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but on account of engineering difficulties, only one touches Old Vernon, 
and, by a long fill and double bridge 80 feet high, crosses the river at the 
forks. The population of North Vernon is 3,000; of Old Vernon, 650. The 
courthouse and jail seem to be the only reason for its existence, but its 
quaint and picturesque beauty give it a charm which no smart business 
town can possess, 
TERRACES OF THE LOWER WABASH. By J. T. ScoVELL. 
The valley of the Wabash, while much like many others, has some 
peculiarities. It was dug out through the sand and gravel that partially 
filled an ancient drainage channel. The old channel in Vigo County is 
from four to six miles wide, and at Terre Haute the bed of the present 
river is 100 feet above the rock bed of the old river. A long, narrow island 
whose southern extremity extends a mile or so into Vigo County divided 
the old river into two channels. The main channel, on the west of the 
island, now occupied by the Wabash, is about two miles wide. Near the 
county line it received a tributary channel about one-half mile wide, now 
occupied by Brouillet’s Creek. The eastern channel is about a half mile 
wide, and is occupied by the lower course of Raccoon Creek. Near the 
county line this channel received the tributary channel of Old Raccoon 
Creek, about a half mile wide. Thus the old valley in Vigo County was 
formed by the union of four broad channels. The flood plains and the 
terraces of the present river rise to different elevations above low water, 
and vary considerably in width. Some of these variations are shown by 
cross sections of the valley made on different lines along its course. 
The first section is along the north line of the county. The datum, 
low water in the river, is about 452 feet above tide. The flood plains on 
the west rise from 12 to 20 feet, a flood of 16 to 18 feet covering much the 
greater part with water. The second bottom rises about 30 feet above low 
water, and the bottoms of Brouillet’s Creek are continuous with those of 
the river. The bluff on the west rises abruptly from Brouillet’s Creek to 
an elevation of about 600 feet. On the east a rise of about 50 feet reaches 
the edge of a heavy gravel terrace, which rises gently toward the east, 
reaching an elevation of 520 feet at the foot of the island bluff one mile 
trom the river. Thence across the island, whose higher points are about 
