Box 23, Folder 6: Geographical and Topographical Description of Wisconsin 1855, Third Edition

17.

These hills and rocks are associated with many a tale of Indian romance; and the incident and event of real life in times past render them objects of great interest to the curious inquirer, and tend to excite the imagination and fancy of every passing traveler. Here the rude Indian has inscribed in unintelligible hieroglyphics the record of important events, and the ambitious whiteman has cut his name in the yielding sandstone. Among these cliffs the geologists find the fossil remains of the very earliest assassinated inhabitants of the Earth, the strata being those of the oldest of the fossil bearing, or Paleozoic series.

If we leave the Mississippi and ascend one of its principal tributaries in Wisconsin, we usually find a place known as the "Dells" where the waters have forced their way through rocky barriers and now exhibit features highly interesting to the traveler, especially if he is a geologist. His interest in one of these "Dells", on the St. Croix, will be much increased by the peculiar character of the trap rocks constituting the banks of the gorge, which have a columnar structure, reminding one of the descriptions of the famous Giants' Causeway and Fingal's Cave of the old country.

The "falls" of these several streams present some wild and rough scenery, not without interest, and well worthy of a visit by all who delight to view such displays of natural beauty.

997.

18. The following table of the altitude of places in Wisconsin above the surface of Lake Michigan, may be useful in making future surveys for canals, railroads, or other public works, and also in making a geological survey. They were ascertained by actual levelling by the author, except where otherwise stated. To find the elevation of any of these places above the ocean, we have only to add the elevation of that lake which is 578 feet, to the altitudes here given. Fractional parts of a foot are omitted:

[Data Table of Altitude of Places, in feet.]

[Left Page- the road, and the toll derived from passengers, we cannot resist the belief that this project is one that must soon attract the attention of capitalists, even if the people of Wisconsin should not exert themselves much to accomplish so desirable an improvement.

To bring the lead, copper, and shot, by way of the lakes, is an object of importance not only to Wisconsin, but to all the States bordering on the lakes-and even the New England States will derive a share of the benefits, in the diminished prices which they will have to pay for these necessary articles. Will they not, then, assist us in accomplishing this object?

Other portions of the Territory are endeavoring to secure this lead trade, and wherever it is brought to the shore of the lake, the magnitude of the trade will be such as to afford business for a great number of inhabitants, and thus be the means of building up a town.

Besides the railroad it is proposed to improve the navigation of the Wisconsin and Neenah rivers, so as to secure the trade to Green Bay, and efforts are now making to obtain an appropriation by Congress to accomplish this important work. The estimated expense of this improvement, as made by Capt. Cram, is as follows:]

[Right page-Table of estimates].

[Right page-The following table of the latitude north, and longitude west, from Greenwich, of places within this Territory, is given here in this form, as affording greater convenience of reference that if given under the head of the several places. The observations were made by officers of the United States-principally by Mr. Nicollet. That they are not in all cases precisely accurate, is shown by the difference of the observations of different persons at the same places; as at Prairie du Chien (Fort Crawford) and the mouth of the Montreal river:]

[Right page-Latitude and Longitude of Places Data Column Continued.]

[Left Page-Altitude of Places Data Column Continued.]

[50. Right Page-Altitude of Places Data Column Continued.]

The following table of the latitude north, and longitude west, from Greenwich, of places within this Territory, is given here in this form, as affording greater convenience of reference that if given under the head of the several places. The observations were made by officers of the United States-principally by Mr. Nicollet. That they are not in all cases precisely accurate, is shown by the difference of the observations of different persons at the same places; as at Prairie du Chien (Fort Crawford) and the mouth of the Montreal river:

[50. Right Page-Altitude of Places Data Column Continued.]

49. Altitude of Places, in feet. Data Column.