Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-05-23
SAIU.

KETHEN It is considered that the Mississippi
w river is bounded on the east by alluvit
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
no where in this distance permanent or rocky
shore, but overflowing the country in unusually
high freshets 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 from 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 a situation fora
oWn:--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 irresstibly led to the opinion that the town
of Alton is situated on commanding and i'm
portant site F.; there being no where else nthe.
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-
ceive from the navigation Of those rivers. Let
us look forward only q few years, when the III
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
precsated.
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
meut. The Mississippi is at this point fifteen
miles nearer that town than any other naviga-
Bile water of the state, excepting the Kaskas-
kia river, which IS navigabe to Nandala emily
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, intcrspersed
with hills and sink holes. Therefore the site
for the town Of SALU is considered more eli
gibie 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. s, in town N. and range 9 " Of
i the Sd principal meridian, adjoining and
north of upper Alton in the county of NAH
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 ts
vicinity but it is well supplied with syringe
of pure water.
The great road leading from the east
throughout this state to the Missouri Terrific
~, the Boon's Lick and Salt river countries,
runs through this town and crosses the Missis-
sippi at the well known Smeltzer's ferrv
This road will be made TO fork at this town,
n,I,.,, nix
These two ferries are the only ones of any
Importance, that can ever be established on
the Mississippi between the Missouri and Hi
nois rivers. The great national road, running
from the City of Washington westwardly, nus
necessarily be made to cross one OR 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 ether occupa-
hons will receive liberal encouragement to
settle in this town.
/ It may be considered extraordinary that
new town, bearing new name, should be
A'u o'te upper AitUIl, do till5 lON II IL
well situated, and already contains more than
thirty families. 1t is from these considerations
that the town Of saiu is laid out, and the lois
now offered for sale to actual settlers. no
clear and indisputable title could heretofore
have been obtained for any lot in upper Alton;
the embarrassments on the land were compN.
Gated and difficult. Under these crcu,nstan-
ces, the people who had settled in Alton
could not prudently make improvements, but
had become more and more convinced CT lis
unusually healthy and commanding situation
for q great town, were unwilling to remove to
any other town or part of this state or country;
therefore, the subscribers purchased the ste
for the town of Salu, which has all the atlvan
tages Of Alton; and have given the new town
new name, because Alton embraced upper
and lower Alton, two separate and distinct
sites tor 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 laye
| named the new town SALU.
! HENNEIT MAYEY,
| ERASTUS BROWN,
ISAAC WATERS,
| ZACHhRiAH ALLEN.