WHlTKSim; COUNTY. 161 



Much and various qualities of young, growing and unripe peat exist 

 all along the slough. But the great bed of fat. ripe peat, which has 

 made the name of Whitcside county peat prominent in connection with 

 the peat deposits of the Northwest, lies near the middle of the Cat-tail, 

 and not far from the water-shed or dividing ridge between Rock and the 

 Mississippi rivers. Mr. XATHAMEL DODGE, who resides in the vicini- 

 ty, about twelve years ago had his attention attracted to the valuable 

 character of this peat deposit. At first it was cut into convenient sized 

 blocks with a common spade, and dried in the summer sun. Neighbor- 

 ing farmers began to use it for fuel and heating purposes. It was used 

 for burning lime from the Xiagara limestone, in the adjoining bluffs. 

 It was hauled to Morrison in small quantities, and burned in offices and 

 dwellings. At length, stimulated by the experiments and successes of 

 eastern peat companies, and the reported examinations of geologists 

 and practical men. a peat fever sprung up in Whiteside county, a steain 

 engine was placed in the swamp, and two peat machines were operated 

 by Messrs. TCAV.XSEND &: DODGE, during the summer of 1867. Three 

 hundred tons of dry, hard peat fuel were manufactured. The experi- 

 ment was a success. The manufactured fuel became popular and valu- 

 able. Peat lauds, hitherto considered almost a drug in the market, 

 rapidly increased in value, doubling and quadrupling in a few months. 

 The Union Grove Peat Manufacturing Company of Whiteside county, 

 with a cash capital of one hundred thousand dollars, has just been or- 

 ganized, and its articles of association filed with the Secretary of State. 

 During the summer of 1868, extensive works will be put in operation, 

 and large quantities of peat fuel manufactured. 



The bed of peat is in all about six miles long, averages in width about 

 three fourths of a mile. It contains, altogether, some three thousand 

 acres of peat lands. These lands do not all contain valuable workable 

 peat, but the greater part of them do. 



The amount of peat contained is such a deposit is almost beyond belief. 

 It is considered a reasonable estimate that one acre of drained peat will 

 produce two humdred and fifty tons of dry fuel for every foot in depth. 

 If the Cat tail would average ten feet thick of workable peat, and this 

 estimate is perhaps below the truth, then an acre would furnish twenty- 

 five hundred tons of dry fuel. The blocks made last summer were al- 

 most as dense as bituminous coal, and readily sold for seven dollars per 

 ton or cord. Five dollars could be realized for all that can be manufac- 

 tured. The price of manufacturing the fuel need not, I think, exceed 

 two dollars and fifty cents per ton. This leaves a net profit of over 

 six thousand dollars to every acre of ten foot peat. At these figures a 

 hundred acres of this best peat land would be worth, as an element to 

 convert into material weath, over six hundred thousand dollars. 



