ILLINOIS. 



361 



Population at different Periods 



1800 

 1810 

 1820 



2,239 

 12,282 

 55,511 



1830 

 1835 



157,445 

 272,427 



2. Canals. la 1837 the legislature established a Board of Fund Commissioners to manage 

 the fiscal concerns of the public works, and a Board of Public works, to determine the routes 

 and superintend the execution of such works. The Internal Improvement Fund consists chief- 

 ly of loans raised for the purpose, and of the proceeds arising from the sales of lands given by 

 Congress to aid the object. The Michigan and Illinois Canal extends from near Peru, below 

 the Lower Rapids of the IlHnois, up the valley of that river and the Desplaines, and across 

 the portage between the latter and the lake to Canal Port, on the south branch of the Chicago, 

 5 miles from its mouth ; length, 96 miles, depth, G feet, width at the top, GO feet ; estimated 

 cost, 8,654,537 dollars ; a navigable feeder of 4 miles, to the Rapids of Fox River, making 

 the whole length 100 miles, is included in this estimate. A branch through the Sauganaska 

 Swamp to the River Calumet, and thence to the Northern Canal in Indiana, is also projected. 

 The improvement of the channel of the Wabash, in connexion with Indiana, and the removal 

 of obstructions in the beds of the Illinois, Rock River, Kaskaskia, and Little Wabash, have 

 likewise been undertaken by direction of the State. The other public works are railroads. 



3. Railroads. By the act of 1837, already referred to, the following railroads were direct- 

 ed to be undertaken ; 1. The Central Railroad to extend from the city of Cairo at the junc- 

 tion of the Ohio and the Mississippi, through Vandalia, and Shelbyville, intersecting the Ilh- 

 nois River, at the southern termination of the Michigan Canal, to Galena, about 4G0 miles ; 2. 

 The South Cross Railroad from Alton, through Edwardsville, and Salem, to Mount Carmel, 

 with a second route diverging at Edwardsville, and extending through Nashville, and Frankfort 

 to Shawneetown, and a branch from Lebanon, on the latter, to Belleville ; whole length about 

 320 miles ; 3. The JVorthern Cross Railroad^ extending from Quincy through Meredosia, 

 Springfield, and Decatur, to the State line in the direction of Lafayette, Indiana, 220 miles ; 

 4. The Mon and Terre Haute Railroad, from Alton through Shelbyville and Paris to the 

 State line, in the direction of Terre Haute, 160 miles ; 5. The Warsaw and Bloomington 

 Railroad, extending from Warsaw on the" Mississippi, through Peoria to Bloomington, with a 

 branch from Mackinaw to Pekin on the Illinois ; whole length about 160 miles. The railroads 

 undertaken by individual enterprise, are the Chicago and Desplaines Railroad, 12 miles in 

 length, a continuation of which to Galena is projected ; the Jacksonville and Augusta Rail- 

 road, from the former place to the Illinois, opposite the latter, 24 miles ; and the Rushville 

 Railroad, from that town to the Illinois at Erie, 10 miles. 



4. Toions. Vandalia, formerly the seat of government, stands on the Kaskaskia, some- 

 what south of the centre of the State, and upon the great national road. It has been found- 

 ed but a few years, and has about 1,000 inhabitants Kaskaskia, on the river of that name, 

 near the Mississippi, is the oldest settlement in the whole western country, and was founded 

 by the French, shortly after the first visit of La Salle, in 1683. While the French held 

 possession of the country, Kaskaskia was a populous town, and the seat of government. In 

 1721 it contained a college of Jesuits. After the war of the Revolution it declined, but lately 

 k has begun to revive. Cahokia is another ancient French settlement on the Mississippi , 



Edgar 



Edwards 



Effingham 



Fayette 



Franklin 



Fulton 



Gallatin 



Greene 



Hamilton 



Hancock 



Hardin 



Henry 



Iroquois 



Jackson 



Jasper 



Jeflferson 



Jo. Davies 



Johnson 



Kane 



Knox 



Lake 



Lasalle 



Lawrence 



Lee 



Livingston 

 Logan 

 Macaupin 

 McDonough 

 Mc Lean 

 McHenry 

 Macon 

 Madison 

 Marion 

 4G 



Marshall 



Menard 



Mercer 



Monroe 



Montgomery 



Morgan 



Ogle 



Peoria 



Perry 



Pike 



Pope 



Putnam 



Randolph 



Rock Island 



Sangamon 



Schuyler 



Scott 



Shelby 

 St. Clair 

 Stark 



Stephenson 



Tazewell 



Union 



Vermilion 



Wabash 



Warren 



Washington 



Wayne 



White 



Whiteside 



Will 



Williamson 

 Winnebago 



