Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-12-25
SAI4sJ.

WHEN it is considered that the Mississippi
w river is bounded on the east BY alluVlal
| land from four TO seven miles in width, begin
| ming at the mouth Of the kaskaskia river, and
| extending TO two miles above the junction of
| the Missouri river with the Mississippi, dis
lance Of eighty or one hundred miles, and has
nowhere in this distance permanent or rocky
ashore, but OVERLOOKING the country in unusually
| high ireshets;--and whenit is considered that,
from the termination OF this auyal land, ar
which place the town of Alton is situated. to
| the mouth of the Illinois river the shore Of the
Mississippi is a perpendicular rock frsm one
to two hundred feet high, with only here and
there a narrow break admitting few small
streams of water to flow into the Mississippi,
| but not presenting any where situation for a
! town:--an when it is also considered that the
eastern bank Of the Illinois river for some dis
lance, is rocky and broken, and then it becomes
low bottom land for more than two hundred
! miles from the mouth of the river; the mind
| is irresistbly led 10 the opinion that the town
| of Alton is situated on commanding and i'm
| portant site there being no where else on the
eastern banks of the Mississippi and Illinois
| rivers, for more than three hundred miles, a
| good situation for town. This opinion is
| drawn from the advantages this place may re-
us look forward only few years, when the in
tcrnal navigation shall be completed from the
Hudson through the Lakes TO the Mississippi,
and the importance of this situation for great
and commercial town, will be more fully ap-
prcciated.
The surrounding country equals in rich
ness Of soil and agricultural advantages, the
most fertile portion Of the western country.
| In addition to the foregoing considerations.
! free stone, lime stone, and stone coal, abound
in great abundance in the neighborhood of
| this place. And by reference to the actual
survey of this state, Alton is found to be nearly
due west from Nandalia, the seat of govern
ment. The Mississippi is at this point fifteen
miles nearer that town than any other naviga-
bic water Of the state, excepting the Kaskas-
kia river, which is navigable to Vandalia only
two or three months in year.
But even here, although the bank is rocky,
the river easy of access, and there is good boat
landing and harbor, the land is for more than
one mile back, broken and uneven interspersed
with hills and sink holes. Therefore the site
for the town of SALU is considered more eli.
gible than any other which can be selected on
the waters Of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers.
This town is situated on the first high, roll
ling, and commanding ground from the river
on sec. 6, in town 5 N. and range 9 w. of
the Sd principal meridian, adjoining and
mort" VI upper A,,oh' III me county OF Madl-
sun anu s'a'e Oh i'illols' mere arc no ponds
M Iol seasilSne "alcrs, inc source OF so much
IN uii' eouiltiy III 'ii,s 'o"n nor IN IT'S
'ic''il'y' out 1t Is well SuPPiea Win springs
vi pure "atef'
INC eiea1 loaa ieai,hS rom the east
.lroueiiou' Jus s!aye 10 ,ne missouri ierrito-
~ ule Boon LICK ana san i1Ver countries,
run. through 'hls Town ana crosses the Missls-
sippi at the wen known Smeitzer's ferry.
ms road VIII pc made to fork at this town,
ana run also 10 FOUNTAIN terry, at lower Alton
lhese TWO feriles are the only ones OF any
Importance, that can ever be established on
inc Niisslssippi between the Missouri and Hi
mons rivers. Inc great national road, running
IRON the Cl,y OF Washington westwar6lly, must
necessarily be made to cross one OF the other
OF these ferries, when it shall be extended TO
the Missouri and to the rocky mountains. The
important road leading from the south to the
military lands in the fork OF the Mississippi
and Illinois rivers, and to the Sangamo country,
must, from the peculiar make Of the land,
either on the west or on the east Of this place,
run through this town.
Good mechanics OF moral and industrious
habits, and respectable men OF other occupa-
tons, will receive liberal encouragement to
settle i'll thls to"n.
! 10 loo Il