"Up the channel of that river to the Brule River; thence up said last mentioned river to Lake Brule; thence along the southern shore of Lake Brulè in a direct line to the center of the channel between Middle and South islands in the Lake of the Desert; thence in a direct line to the head waters of the Montreal River, as marked upon the survey made by Capt. CRAM."

In the summer of 1841 another reconnoisance, with manyastronomical observations and instrumental surveys, was made by Capt. CRAM, whose report can be found in Senate Ex. Documents, No. 170, 27th Congress, 2nd session.

This reconnoisance and survey embraced the whole distance from the mouth of the Menomonee River at Green Bay to the mouth of the Montreal River at Lake Superior. The report says

"The length of the surveyed line from the head of the Montreal to eastern extremity of Trout Lake is 43 miles 3,188 feet."

"The length of the line from Trout Lake to Lac Vieux Desert is 35 miles 2,987 feet."

The sum of these two lines is 79 miles 795 feet, but this distance is not on a straight line.

The report further says

"The length of the surveyed line from Lac Vieux Desert to Lac Brulè is 15 miles 143 feet."

"The whole length of the survey from the head of the Montreal to the head of the Brule therefore becomes 100 miles 2,199 feet.

Speaking of Lake Vieux Desert, Captain CRAM in his first report says

"The country in the vicinity of this beautiful lake is called in Chippewa language Ka-takit-te-kon, and the lake bears the same name. On South Island there is an old potato planting ground, hence the appellation of Vieux Desert, which in mongrel French means old planting ground. There is certainly more reason for calling it "Lac Vieux Desert" than for the appellation "Lake of the Desert."

In the House of Representatives so much of the Governor's message as relates to the Bank of Mineral Point was referred to the committee on corporations, of which Hon. E. V. WHITON was chairman.

At an early period of the session Mr. WHITON reported from the committee a bill to establish the New York safety fund system.

The principal object which it was expected the passage of the bill would accomplish was the election of a bank commissioner, with power at all times to examine the affairs of the bank, and to cause it to be wound up whenever the public welfare demanded it.

The passage of the bill was vigorously opposed by those interested in the bank, with all the influence they could

bring to bear upon it, and the cashier had the assurance to send a communication to the House, asking to be heard before it by counsel.

On motion of Mr. WHITON it was resolved that the bill be referred to the committee on the judiciary, and that the stockholders be allowed to appear before that committee by counsel, and be heard relative to the bill.

After this the bill was before the House for more than a month, and on the 13th of February it passed that body by a vote of 16 to 10.

In the Council several amendments were adopted to the bill, which its friends in the House regarded as defeating its beneficial objects and proposed amendments to the Council amendments calculated to prevent such an effect. The Council refused to concur and the House refused to recede, and the disagreement resulted in the defeat of the bill.

After the defeat of the bill, Mr. COLLINS, of Iowa county, who had reported the amendment adopted by the Council, on the last day of the session, introduced on leave a resclution that the President of the Council appoint a committee of three members, to make a thorough examination of the state and condition of the Bank of Mineral Point, and to cause the result of their examinations to be published in a newspaper at the seat of government and to make a report to the Council at its next session.

The resolution was adopted and Messrs. ARNOLD, LEARNED and MARTIN appointed the committee.

In about a month the committee caused their report to be published which bore date March 23, 1841.

The report was of course based upon information derived from the officers of the bank and showed that the immediate liabilities of the bank (not including stock) were $250,295.34, and the available resources were $246,132.95, in addition to which the bank had "paper which is not considered immediately available, but which may be deemed ultimately good," amounting to $86,877.69 and that the remaining property consisting mainly of real estate amounted to $17,723.46, making a sum total of assets $350,734.10.

That it further appeared from the statement of the cashier that $100,000 of the capital stock was paid in, which if added to the liabilities would increase them to $350,295.34.

The report stated that of the immediate liabilities $208,820, consisted of its outstanding bank note circulation,

which was an increase of $118,515, since the 25th of September 1840, when an examining committee of the Council reported the circulation to be $90,305.

The remaining liabilities consisted of drafts on New York $27,400, and deposits $14,075.34.

This examination was made about three weeks after a published announcement "to the public" over the signature of the cashier, bearing date March 5, 1841, that the bank had suspended specie payments and would pay her liabilities by drafts on St. Louis at sight, payable in Illinois, Kentucky or Indiana bank notes.

In the early part of August, 1841, the affairs of the bank were placed in the custody of the law. An injunction was issued to restrain the bank from continuing its operations and receivers were appointed to take charge of its assets. They found the vaults empty. The specie, of which the committee reported March 23d, there was $26,507.25 on hand, had been clandestinely removed. The cashier, S. B. KNAPP, his brother, R. C. KNAPP, and the teller, PORTER BRACE, had absconded and taken with them the currency and other portable assets of the bank. They were pursued by the receivers, and the cashier and his brother were overtaken at Rockford and made prisoners. They had attempted to conceal a large amount of bank notes and drafts by sealing them up between the fly leaves and covers of some books, which they had left with a friend and acquaintance, and who delivered them up to the receivers. Upon "breaking the seals" in the presence of several Rockford gentlemen they found $1,500 of Illinois Bank notes and over $70,000 in certificates of deposit and drafts on Galena, St. Louis, New York and Boston, and bills of lading for 12,901 pigs of lead (903,070 lbs.).

The culprits escaped, and many of the parties upon whom the drafts were drawn interposed defenses or offsets, so that very little was ever realized from them.

The most mysterious thing about the whole affair was the unaccountable disappearance of WILLIAM H. BANKS, Esq., one of the receivers. He was a lawyer at Mineral Point of high standing; a native of Virginia of unimpeachable character in every respect. He went to St. Louis in the discharge of his duties as receiver, when he mysteriously disappeared and was never afterwards seen or heard of, notwithstanding the most diligent search and inquiry. The

mystery can only be solved on the theory of murder or suicide.

Reports were made by the Attorney General and the Receiver of the Bank of Wisconsin showing that the suit to forfeit the charter of that bank was still pending and that the affairs of the bank were in process of liquidation.

The committee on corporations was instructed, on motion of Mr. WHITON, to inquire into the expediency of memorializing Congress to disapprove of an act of the Legislature of the Territory incorporating the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Company.

Near the close of the session (February 18) Mr. WHITON from the committee on corporations, reported that

No memorial which the Legislature could adopt would reach Congress in season to receive the attention of that body at its present session. Without expressing any opinion as to the expediency of the measure, the committee recommend that no action be had relative to the subject."

An act was passed at this session incorporating two distinct fire insurance companies, one called the "Western Mutual Fire Insurance Company," located at Prairie du Chien and the other the "Howard Mutual Insurance Company" located at Green Bay. Neither of these companies, however, it is supposed, were ever organized; at least they never went into active operation.

A memorial to Congress was adopted, asking an appropriation for the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and calling the attention of Congress to the importance of improving the navigation of the Rock and Peckatonica rivers, and also stating the importance of the improvement of the Grant river, known as the "Grant Slue" and of the Platte river, which contained the questionable statement that

"The Little Platte river is navigable for the largest class of steamboats to within nine miles of Platteville."

Another memorial requested Congress to make an appropriation of money for the construction of harbors on the western shore of Lake Michigan.

An act was passed to incorporate the "Fox and Wisconsin Steamboat Company." The incorporators were mostly citizens of Green Bay. It was a small affair with an authorized capital of only $10,000, and it is not known that any thing was ever done by virtue of the charter.

At this session of the Legislative Assembly two acts were passed granting divorces from the bonds of matrimony, and annulling the marriage contract. One of these annulled and made void the marriage contract between PETER HOWARD of Iowa county and SARAH HOWARD his wife, and changed the name of PETER HOWARD to ROBERT C. HOARD. The other, the marriage contract between JOSIAH MOORE of the county of Milwaukee and LEVISEE his wife.

These acts were passed as expressly exceptional, and in the first case the judiciary committee which reported the bill, say:

"The power by law being invested in the courts, for wise reasons that jurisdiction should not be disturbed except in extreme and peculiar cases; such as where every one may, in their own minds, be satisfied that the causes exist, yet the person applying for divorce may be unable to establish the fact by legal testimony. Such case would warrant the interference by the Legislature, and such appears to be the case that your committee have had under consideration."

The select committee to which was referred so much of the Governor's message as related to the appointment of a Territorial geologist, after referring to the extent, richness and value of the mines of lead and copper so long known to exist in the Territory, expresses the opinion that the entire Territory abounds in the most valuable minerals. That on Black River, and near its principal falls, iron ore of a superior quality and inexhaustible in quantity had recently been discovered, which was nothing short of an iron mountain, only two miles above the falls, the base of which was washed by the river, on which its products could be conveyed by boats, and

"It is believed," the report says, "that this one spot is capable of supplying with iron all the States and Territories along the 'Father of Waters' lying above the Des Moines Rapids for centuries to come."

That in the vicinity of Prairie du Chien are found blocks for mill-stones, equal in quality to the best importations from France, inexhaustible in quantity, while gypsum or plaster Paris, used for cementing these blocks, is said to be found at Green Bay in abundance.

The probability of finding bituminous coal is discussed and opinions advanced entirely in conflict with geological facts, which are now well known.

The conclusion to which the committee arrived was

"That from the want of funds in the Territorial treasury, it is inexpedient at present to appoint a Territorial geologist."