237 



On pursuing the inquiry for demand in the interior of this State, and 

 partioxilarly in the State of Illinois, I learn, a material amount of this 

 coal will be needed for blacksmithing purposes in this State, and a much 

 larger amount, when converted into coke, will be consumed in the va- 

 rio\is blast furnaces scattered over this State, instead of the anthracite 

 coa: of Pennsylvania, which is generally used, and only obtained at 

 great expense. 



The great number of railroads, constantly increasing, and the enor- 

 mous quantity of wood annually consumed by their locomotives, must 

 force the railroad companies, by the increasing cost of wood, to substi- 

 tute coke in its place. 



It is estimated by the late State Topographer, that the number of 

 " the Peninsular Lakes is not less than 3,000, being in proportion of one 

 acre of water to every 39 of <^lry land." 



" Another striking feature in the Peninsular landscape, is the nimi- 

 ber and extent of wet prairies or marsh. Of these, the proportion is 

 much larger than the Lakes, and they often cover many miles of sur- 

 face." To these may be added, the well known facts, that a much lar- 

 ger proportion of the Peninsula is occupied by sparsely timbered oak 

 openings, and diy prairies. In some of the populous parts of this 

 State, the want of wood is already beginning to be felt ; and the time 

 is near at hand when the want of wood, for fuel, in a region so desti- 

 tute of wood-land, must be forcibly reaUzed. Besides home consump- 

 tion, the western portion of the Peninsula is beginnmg to be drained to 

 supply the wants of the immense praiiie regions on the west side of 

 Lake Michigan. 



It has recently been stated in the public journals, that the consump- 

 tion ©f wood by the locomotives on the Michigan Central and South- 

 em roads, between Chicago and Niles and South Bend, is estimated at 

 80,000 cords, within the past year; that the Rock Island and some 

 other Illinois roads, are dependant on Michigan and Indiana for wood, 

 and get it by running then- wood trains over the Michigan roads, and 

 that the present prices of wood in Chicago are. Hickory, $5 50 

 to 17 00 ; Beach and Maple, $5 50 to $6 00 ; Oak, $4 50 to |5 00 

 per cord. 



