﻿ttr 



mSSOLONQHT. 



MISSOURL 



debt of the itoto (Mimarippi baing ona of Ute repudiating statet) u 

 7.271,707 dollar*. 



MISSOLONQHI. [KbolonohlI 



MISSOURI, one of the United SUtei of Korth Amrrica, lies 

 between S6' SO' mnd 40' SO* N. Ut, 88' 55' and 95" 38' W. long. It 

 i* bounded B. by the state* of Kentucky and niiuois, from which it is 

 divided by the Miaiinippi River ; N. by Iowa; W. by the Nebraska 

 and Indian territories ; ud S. by the state of Arkansas. The area is 

 65,037 square miles, or nearly 7000 square miles larger than England 

 and Wales. The population in 1850 was 6S2,044, of whom 2618 

 were free-coloured penons, snd 87,433 slaves ; being 10-49 inhabitants 

 to a square mile. The federal representative population, according to 

 the Cuisus of 1850, was 647,075, in which number three-fifths of the 

 slaves are included. This, according to the present ratio of repre- 

 sentation, entitles the state to send seven representatives to Congress. 

 To the Senate, like each of the other United States, Hissouri sends 

 two members. 



Satfact ; Bydngraph}/ ; Commtmieations. — The state is divided by 

 the river Missouri into two parts, baring marked differences of surface 

 and general character. The southern part consists of an undulating 

 country rising into mountains as it approaches the Ozark range. That 

 portioa of the state north of the Missouri is a rolling prairie or level 

 ooontij. Looking at these districts more in detail, and beginning with 

 the extreme south-east, we find that an extensive bottom-land 

 extends along the Mississippi, commencing on the north at Cape 

 Oirardean, north of the mouth of the Ohio River, and extending 

 southward to that of the Arkansas. It includes many large swamps, 

 which are rendered almost impenetrable by a dense growth of trees, 

 moetly cypress. The most extensive of these swamps, called the 

 Great Swamp, commences a few miles south of Cape Girardeau, and 

 passes southward to the mouth of the river St. Fi-ancis, penetrating 

 far into the state of Arkansas. Of this swamp above 100 miles 

 belong to Missouri Within the bottom ore numerous lakes, lagtmes, 

 and marshes ; but it contains also many isolated tracts of considerable 

 extent, which are elevated above the range of the highest floods. The 

 bottom, almost throughout its whole extent, supports a dense and 

 heavy growth of timber of excellent quality, but little use is made of 

 it Since the earthquakes of 1811-12 this tract has been inundated 

 and uncultivated ; but it is cajiable of being reclaimed, and has a very 

 fertile BoiL 



The high grounds along the Mississippi begin a few miles below 

 Cape Qinrdeau, and extend up to the mouth of the Missouri River. 

 The highest part lies between St. Oenevieve and the mouth of the 

 river Ilaramec, where the banks of the Mississippi, composed of solid 

 mosses of limestone, rise in some places 860 feet above the water. 

 This undulating country extends westward to the river Qasconade, 

 occupying the basin of the Maramec River as far south as the lead- 

 mining district. It is diversified with prairies and forests, the lower 

 lands being well wooded, but the high grounds very thinly ; scarcely 

 a ahrob is seen on the natural meadows. This is the most populous 

 section of the state. 



Between the rivers Gasconade and Osage, both of which are aiHuents 

 of the Miss-)uri River, a range of low hills approaches the Missouri, 

 rudng from 150 to 200 feet above the level of its water. They are 

 thinly wooded, and constitute the most northern ofiset of the Ozirk 

 Mountains, a region of which the undulating country between Cape 

 Girardeau and toe river Gasconade nuy be considered as the most 

 northern and lowest portion. This elevated tract covers more thou 

 half of the state south of the Missouri River. The surface is extremely 

 broken and mountainous. The hills and mountain.i, which rise from 

 SOO to more than 1000 feet above their hoses, are exceedingly uuine- 

 roos, but do not form continuous ranges, being divided into knobs and 

 peaks with rounded summits, and preaenting perpendicular cliffs and 

 abrupt precipices of sandstone. They ore covered with a poor soil, 

 which is generally shallow, and overgrown almost exclusively with 

 pitch-pine, cedar, and bramble. Along the numerous rivers which 

 originate in this mountain tract are bottoms of moderate extent and 

 tolerable fertility, but they are subject to excessive floods. The 

 BovntiT west of this mountain region, especially the bssin of the 

 Osage River, is chiefly a rolling prairie, diversified with forests, which 

 Bowever are only of moderate extent, and produce little or nothing 

 but stunted timber. North of thin region, along both sides of the 

 Misaonri, extends a rich alluvial bottom, which is probably more 

 fertile, and batter settled than any other part of Missouri, with the 

 noaption of the country near the confluence of the Missouri and 

 Mbnsaipp! ; but a km part of it is still in a natural sUte, and 

 aoverad with a deep and heavy growth of timber. 



In Um coantry north of the Misaonri, which comprehends about 

 ooe-tlurd of the stot^ the surfaoa is generally undulating or level 

 Tha bottoms along the Missouri and Miadosippi ore remarkably 

 farttla, a^Moially thoae of the Misaonri The country between these 

 two large rivara is diveraifiad by the brood valleys of nvets and creeks, 

 and intarveuiog tiacU of unduUting upland, wbicli are united vrith 

 tha valleys by geotla slopaa. The woodlands occur only upon the 

 moipas of the woterooniaas. and the upUods ai« extensive prairies 

 oomplataly daatitut* of a timber growth. Theae prairies occupy at 

 least ninataaa^wentiaths of tha whole region, and comprehend some 

 of tha beat land ia tha atatai 



The Mississippi washes the rastem boundary for 470 mile^ niid 

 the Missouri traverses the stale from Wist to east, with a winding 

 oourse of above 400 miles. [MiasissiPri.] Some of their affluents 

 require notice. White River and Francis River are dei<cribe<l in 

 Abkansas, State of. Sfaramec Rivtr, which enters tho Mississippi 

 about 20 miles below St. Louis, has a course not exceeding 180 milei ; 

 but it is important as flowing from the lead district and affording 

 navigable channels to a fertile and improving tract of country : steam- 

 boats ascend it for 60 milva Suit Rirar, which joins the Mississippi 

 about 60 miles above the mouth of the Missouri, runs more than 200 

 miles with rather a gentle course, and through a tolerably fertile 

 bottom. Cuivre, or Copper Riter, joins the Mississippi about 40 milis 

 above the Missouri Of the rivers which join the Missouri, the 

 Gasconade and Osage are the principal The Oatconade is rather 

 small, and runs about 120 miles; but derives imiwrtance from the 

 supplies of timber and planks it furnishes to the country below. The 

 Oioge rises in the plains between the Arkansas and Kansas riven, and 

 flows in a general direction east-north-east about 400 miles, joining 

 the Missouri near tho centre of the state. About tho headwaters is 

 some of the best cotton laud in the state ; and on its northern bank 

 is a tolerably wide bottom with an alluvial soil of considerable fertility. 

 It is 875 yards wide at its mouth, and navigable by steam-boats of 

 light draught for 200 miles. The Grand Chariton and Nodaway rivers 

 aro affluents of the upper course of the Missouri ; all of them are 

 navigable for some distance. 



Missouri is very badly provided with means of internal communica- 

 tion. Good carriage-roads even are few in number, and not well 

 maintaiiied ; and in railways Missouri is one of the worst furnished 

 of the United States. The only line in operation is one from St. 

 Louis to Franklin, a distance of 87 miles ; but two or three important 

 tnmk lines, with short subsidiary Hues, have been authorised by, 

 and received grants of land and credit from tho state legislature. 

 These projected linos are in all about 1200 miles in length. One of 

 these, called the St. Louis and Pacific, of which the line iu operatiou 

 is a portion, is to proceed from St. Louis westward to the western 

 boundary of the state, about 300 miles, whence it is to be continued 

 ultimately to San Francisco in California. Another about 280 miles 

 long is called the Hannibal and St Joseph line, and is to connect the 

 Mississippi and Missouri rivers from the places so named. The others 

 are short lines. 



Geologtj, Mineralogy, <tc. — Eruptive and Metamorphic rocks occupy 

 the central portion of the moimtainous country south of the Missouri ; 

 and surrounding them is a broad band of Lower Silurian strata, con- 

 sisting of various sandstones, and limestones. Skirting the Silurian 

 rocks on the east is a narrower belt of light gray and very fossiliferous 

 limestones, bearing much resemblance to the Silurian limestones, but 

 belonging to the Devonian formation. Lower Carboniferous, or moun- 

 tain limcKtono strata, occur along the banks of the Mississippi and 

 Missouri throughout the state. Upper Carboniferous strata, or coal- 

 measures, forming a portion of the great coal basin of IlUnois. Missouri, 

 Michigan, and Anansas. occupy a large part of the northern half of 

 Missouri. In the south-eastern comer of the state, are some creta- 

 ceous rocks; and recent deposits occur along the Mississippi from 

 about the mouth of the Ohio downwards. 



Missouri is extremely rich in minerals. The broken and moun- 

 tainous country described under Southern Missouri, the igneous and 

 palaiozoic district just noticed, is the great metal region of Missouri : 

 it is said to occupy an area of 18,000,UOO acres. The most valuable 

 of the metals of Missouri perhaps is iron, which occurs iu various 

 forms ond almost unlimited quantities. The ore occurs most fre- 

 quently as hematite, and micaceous ochrey and red oxides. Two 

 mouutain peaks, the Iron Mountain and Pilot Knob, which are about 

 6 miles apart, and form the eastern extremities of the Ozark Moun- 

 tains, aro said to contain an almost inexhaustible amount of micaceous 

 ore, which yields 60 per cent of pig iron. Lead is also found over a 

 large portion of the metal region ; the carbonate is said to yield 72 

 per cent, and the sul^hurct from 66 to 80 per cent of lead, and to 

 contaiu 6 per cent of silver. The lead-mines have been long worked, 

 but during the last few years loss than formerly, owing to Uie migra- 

 tion of the miners to Califomia and Australia, Copper is found in the 

 south and west of this region. The ore occurs most commonly in tho 

 form of pyrites; but oxides and carbonates are also met with. It 

 is found in combination with lead, iron, nickel, cobalt, and manganese. 

 Zinc, antimony, and tin are also found. 



The coal-measures, as above indicated, occupy a very laige area, 

 mostly north of the metal region, but intruding into it The coal is 

 chiefly bituminous, but oannul coal is found in a few places. The 

 coal-field of Missouri has been as yet but little worked ; but, taken iu 

 connection with the immense iron-beds just noticed, its value may be 

 said to be almost inappreciable. 



Building stones of various kinds abound. Porphyries and aienites 

 well fitted for ornamental and arohitectural purposes, are numerous 

 in tho mountain districts. Marbles of various kinds are plentiful. 

 Limestones of excellent texture are quarried in many places. Sand- 

 stone* ore very common, but generally of a coarse and friable kind. 

 Sands of excellent qualities for glass-making ; kaolin or porcelain clay ; 

 pipe-clay ; clays suitable for earth jn ware and pottery; and brick-earth 

 are abundant Gypsum is found iu some places. Saltpetre occurs 



