Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-02-01
North.
South.

| ooQklls
| The act OF February %, 1917, author
ICES the sale in half quarter sections Cor
eighty acres) of the sections Q. S, 90, 80
so, 33, of each township. The subdi-
| vision of the quarter section is made
by true meridians.
The rectangular division of country
is preferable to any other. The cardinal
points are known and familiar, even to
children. 1t requires some geometrical
skill to ascertain the area Of a field
whose sides form acute angles with the
meridian; but the contents of a rectan-
gular field are very easily determined
and indeed geometers know that the ul-
innate result of all calculations of areas
is obtained by reduction to the square
and rectangle.
For civil purposes, the rectangular
division is pre-eminently useful. The
boundaries of counties-of judicial or
military districts-of districts for schools
for religious societies-and for every
object Of social character, are easily and
accurately determinablc in a country
thus divided. 1.-THE county courthouse,
the Westinghouse, &c. sc. are to be
central, their place is precisely known
A single glance at the maps, of Ohio,
Indiana, &c. in comparison with the
maps Of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia,
or OF any of the older states, with respect
to county limits, will prove the superior
excellence of the rectangular system.
1t is like the work of an elegant penman
compared with the scrawls of school
boy.
.dns70er TO The second Question.
COLLEGES, SCHOOLS 81
The section No. l6, IN every town
ship, is, by law, reserved for the support
of schools; the southeast quarter of that
section is the centre of each township
More than sixty million acres of lands of
the United States have already been sur
veyed-one thirty-sixth part OF sixty
millions is one milinn six hundred and
sixty thousand six hundred and sixty-six
acres, reserved by law for the support of
schools. The section No. Is will un-
questionably be reserved in all future
surveys and disposals ofthe public lands.
For colleges and seminares of high
er grade than schools, thirteen whole
townships have already been granted by
the United States, to Michigan, Ohio,
Indiana, sc. Thirteen townships are
equal to two hundred and ninety-uine
thousand five hundred and twenty acres.
The same legislative liberality will
doubtless be extended to all future states
and territories. By section of the act
of April 10, 1906, relative to Tennessee,
two hundred thousand acres are, in that
state, reserved for colleges and acade-
mics. The reservations then for schools,
colleges, sc. are
.4cres.
Section No. l6, l,666,eo6
Thirteen townships, 2o9,52o
Reservation in Tennessee, 100000
2,l66,l86
viz: two million one hundred and sixty
six thousand one hundred and eighty
six acres which, at the minimum price
of two dollars an acre, is equal to (4,332-
372) four million three hundred and
thirty-two thousand three hundred and
seventy two dollars. The value of land
in any country is proportioned to the in
crease of its population and its we'll
directed industry. The area of the whole
state of Ohio, (the eldest of the states
north of the Ohio,) is about twenty-five
million acres of this about fourteen mil
lion four hundred thousand acres had been
surveyed anterior to the late cessions,
which embrace the northwest part of
that state. A thirty part of $4,000
600 is four hundred thousand. The free
spirit OF Ohio, united with signal indus
try and economy, had already given to
section Is, in the surveyed portion ofthe
state, value of at least four dollars per
acre, or of sixteen hundred Thousand
dollars, There are instances in which
section l6 in Ohio, is worth from twenty
to thirty dollars an acre.