Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-12-18
SA LII.

WHEN it is considered that the Mississippi
w river is bounded on the east by alluVial
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 OF rocky
shore, but overhowing the country in unusually
high freshcts; and when it is considered that,
from the termination of this alluvial land, at
which place the town of Alton is situated, to
the mouth of the Illinois river, the shore OF the
Mississippi is perpendicular rock fran 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
town and 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 irresstbly- led to the opinion that the town
Of Alton is situated on a 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,
good situation for a town. This opinion is
drawn from the advantages this place may re-
ceive from the navigation of those rivers. Let
us look forward only few years, when the in
ternal 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 APP
preclated.
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 Vandalia, the seat of govern
ment. The Mississippi is al this point fifteen
miles nearer that town than any other naviga-
Bile 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
the Sd principal meridian, adjoining and
north of upper Alton, in the county of Madi
son, and state Of Illinois, There are no ponds
nor stagnant waters, the source of so much
disease in this country, in this town nor in its
vicinity; but it is well supplied with springs
of pure water.
The great road leading from the east
throughout this state to the Missouri Terrific
ry, the Boon's Lick and Salt river countries,
runs through this town and crosses the Misss-
sippi at the well known Smeltzer's ferry.
his road will be made to fork at this town,
and run also to Fountain ferry, at lower Alton.
These two ferries are the only ones of any
Importance, that can ever be established on
the Mississippi between the Missouri and ILL.,
nois rivers. The great national road, running
from the City of Washington westwardly, must
necessarily be made to cross one or the other
of these ferries, when it shall be extended 10
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 in this town.
1t may be considered extraordinary that |
new town, bearing new name, should be
laid out adjoining upper Alton, as this town is
well situated, and already contains more than
thirty families. 1t is from these considerations
that the town of Salu is laid out, and the lots
now offered for sale to actual settlers No
clear and indisputable title could heretofore
have been obtained for any lot-inupper Alton
the endorsements on the land were compli-
Gated and difficult. Under these circumstan-
ces, the people who had settled in Alton
could not prudently make improvements but
had become more and more convinced Of its
unusually healthy and commanding situation
for great town, were unwilling to remove to
any other town or part of this state or country
therefore, the subscribers purchased the site |
for the town of Salu, which has all the advan- !
tages OF Alton; and have given the new town
a new name, because Alton embraced upper
and lower Alton, two separate and distinct
sites for towns, situated more than one mile
apart; from these considerations it was not
thought advisable to extend Alton to greater
limits and, therefore, the subscribers have
named the new town SALU.
BENNETT NANCY,
M ERASTUS BROWN,
ISAAC WATERS