USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > History of Dubuque County, Iowa; being a general survey of Dubuque County history, including a history of the city of Dubuque and special account of districts throughout the county, from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103
21
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
lying between the waters of Turkey and Big Maquoketa rivers. The main diggings, however, are adjacent to the Mississippi and near the towns of Dubuque and Peru." He further said that the mining lots embraced ten acres each, had been more or less dug up and cultivated, and now the claimants wanted the benefits of pre- emption. "When the act of June 24, 1834, was passed, there were many valuable mining lots in the possession of miners who had a legal vested right in them, because they had complied with the terms required by the government ; and in law this right could not be invalidated unless it could be shown that the President had no right to suffer the lots to be occupied. In the eye of justice certainly the rights of the miners were sacred. These lots may be considered a species of grant, and if they be not so considered the act alluded to must be characterized as improvident, unjust, and, in view of the previous laws and proceedings of the government in relation to the lead mines, illegal." The land office at Mineral Point was opened October 21, 1834. "It is necessary that provision be made for settling the claims of the miners (in Dubuque county on the west side of the Mississippi) simultaneously with those of the other settlers who may claim under the pre-emption law."
In 1835 several very promising mineral leads were discovered near Durango. These discoveries caused many miners in this vicinity to flock to that locality and as a result thirty to forty houses were erected there, two general stores, five groceries, shops, etc., and the growth of the place seemed assured. But the mineral was soon exhausted and the miners went elsewhere. The four or five families that remained turned their attention to farming .- (Iowa News, quoting the Peoria (Il1.) Register, November 18, 1837.)
In the neighborhood of Dubuque in November, 1836, there were five blast furnaces that smelted seventy pigs per week each. Of these the one owned by Mr. Hulett smelted 70,000 pounds per week ; a cupola furnace conducted by Mr. McKnight smelted about the same; the one owned by Mr. Lorimier at Rip Row smelted 60,000 pounds per week; several log furnaces smelted each week seventy pigs of seventy pounds each. Mr. O'Ferrall's furnace smelted 100,000 pounds per week; it was 70 x 33 feet and new. Although there were five sawmills and two grist mills in this vicinity, the bulk of the supplies of all sorts still came from the river. Morrison & Prentice bought and shipped mineral in 1836, paying about $23 per 1,000 pounds. "The Maquoketa mines situated in the neighborhood
of Peru (a handsome village a few miles above us) we are glad to learn continue to yield large quantities of mineral."-(Visitor, May II, 1836. ) At this date valuable leads were being discovered almost weekly by O'Farrall, Saucier & Morrison half a mile from Du- buque; Taylor, Nix & Co., near Center Grove; another was on Rocky Mount Lot, three miles distant; Van Buren Diggings, five miles north, and many others. It was noted that many of the best
22
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
leads were found in east and west crevices and that the mineral often appeared in blocks.
"A few months ago times were so good that many heretofore industrious miners had acquired a considerable quantity of the ready and seated themselves down to enjoy it as gentlemen of leisure, but the hard times and constant complaints of those around them have brought them to the conclusion that by industry is the most secure mode of obtaining a living and have accordingly taken up the pick and shovel and gone to work like good fellows. Mineral is now selling at $15 per thousand pounds and we understand the miners are beginning to draw it out in fine style."-(Iowa News, July 29, 1837. )
"We are glad to perceive the fair prospects of better times in the lead mines. Mining operations are greatly increased and we under- stand that many more lately made discoveries likely to prove val- table. At the Snake Diggings the times are much better. Mineral is sold at about $18 per thousand pounds."-(Iowa News, August 19, 1837. )
"We observe general activity in mining. All the smelting fur- naces are actively engaged in making lead and large quantities of ore are being raised. Though money is very scarce and the pressure severe, the energy of our citizens remains unabated."-(Iowa News, August 26, 1837.)
In August, 1836, a new and very valuable mine two miles north- west of Dubuque was discovered by Mr. O'Mara. Mineral was found on Sleator's lot, Wootton's lot, Herd's lot, and in scores of other places, no record of which was kept. O'Ferrall & Cox, gen- eral merchants, bought and shipped the mineral. Two men-Cole- man and Carpenter-were killed near Dubuque in May, 1839, by the caving in of the mine where they were working. In August, 1837, Wilson & Wharton took out on the South Fork of Little Maquoketa 8,000 pounds of mineral in twenty-four hours. Chauncey Swan & Co. discovered near Dubuque in January, 1838, a valuable lead and raised over 10,000 pounds in a few days.
In 1838, according to the Visitor, not less than six million pounds of lead were shipped from Dubuque. It was said in the Visitor that "men are as numerous here as blackberries in summer, but females are quite scarce. This fact is observable in the houses of worship where there are five males in attendance to one female. In this county females receive from $16 to $24 per month for house- work and are glad to be had for that." In the autumn of 1836, when the first territorial election in Wisconsin was held, there were polled here 621 votes, "and the entire population could not have doubled those figures."
In the spring of 1841 there were many new mineral discoveries ; it was noted by the Newe's that there was four times as much min- eral raised then as at any time during the previous four years.
23
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
New discoveries almost daily caused a sudden "boom" in this industry at this time. In February, 1840, lead was quoted in St. Louis at $4.371/2 per hundred.
In the spring of 1843 mining was very successful-had never been better. The hard times drove the miners and loafers to work and all made money.
According to Lucius H. Langworthy, the amount of lead ex- ported from the Dubuque mining district from 1833 to 1856 varied from 40,000,000 to 60.000,000 pounds annually. He said that this result was reached by "surface scratching" and "dry diggings" and that a greater profit would probably result from deep mining .- (Erpress and Herald, February 28, 1856.) If the average price during this period was $20 per thousand pounds, and it could not have been less, the annual receipts from this source varied from $800,000 to $1,200,000. In a large measure it was this mineral that enriched many of the first capitalists and laid the foundation for the prosperity of Dubuque from 1833 to 1857 and enabled the city to recover itself during the Civil war and ever since that period.
The government had no authority to lease the Dubuque lead mines. The act of Congress did not apply to this locality. A government leasing agent came here in 1836, but did not do much. In 1842 another came, but before this date the citizens had staked off their claims-Langworthys, Waller, Bonson, Parker, Carter, Booth, Ewing and hosts of others. Two agents appeared under authority of John C. Spencer, Secretary of War, put up at a hotel and proposed to lease, and did lease, some of the mines discovered by the above claimants. They paid no attention to the rights of the claimants, but leased to whoever would pay the most. The result was disturbance and legal controversy. It was decided in the district court of the county that there existed no such right to lease the mines and so the controversy ended. Richard Bonson suggested that the development of the mines added to the value of the lands and that therefore the damage to the government was nominal. This was shown at the trial .- (Herald, March 19, 1875.)
In the spring of 1845 there were pending in the district court here at one time four suits against individuals for mining lead on government land. The people generally were indignant at the gov- ernment and demanded that the mineral lands should be thrown into market.
In the summer of 1849 there were seven smelting furnaces near Dubuque and it was estimated that they turned out a total of 30,000 pigs during that year. The price varied from $17 to $25 per thou- sand pounds. In 1847 there were sent to market from Dubuque 140,000 pigs of lead and in 1848 there were shipped 30,000 pigs. These figures show how the amount of ore raised per annum varied. The most of these shipments, but not all, were mined near Dubuque.
24
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
At times as high as 3,000 men were thus employed, though usually not so many.
From April I to July 28, 1857, West & Hopkins shipped 12,687 pigs of lead, the aggregate weight being 913.536 pounds.
In October, 1850, the Thomas Levins lead two and a half miles northwest of the city, near Booth's cave, was struck and the crevice was penetrated for 300 yards; from 300,000 to 500,000 pounds of ore was in sight at one time. This mine became renowned, and is said to have yielded its owner $200,000. If mineral was worth $20 per thousand, this sum would represent about 10,000,000 pounds of ore raised. The shaft was 120 feet deep and horse power was used to raise the ore; there were caves and chambers below where the walls were lined with the mineral; in one cave were 90,000 pounds ; small cars on rude tracks brought the ore to the shaft from a dis- tance of several hundred feet. Other large leads at this date were owned by Nightingale, Burton, McNear, Karrick & Company, Fanning & Curran, Riley. The mining industry was very pros- perous at this date and well repaid the land owners and the lessees. In July, 1852, mineral was worth $26 per thousand. In the spring of 1853 the price reached $40 per thousand. West & Shields bought large quantities at that figure. This was the highest price up to that date. George O. Karrick and John Richmond owned rich mines in 1853; there were a dozen others. In 1855 Hall and Whitney, geologists, surveyed this locality.
Each spring, upon the opening of navigation, immense quantities of pigs were shipped to St. Louis by the first steamers. On March 10, 1858, West & Hopkins shipped at one time 14,000 pigs. Old lodes reworked yielded handsome profits.
"The lead mines of Dubuque have long made it like her neighbor, Galena, well known. The country for fifty miles north and south and twenty miles east and west seems underlaid with lead ore. At times vast caverns are found, walled, ceiled and paved with crystal- ized lead, so rich that it shines like silver, and so pure as to yield 85 per cent merchantable lead. The revenue of our city from this source for some years back has increased from $500,000 to $900,000."-(E. & H., April 18, 1858.)
In the spring of 1858, while working upon the foundation of a house at Caledonia and digging holes there for fence posts, work- men threw out lead ore. Lodes as far back as thirty miles from the river were discovered. The Fountain Hill Diggings near Peru were very productive at this date. There was a great revival of the old interest and excitement.
In May, 1858, the miners assembled at the court house and organ- ized the Dubuque Miners' Association; it was a joint stock organiza- tion and started with about 250 members. At this date many mines had been abandoned owing to water in the leads. There was 110 approved method of getting rid of this water. The Karrick lead
25
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
was 250 feet above high water in the river and yet water was very troublesome at the depth of 130 feet ; pumping was too expensive. The association considered horizontal shafts in order to drain off the water. With the view of reopening the old mines the associa- tion in May caused a complete survey of this locality to be made and recommended horizontal shafts just above high water mark. Early in the fall of 1858 C. D. Mullin struck a rich lode east of the Karrick diggings. At a depth of sixty feet he struck a sheet five feet high by two feet thick; the prospect was estimated to be worth $30,000. At this time there was a distinct revival of the old mining spirit and enthusiasm.
Rich and valuable new leads were struck on the bluffs back of Eagle Point in August, 1858. This ground had been prospected over and over again, but now large yields were uncovered. They were called "clay diggings" and were not considered so valuable as "rock diggings." Baxter & Company took out on Mr. Thedinga's land from May to August over 200,000 pounds of ore. Others with valuable discoveries were Michael Karrick, Matthias Ham', Starr, Karrick & Beckett, Horr & Brother, on whose grounds were twenty- five windlasses at work. Masses raised weighed 300, 400 and 600 pounds. Thousands of pounds lay in heaps at the top of the shafts.
On September 1, 1858, the miners held a big celebration at Dubuque ; they came with their old mud-covered suits, carts, picks, shovels, sledge hammers, etc., and enjoyed the day to the utmost.
"Mining .- We hear of several new prospects being struck in our vicinity and learn that a large number of persons are profitably engaged in mining. This is the time for miners to reap a golden harvest. Mineral is now bringing $31 to $32 per thousand and in gold."-(Daily Ledger, September 14, 1858. )
A reorganization of miners was effected in Dubuque during September, 1860, for the purpose of arbitrating all minor differences among theniselves. Connected with this association were Richard Bonson, John T. Everett, Joseph Herod, M. M. Hayden, W. G. Stewart, J. H. Bartlett, C. Childs, James Carr, B. J. O'Halloran, Charles Rose, S. Langworthy, Thomas Levins, Richard Waller, J. L. Langworthy, George Wilde, John Palmer, J. H. Emerson, Thomas Waters, R. O. Anderson, James Pratt, M. G. Karrick, William Carter, Allen Leathers, J. H. Hollingsworth, John King, James Thompson, H. L. Stout, P. A. Lorimier and others. They had a constitution, by-laws and officials and kept their affairs in order. A meeting of the miners was held October 2, on which occasion George O. Karrick served as chairman and speeches were delivered by himself, Solon Langworthy and others. Capt. M. M. Hayden offered resolutions to perpetuate the memory of Julien Dubuque ; they were adopted by acclamation. Solon Langworthy. George W. Starr, George O. Karrick and T. McNear were appointed a committee to prepare a constitution for the society.
26
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
In the Dubuque lead district in 1860 there were four smelting furnaces, as follows: Wild's, at the foot of Southern avenue ; Watters & Bronson's, a mile west of Catfish Mills; Brunskill & Watters', a short distance east of Center Grove, and Fern & Sim- son's, a mile or so west of W. G. Stewart's. All were located in ravines, as water was needed in the operation of smelting. Lead ore was composed of two parts or ingredients-lead and sulphur, about 84 per cent of the former and 16 per cent of the latter. Smelting was nothing more than a roasting process whereby the sulphur was consumed by the action of fire and the residue thor- oughily washed of dirt. ashes, etc.
"Since last November, or at the close of navigation, the Dubuque lead region has yielded 4,500,000 pounds of mineral. The average value of this has been $30.50 per 1,000 pounds, or a total of $122,500. The mining interests employ about 1,000 men."- (Herald, June, 1860.) "John Owen has taken out of his new discovery since last Tuesday morning 60,000 pounds of mineral."- (Same.) Three miles from Dubuque was Pike's Peak, a mining center.
The Julien Mining Company was doing a large business in February and March, 1860. In one day they drew out 20,000 pounds of mineral. A new lead was struck a few miles south of Catfish creek, where some lumps weighed over 1,000 pounds.
"The amount of mineral raised for the week ending June 30, 1860, was about 250,000 pounds, and the amount smelted aggre- gated close to 200,000 pounds. In this connection it may not be out of place to remark that from 5,000 to 10,000 inen can find profitable employment in the Dubuque lead mines. The Dubuque lead region is contained within an irregular semicircle of not less than twenty miles in diameter. Only comparatively a small por- tion of the ground has been 'proved,' and it is no unreasonable estimate to suppose that 5,000 miners would not exhaust the region in a period less than one hundred years."-(Herald, July 1, 1860. ) "Week before last there were smelted here over 200,000 pounds of lead. During the last week 201,600 pounds were smelted. The amount raised during the same time is a little in advance of that figure and will probably reach 250,000 pounds."-(Herald, June 24, 1860. )
An excursion of the "Chicago Academy of Sciences" to the Dubuque mining region was an event of October, 1860. Several hundred came and were formally received and entertained by com- mittees of citizens appointed for that purpose.
Two Missouri miners-John Harrington and Peter Holman- struck it rich in an old place near Southern avenue close to Mr. Kempf's store and only twenty or thirty rods from the point of the bluff. They were at first laughed at, but they found mineral withint two feet of the top. By November 12 they had sold 17,000 pounds
27
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
and had 5 000 more out. Two hundred men were now prospecting in the mines in this vicinity.
The war in Missouri drove here many lead miners, several of whom made big strikes. The melting of the deep snows and the heavy rains seriously interfered with mining in the spring of 1861, by flooding the mines and diggings. Near West Dubuque about 100 pound mass of iron ore was found in April, 1861. It was strongly magnetic.
On March 22, 1861, George Wharton and Joseph Brunskill went down into Brunskill & Watters' diggings at West Dubuque to examine a cave that had just been struck. The cave was some 3,000 fcet from the bottom of the shaft and was reached by a rough crevice. They soon lost their supply of candles and those within hands were soon burned up, leaving them in total darkness and unable to find their way. After a reasonable time their friends went after them, but they had spent the whole day there in great anxiety.
In April, 1861, it was complained that the land owners near Dubuque charged too high a rent for their mineral lands-that it worked too great a hardship on miners, particularly on those who had bad luck-the bad luck and high rents combined to make the lot of many worse and worse. The argument was that "the true policy of the land owner was to be liberal with the miner, for the more inducements that were held out for the production of any article the more of that article will be produced. So with the mineral ; the lower the rent the more will engage in mining." The mining association should have a system that would work and be fair in all cases. And owners should give a bonus for big finds to stimulate further discoveries. Owners should ask no rent for the first 100,000 pounds of mineral ore. The miners at their public meetings passed strong resolutions against the existing currency. The lead caves were one of the attractions of Dubuque for visitors.
In May, 1862, mineral was worth $37 per thousand pounds; by December it was $44. James Hughes built a shot tower in 1862 in one of the old mining shafts. Mr. Mallett at the Durango Diggings in 1862 made a rich strike and cleared up in less than six months over $25,000. The mineral raised within the city limits in 1862 was about 1,000,000 pounds, worth $40,000. Miners thoroughly ex- plored the Maquoketa, Catteese and Catfish neighborhoods.
On February 11, 1863, mineral was worth here $48 per thousand. By March 2 it had reached $53. In 1863 Judge Lovell and others raised 150,000 pounds of mineral at Pike's Peak, this county. In August, 1861, the Dubuque Shot Manufacturing Company were making drop shot of all sizes. In August, 1863, mineral had fallen to $40 per thousand. Prof. James Dale Owen, son of Robert Dale Owen, geologist, exhibited specimens at the State Fair here in 1863. October 10, 1863, mineral was worth $52.50. Back of the city in
28
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
a mineral shaft ninety feet underground there were found in 1864 the molar teeth of a mammoth in a fair state of preservation.
In March, 1864, mineral was worth here $71 in greenbacks per thousand pounds; on July 1, 1864, it was quoted at $84 in green- backs; on July 15 it was $90; this was about the highest point it reached. As the reserved mineral lands of the county were now in market and had been for some time, opportunity for fortune making was not lacking.
Several very valuable discoveries were made in 1865-one on the south side of Dodge street ; another, the Wootton crevice, in which Chapman, Ratcliff, Bunting, Peacock and others were interested. By August, 1865, little mineral was being raised ; it was worth from $53 to $55 per thousand.
In 1866 the old Burton mine was reworked; S. P. Smith and General Vandever were interested in this work; out of this shaft there had been taken formerly 5,000,000 pounds of mineral worth probably from $150,000 to $200,000. In six weeks in the fall of 1867 400,000 pounds were taken from the old Tom Kelly mines on the bluffs. Valuable new leads were found near Center- Grove in 1868. The famous Coakley & Faulhopper lode was discovered two miles northeast of town in Langworthy Hollow in 1871. The miners held a festival in February, 1871, and a large attendance enjoyed the occasion. T. C. Roberts was the principal speaker. He said that for forty years about $250,000 worth of lead annually had been taken from the mines of the Dubuque district. The fol- lowing is an extract from a poem read at this festival :
"They're gone, they're gone to the unseen shore, Their life work is all well done, Brave Julien and Kelly and many more Have followed there one by one ; But why, brave knights of the giant will, Why not, ere you strike your tent, Of the limestone rock they did cut and drill Uprear them a monument ?"
The drybone ore from which zinc is made is found in the hills around Dubuque, in the old lead holes and near thein, and for many years was mined more than the lead mineral itself. Late in the eighties George Perry, on the old Randall farm, took out consid- erable drybone ore; he had found several paying crevices. It was found to exist from the cap rock down to living water about sixty feet below. At the termination of one drift the crevice was about eight feet wide and completely filled with ore. J. F. Rebman about the same time discovered on the old Stout farm a number of heavy zine deposits ; his erevice was about forty feet wide. From Rhom- berg hill to the Western brewery Trieb & Company and Trieb,
29
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
Southwell & Brunskill discovered and worked valuable deposits; they were considered the most extensive zinc mines west of the river. Burt, McNulty & Cooper worked the "Ave Top" mine on Julien avenue near Nevada street ; it had turned out nearly 2,000,000 pounds of lead, but in the eighties was worked for zinc by Hird, Oatey & Watters, and paid. Mr. Goldthorpe mined a lot of drybone at Center and Fourteenth street. Many men and teams in the eighties were thus employed. It was thought that with a home reducing plant and full time worked the Dubuque drybone mines would yield from 100 to 200 tons per day. One mine in 1890 offered to contract to deliver twenty-five to fifty tons a day.
In 1899 there was a revival of zinc mining in Dubuque county. Considerable was found near Buncombe-Rowley mine, mill and roaster; Northwestern mine and mill; Buncombe Hill mine and Big Dad mine. In nearly all the old lead mining districts drybone has been found, often in paying quantities.
Among other rich strikes in the sixties was one in August, 1868, on the hill south of the French brewery, near Langworthy Hollow. Lead ore to the amount of 100,000 pounds had been taken out there many years before.
In 1867 there was found in the old Kelly cabin $4,000 in gold; later a boy in kicking over a tin can at the cabin uncovered $1,800 in gold ; search revealed $1,500 more in an old tea canister. These discoveries caused a thorough search to be made, but no more gold was found. The search, however, led to several discoveries of lead ore in the old Kelly mines.
In 1875-6 Collins & Rooney shipped large quantities of lead ore, often from 3,000 to 5,000 pounds a day. Edwards & Luther's old mine, though eleven years old, seemed to grow better and better in 1876.
The Dubuque Ore Concentrating Company was organized in 1892 with the following officers: John Babcock, president ; E. E. Jones, vice president ; S. J. Southwell, secretary ; Philip Pier, Sr., treasurer. By this date (1892) considerable drybone was being mined in this county, but as yet there was no reduction plant here. The above company laid plans to mine drybone, black jack and galena on an extensive scale; its plant was on Southern avenue. Early in 1893 the Dubuque Zinc Company, with a capital of $100,000, prepared to manufacture zinc from drybone on an exten- sive scale. E. T. Goldthorpe, in 1891, operated one mine near Durango and three near Dubuque ; in that year he shipped fifty carloads of ore, the freight charges on which were $1,600. In four years previous to 1892 he shipped over $100,000 worth of zinc and lead ore from this vicinity to Mineral Point for reduction.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.