Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-01-15
SA I u.


NNTIIEN it IS considered that the Mississippi
w river is bounded on the east hy allval
land from four TO seven miles in width, Begin
ming ut the mouth of the Kasiaskia river, and
extending to two miles above the junction Of
| the Missouri river with the Mississippi, a dis
| lance or eighty or one hundred miles, and has
nowhere III this distance Il permanent or rocky
shore, but oVerfowing the country in unusually
high freshets and when it is considered that,
from the termination of this alvial land, at
which place the town Of Alton is situated, to
the mouth CT the Illinois river, the shore of the
Mississippi q perpendicular rock ficm one
to two hundred feet high, with only here and
there narrow break admitting . few small
streams of water to flow into the Mississippi,
but not presenting any where u situation for II
toWn:-and when it Is also considered that the
eastern bank of the Illinois river for some dis
tancc, is rocky and broken, and then il becomes
! low bottom land for more than two hundred
miles from the mouth Of the river; the mind
is irresistiblv 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 tbc
| eastern banks OF the Mississippi and Illaois
rivers, for more than three hundred miles, Il
good situation for Il town. This opinion is
drawn from the advantages this place may re-
ceiyc 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 foq' great
and commercial town, will be more full, APP
preciated.
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 stDnr- lp1. stOne and stopc coed o,,rJ
in great abundance in the ncighborhood of
this place. And by reference to the actual
survey Of this state, Alton is found to be nearly
due west from Nandaiia, the seat of govern
ment. The Mississippi is at this point fifteen
miles nearer that town than any ether navga-
Bic water OF The state, excepting the Saskas-
kia river, which is navigabc to Nantlalia only
two or three months in year
But even here, although the bauk is rocky
the river easy of access, and there is good boat
landing and harhor, the land is for more than
oncmle back broken and uneven, intcrspersed
with bills and sink holes. Therefore the site
for The town Of SAI.U is considered! more eli
gibc than any other which can be selected on
the waters Of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers
This town is situated on thc first high, roll
ling, and recommending ground from tie river
on sec. ., III town ~ and ran.re 9 ~. o.
the 81 principal meridian, adjoining and
north OF apper Alton, in the county OF tladi-
son. and state of Illinois. There are no ronds
nor stagnint waters, the source of so much
disease inlthis country, in this town nor in It's
vicinity; but it is well supplied with springs
of pure water.
The grat road leading from the cast
throughout this State to the Nissouri Tc,1ito- !
r., the 1con's Lick and Salt river cu!;ltries, |
runs through this town and crosses the Missis- |
sippi at the well known Sincltzcr's fcr1y. |
This road will be made to fork 1T THIS town.
and run also 10 fountain ferry, at lower Alton, !
These two ferries the only ones of an, +,
Importance, that.can ever be established OF
Tie Mississippi between the Missouri; and lii |
nois rivers, ';le great national road, running,
from the City or " Washington Wes.WaiIiy ra,lst |
necessarily be made to cross one or the other
CT these ferries, when II shall be extended to |
t,'e Missouri and to the rotky mountains, The |
important road leading from the south to the !
military lands in the fork OF the aIssysippi |
and Illinois rivers, and 10 die eai,gano country, |
must, from the peculiar make of the land, |
either on the west Or on tic east Of this D!acc i
run through thistcwn.
Good mechanics Of moral and industrious !
habits, and respectable men of other ocuupa
tons, will receive liberal encouragement to |
settle in this town
It may be considered extraordinary that Il |
new town, bearing a new name. should be !
laid out adjoining upper Alton, rs this tows is
web situated, and already contains more than
thirty families. Ii il trcin these considerations
that the town of Salu is laid out, and The lots
now offered for sale to actual settlers No
clear and indispntable title could heretofore
have been obtained for any lot inuppcr Alton;
the cmbarrassments on the land were compli
Gated and difis.'t Under these eircums,ah