MADISON (ante), a city, the capital of Wisconsin. the junction of the Chicago and North-western railroad, and the Watertown to Madison. and the Madison to Portage branches of the Chicamo, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad. It is the e. terminus of the railway to Prairie DAhien, importantlocal shipping point: this railroad being the connecting-link between the Wisconsin and Iowa divisions of the Chicago and North western railway. Lying in the Four Lake country, the land on which it is built, betweer lake Mendota and lake 3Ionona, 132 m. n.w. of Chicago, and 80 rn. w. of Milwaukee, rises to an elevation of 788 ft. above the level of the sea, and 210 ft. above lake 'Michi gan, and is about of a tn. in breadth, and 3 m. iu length; pop. '80, 10,325. Surround ing this plain are heights from which it is distinctly visible miles away. Lake Mendota on the n.w. border, with a depth of water estimated at 70 ft., is 9 m. in length and 6 m. In width, has a smooth, hard beach, and is navigated by excursion steamboats, from. whose decks the most delightful views may be obtained. Lake 3Ioncina on the s.e., 5+ m. long and 2 m. wide, is connected by narrow straits with lakes Waubesa and Kegonsa, . each about 3 m. long, and by straits farther s. flowing from these into the Fourth lake, forming a chain of beautiful lakes for a distance of 16 miles. The state-house is a stone edifice, with recent improvements costing $550,000, in height 200 ft., standing on a pla teau 70 ft. above the water-level, surrounded by a beautiful park of 14 acres, shaded by forest trees left standing when the town was laid out, the foundation of the capitol being laid the following year. The county court-house and jail occupy the s. corner of
the park. Westward front this point is College hill about 1 in. distant, 125 ft. above the lake,. the site of the university of Wisconsin, open to both sexes. The city has 14 churches, a commercial college, a stereotype foundry, flour and woolen mills, wagon and carriage factories, manufactories of agricultural implements, reapers, mowing machines, etc. It has a number of fine buildings for purposes of trade, and many ele gant private residences in the suburbs. It is a popular summer resort, and its air is. recommended as a palliative in diseases of the lungs. The state institution for medical treatment of the insane, 569 ft. in length, occupies an estate of 393 acres of forest, farm, and ornamental garden on the shores of lake Mendota, about 4 m. from the center of the city. The TT. S. court-house and post-office here cost $400,000. It has excellent public schools, and several public libraries, among them the state library, of 7,500 vols.; that of the Wisconsin historical society, in a wing of the capitol, 58,000 vols., and a valuable collection of curiosities; those of the university of Wisconsin and its societies, 6,830 vols. ; that belonging to the Madison institute, 3,500 vols.; and the state agricultural society library of 1000 volumes. About 1 m. from the capitol is the soldiers' orphans: home, on the shore of lake Monona.