selected as the 

 site of the future capital. The country was then only very partially 

 cleared, and the contractor for laying out and building the future 

 capital was, with his party, 11 days in cutting his way through the 

 wilderness from Milwaukee. Tho foundation of the city was com- 

 menced in June 1837. The situation of the city is a very striking one. 

 The capital occupies the summit of an elevation 75 feet above the 

 level of the hikes, and the main streets lead from it down to the lakes, 

 with the exception of tho western avenue, which is directed to the 

 open country. The capitol, the chief public building, is a capacious 

 and .substantial structure. On an elevated spot west of the city stands 

 the University of Wisconsin, founded in 1848 : in 1854 it had 5 pro- 

 fessors and 23 students. The city has greatly increased in buildings 

 and population since the opening of railway communication ; ami the 

 great amount of water-power which it possesses has led to the erection 

 of several extensive mills. Three newspapers ore published here. 





