Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-07-10
rnom TIE Ssw-YonK COLUMBIAN.
LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER.

RIVER.
Mr.. Shooner-I have read an article
in your paper of this day, and also some
other prints, stating in substance, that by
"a recent and accurate survey, the dis
lance from the south extremity of Lake
Michigan to the Mississippi, was found
to be l6l miles, in place of $50, hither-
to estimated; and that of course the
state of Illinois will be narrowed by the
difference. This piece will no doubt
go the rounds Of the papers, though ut
terly unfounded as to the induction.
have taken the trouble to measure
the distance between those points upon
the following maps, and have7anneXed
the result.
Lewis Evans map, 1858, improved
and republished l776, by I. Pownal,
distance $50 miles.
Arrowsmith's map ofNorth America,
2o7 miles.
Lewis's large map of the United
States, 2o3 miles.
Do. small do. 2o9 miles.
Melish's large do. $50 ID miles.
Do. small do. 100 miles.
Shelton and kensctt's United States,
$40 miles.
Darby's map in Emigrant's Guide,
2o7 miles.
Do. do. in his Tour, 1855.
1t will be seen by this how little ac-
cordance there exists between the va
rious maps on the subject of the true
relative position of the Mississippi-river
and Lake Michigan. The mere dis
tance is now fixed, but as neither the
river or lake are referabIe to any csta-
blishcd point, no practicable result can
be drawn from the admeasurement, as it
respects the form of the state of IIlinois.
Another very common error has deceiv-
ed the writer of the article we are ex-
aiming; that is the false range given to
Lake Michigan in almost all maps ex-
tant on which that lake is marked. The
lake is commonly made to lie nearly
north and south when in fact its real
position is at least twenty degrees more,
S. w. and n. L. This lake is about
26o miles long, of course an error OF
90 deg. in its range would displace it
nearly 90 miles. This is the true cause
why the relative distance in question
was found so much less than was COM
monty marked. | laid down my map.
published in the Emigrant's Guide, from
such documents as | could then pro-
cure; of course it is erroneous respect
= ing Michigan. 1t was from recent in
formation received on my last tour, that
was enabled to approach SO near reali-
ty in the small sectional map published
with the account of that tour.
Leaving, however, the south point of
Lake Michigan wherever it may be, its
position can in no ways produce any eff
feet upon Illinois, unless the Mississippi
river is SO egregiously wrong placed as
to be nearly 100 miles more easterly
than the maps have experimentation
the much more intimate knowledge we
have of the Mississippi than of Lake
Michigan, the presumption is in favor Of
the former, being more correctly de-
-lineated than the latter.
The state of Illinois covers all the
territory lying south of 40 so N. lat.
east of the Mississippi, north of the
Ohio, and west ofIndiana; consequently
let Lake Michigan range as it may, the
form and extent of Illinois must remain
nearly as it is represented on our maps.
The probability is, that the N. L. corner
Of Illinois, and the N. w. of Indiana
will be in Lake Michigan; and that in.
place of Illinois being contracted by the
correct projection OF the lake, the terri
tory of Michigan will be found much
more extensive than it has been con-
sidered. If the south end of Michigan
Lake is from so to 100 miles more to
the west, than it was formerly thought
to be, then will triangle be included in
the territory, whose base must be the
length of the lake, and whose perpen-
dicular will be the difference between
the false and true longitude of the
southern part Of the lake. Suppose this
difference 60 miles, and the length of
the lake $50, Michigan will be enlarg-
ed 1890 square miles; space almost
equal to the state of Connecticut.
w. DARBY.
,New- York, May 81.
Since writing the above, l have OBJ
served the following notice in the Aurora
. of May 81.
"Nconsider it my duty to the public
to state, that my map OF the United States,
and the local maps projected by me en-
'bracing that portion of the country, Hi