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ILLINOIS. 



ILLINOIS. 



262 



Washington : populatiou, 4533. The town was laid out in 1822 on a 

 re,'ular plan, with a central public square, and wide streets crossing 

 at right angles. In the centre of the principal square is the capital, 

 a showy stone-building of three stories, with porticoes. The other 

 public edifices are the court-house, niarket-houiie, jail, United States 

 land-oflBce, eight churches, academies, &c. There are some manu- 

 factures and an iron-foundry. The town is the centre of a very fertile 

 district, the products of which are brought to its market. The Great 

 Western Centra], the Chicago and Mississippi, and the Mas.sac and 

 Sangamon railways meet here. Two daily and one weekly newspaper 

 are published in the town. 



Chicayo, a city, port of entry, and capital of Cook county, is 

 situated at the month of the Chicago Kiver, on Lake Michigan, 

 42° 0' N. Ut., 87° 3o' W. long., 183 miles N.N.E. from Springfield : 

 population 29,963 in 1850, in 1840 it was only 4470. The city is 

 well and siibstintially built. It extends along the shore of the lake 

 for above a mile, and for two miles back along the river which is 

 separated into two branches, each having a depth of 12 to 15 feet. 

 The site is low and level, but the town is said not to be unhealthy. 

 The bar at the mouth of the river has been reduced, and piers have 

 been carried out into the lake in order to prevent the accumulation of 

 sand and drift The largest lake craft and steamers can now pass 

 over the bar, and within there is commodious anchorage for an almost 

 unlimited amount of shipping. The commerce of the town has 

 increased within the last few years in full proportion to the great 

 increase of means of internal communication, and its fine position 

 with respect to the navigation of the lakes. In 1839 the total value 

 of property was assesxed at 236,842 dollars, in 1850 it was assessed at 

 8,562,717 dolUrs. The imports in 1840 were 562,106 dollars, the 

 exports 228,635 dollars. In 1848 the imporU were 8,338,639 dollars, 

 the exports 10,709,333 dollars. The arrivals of shipping in 1850 were : 

 — Steamers, 662 ; propellers, 183 ; schooners, 1 1 82 ; brigs, 230; barges, 

 13 : making a total of 2270 vessels, of an aggregate burden of 958,600 

 tons. The principal exports in 1850 were : — Wheat, 437,660 bushels ; 

 maize, 3,221,317 bushels; oats, 787,197 bushels; hemp, 697,783 lbs.; 

 coal, 2,091,552 lbs. ; irnn, 3,454,060 lbs.; lead, 1,376,879 lbs. ; lumber, 

 67,957,287 feet; laths, 14,921,420 pieces; wool, 1,088,553 lbs.; 

 besides considerable quantities of cheese, butter, flour, sugar, beef, 

 pork, larri, and potash. The principal imports in the same year 

 were: — Wheat, 883,077 bushels; maize, 2,647,465 bushels; bacon, 

 434,716 lb«; hams, 1,086,933 lbs.; pork, 2,390,248 lbs.; lai-d, 

 2,069,625 lb^ ; hemp, 1,035,648 lbs. ; hides, 848,876 ; lumber, 

 125,523,122 feet; timber, 562,976 feet; laths, 27,583,475 pieces; 

 shingles, 60,338,250 bushels; lead, 1,402,135 lbs; wool, 731,956 lbs.; 

 tobacco, 324,923 lbs. The public buildings are the usual county 

 buildings, numerous churches and schools, banks, &c. There are 

 several large hotels in the city. Besides the Illinois and Michigan 

 Canal, the city is the terminus of several important railways, and a 

 great many plank-roads facilitate communication with the interior. 

 Five daily newspapers, each having also a weekly issue, six weekly, a 

 fortnightly, and three monthly periodicals are published here. 



A Iton, on the left bank of the Mississippi, 3 miles above the con- 

 fluence of the Missouri, is the chief port town of Illinois on the 

 Mississippi, and the largest town on that river above St. Louis : 

 population, about 12,000. Alton is a conveuient port, and is now being 

 connected with several railways; its commerce is greatly increasing. 

 There are several churche.i, ShurtUff college and other buildings in 

 the town. Bituminous co»l is abundant in the vicinity. Bdvidere, 

 on the north branch of the Kishwaukee River, and on the Oalena and 

 Chicago railway, 78 miles W. from Chicago, population about 2000, 

 is a flourishing and busy new town. There are several grist- and 

 law-mills. CurUnvillc, the capital of Macaupin county, 2 miles 

 K. from Macaupin creek, and 41 miles S. by W. from Springfield, is 

 one of the most flourishing places in the interior. The Sangamon 

 and Alton railway has a principal station here. (7arro{ton,the capital 

 of Greene county, on the border of Spring prairie, about 6 miles N. 

 from Macaupin creek, and 56 miles S.W. from Springfield, is another 

 rapidly increasing interior town, and the centre of a fertile district. 

 Carlhar/e, the capital of Handcock county, lies between Bear and 

 Long creekf, and is a busy and prosperous place, being the mart of a 

 fertile neighbourbomi, and of a rich coal district. The village has 

 acquired a wide notoriety as the scene of the murder of the Mormon 



Srophet and leailer, Joe Smith, and his companions. Chetler, on the 

 [i»si-<aippi, immediately below the confluence of the Kaskaaia Uiver, 

 population about 1300 ; is a place of growing commercial importance, 

 Deing the entrepot for the pro luce of a considerable tract of back 

 country. DanviUe, on the right bank of the Big Vermilion River, 

 just below the confluence of the North and Salt Forks, 128 miles E. 

 by K. from Spriugfield, population about 1200, is a good sized and 

 flourishing place, and the centre of a fertile and populous diitrict 

 Two weekly new.tpapers are published here. Freeport, on the Peca- 

 tonica River, 16S miles N. from Springfield, is another of the rising 

 towns of Illinois, and from its position is Ukely to become an 

 important commercial pl;ice. The surrounding country is rich in 

 minerals, ami very productive agriculturally. The Oalena branch of 

 the Central Illinois, and Galena and Chicago Union railways meet 

 ifite. Two newspapers are published weekly. Galena, on the Feve 

 Kiver a little above its confluence with the Miwissippi, and near the 



north-western extremity of the state, population about 6500, is the 

 centre of the lead mining district, and the chief commercial town of 

 this part of Illinois. It is the capital of Joe Davies* county, and 

 contains the usual county buildings, court-house, jail, several churches 

 and schools, and some large copper smeltins; works, grist- and saw- 

 mills, &c., and has a large lumber market. The chief exports in 1851 

 were— lead 33,082,190 lbs.; flour 39,3.39 barrels ; bariey 42,731 bushels; 

 pork 3185 barrels; bacon 312,658 lbs.; lard 125,000 lbs. ; butter 

 87,618 lbs. ; eggs 22,880 doz.; hides and skins 9326; horses 800; 

 cattle 1500, &c. ; and in the same year it received 5,085,684 feet of 

 lumber, and a very large quantity of shingles, timber, and wood of 

 other descriptions. The largest river steamers ascend to Galena, and 

 it has good railway accommodation. Two daily newspapeis, having 

 also weekly issues, are published here. Jacksonville, on the Mauvaise- 

 terre creek, 30 miles W. by S. from Springfield, population 2745, is 

 a rapidly rising new town, situated on a rich prairie district. It 

 contains a court-house, jail, churches, and schools. Illinois college, 

 and the state deaf and dumb iustitutiou are situated here. There 

 are extensive flour-mills, cotton-works, tanneries, and machine manu- 

 factories. The Sangamon and Morgan railway passes the town. 

 A newspaper having tri-weekly and weekly issues is published here. 

 Joliet on the Plane River, 40 miles S.W. from Chicago, population 

 2659, contains a court-house, jail, churches and schools, large hotels 

 and warehouses. The river aflbrds fine water-power, which is made 

 available for numerous mills and factories. The Illinois and Michi<;an 

 Canal, and Chicago and Rock Island railway pass the town. Two 

 weekly newspapers are published here. Kaakasia, the original capital 

 of Illinois, stands on the right bank of the Raskasia River, 10 miles 

 above its confluence with the Mississippi, 127 miles S. by W. from 

 Springfield the present capital : population, about 1000. Kaskasia is 

 one of the oldest towns in the state, having been founded by the 

 French in 1683 ; it stands in the mid.it of very picturesque scenery, 

 contains the usual county buildings, a Roman Catholic church, and a 

 United States land oflice. Mo'xnt Cannd occupies a favourable site 

 for commercial purposes, on the right bank of the Wabash, below the 

 rapids, 140 miles S.E. from Springfield : population, 1500. It contains 

 a court-hou^ jail, churches and schools, and several flour-miUs, and 

 machine-shops. NaperviUe, on the Du Page creek, 160 miles N.E. 

 from Sprin,'field, is a rising new town, the capital of Du Page county, 

 having various county buildings, churches, schools, &c., and two 

 weekly newspapers. Ottawa, at the junction of the Fox River with 

 the Illinois, 120 miles N.N.E. from Springfield, is the capital of La 

 Salle county, and a place of great and increasing commercial import- 

 ance. By the Illinois and Michigan Canal the lake steamers reach 

 the town, and the Chicago and Rock Island railway aflbrds communi- 

 cation with the western districts ; while the Illinois River yields 

 immense water-power which is being turned to full advantage. The 

 soil of the surrounding country is rich ; there is a good deal of timber; 

 and limestone and freestone abound. Two newspapers are published 

 weekly. Peoria, on the right bank of the Illiiiois, at the foot of 

 Peoria Lake, is the capital of Peoria county, and the shipping port 

 for the surrounding grain district : population, 5562. It contains the 

 usual county buildings, churches and schools, an incorporated academy, 

 several steam-mills, factories, 4c. Two weekly newspapers, and a 

 semi-monthly magazine are published here. Quincy, stands on a 

 high bluS' on the left bank of the Mississippi, 88 miles W. from 

 Springfield, population 691 1 ; it is the capital of Adams county, and 

 the mart for a well cultivated and populous neighbourhood. Besides 

 the usual county buildings, churches, and schools, it contains a United 

 States land office, numerous warehouses, stores, hotels, workshops, &c. 

 Several steamboats arrive and depart daily during the season. Large 

 quantities of barrelled pork and bacon are expoi-ted. One daily and 

 three weekly newspapers, with two monthly periodicals are main- 

 tained. Rock Island City, at the junction of the Rook River with the 

 Mississippi, and the terminus of the Chica'.<o and Rook Island railway, 

 by which it is 180 miles W.3.W. from Chicago, is a new town which 

 has been laid out on an extensive plan, and though not at present 

 Very populous is expected to become one of the most considerable 

 commercial towns on the upper Mississippi. The site is well adapted 

 for trading purposes, and the surrounding country is not only a rich 

 agriculturfd district, and well supplied with timber, but affords also 

 abundance of coal and limestone. Rtckfuid, the capital of Winnebago 

 county, is situated at the rapids on Rock River, 92 miles N.W. by N. 

 from Chicago by the Galena and Chicago railway ; population, 2093. 

 Steamboats ascend to the town. The rapids afford immense water- 

 power, and there are several mills. A newspaper is published weekly. 

 Shaxoneetown, on the Ohio, 164 miles S.E. from Springfield, populatiou 

 1764, is one of the largest trading places in southern Illinois. Iron- 

 ore and coal are obtained along the banks of the Ohio. There are 

 very extensive salt-works at Saline creek, 12 miles from the town. 

 Shawneetown possesses a paved levee of considerable length. An 

 important branch of the trade of the place is the slaughtering and 

 packing of hogs : one establishment has facilities for hanging up 

 1000 hogs a day. Tobiicco is raised in the vicinity in cousijerablo 

 quantities : 300 hogsheads were shipped from here in 1852. Vandalia, 

 from 1818 to 1839 the capital of Illinois, stands on elevated ground, 

 on the right bank of the Kaskasia, 66 miles S.E. from Springfield: 

 population, about 1100. The town waa laid out on a large scale in 



