PREFACE. 7 



sons who had settled there from other States, saw 

 their improvements, as well as their crops, and re 

 ceived candid replies to all inquiries as to how they 

 liked their new locations, and how they were suc 

 ceeding. The facts thus acquired are reported with 

 out suppression or exaggeration. 



I have travelled over most of the Illinois Central 

 Railroad, and seen the astonishing improvements to 

 which that great enterprise has given birth. Euro 

 peans, in common with Americans, are familiar with 

 the wonderfully liberal terms on which the Com 

 pany are offering their fertile lands to actual settlers. 

 They have made thousands of industrious families 

 the possessors of noble homes, and will enable other 

 thousands to become equally independent. I have 

 given a connected history of the Company s lands, 

 with some items of information heretofore unpub 

 lished, which will be useful both to foreign and 

 domestic readers. 



It is known that foreigners are now seeking this 

 country in larger numbers than for several years 

 past. This coming stream of immigration promises 

 to expand into greater volume than ever. Multi 

 tudes of these are ignorant of our true condition, 

 and need correct information. The majority are in 

 search of land. Even our own citizens are deplora 

 bly ignorant of where to find the most eligible, and 

 how to secure it. The facts contained in these 



