Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-03-20

portions OF the low land itself The OBJ
servation has frequently been made in
those parts Of Virginia, South Carolina,
&c. where agues and bilious feyers pre-
vail
This is accounted for by the SOUTH
west and west winds mostly occurring
during the unhealthy season; and the
daily westerly current occasioned by the
rareiactlon OF the air eastwardly, by the
rays OF the rising sun. The miasmatic
matter | believe physicians call it) is
thus blown against the sides of the hill,
and rolls in thick volumes over its sum-
mli-instead of being equally diflused
and expanded, as il would have been
had 1t met with no acle-and conse-
qpently act with greater intensity in pro-
ducing disease. Where hollows put up
to the summit of hill thus situated, the
sickly effects are still more striking at
those pomts; owing to the condensing
concentration of the miasmata in their
passage through the hoilows. In coun-
try so subject to the ague and fevers as
ours, these observations cannot be too
strongly impressed on the mind of every
man.
Woodland is the second consideration.
The importance OF wood for fuel and
timber being granted, it does not neces-
sarily follow, as is the common opinion,
that village should be located in the
woods. So far erroneous, however, is
this opinion, that every reason except
temhorary convenience is in favor of the
prairie. The objections to building in
the timbered tracts are the following:
l. Want of health. AS the woodland
follows the course of the creeks, it must
generally be more unhealthy than the
pralries, from the generation of miasma-
ia by the filthy water of the creeks and
ponds in the bottoms.
But, again, from the comparative stag
nation OF air in the timber, an Qccumu-
iation OF miasmala, instead of being, as
IN the prairies, greatly disspated as soon
as they arise. Nay, further, the very
mlasmata OF the pralries when blown into
the woods (the motion of the air convey
ing it being then Immediately diminish
ed) cannot fail to add to the accumula-
ton already existing there. Experience
has shown this reasoning to be correct.
Four persons in the timber to one in the
prairie are annually attacked with fever.
1t is in vain to point out detached faml-
lies or neighborhoods as exceptions to
this doctrine. They are generally old
resdenters who thus escape, or other
| Explanatory circumstances will recon-
Gle the apparent discordance.
| 2. 1t checks the progress of improve
ment. 1ndolence is natural to man. Il
by cutting the trees down around the
spot designed for the residence OF the
early villager, he obtains logs suffi
cient Tor house, he sits down con.
tented, with stumps before, behind, ano
on every side. Or should he be indus
trious, it will require much hard labor
and four or five years time lowing to the
interference of prcdominating circum.
stances) to place timbered spot on the
same grade of improvement to which
the Almighty has already elevated tn
prairie. With the same time and labor
how beautifully cultivated and decorated
might the prairie village be made.
But it further checks the progress OF
improvement by preventing good frame
or brick houses from being SO soon erect
ed as they would be in prairie village
for the log house once settled in, the day
OF building better is procrastinated
year alter year, and they remain vexa-
ton to the women and disgrace to the
town.
! 8. Il is no benefit to the citizen, and il
is public disadvantage. WHY does the
speculator give trees from his limbered
site for building? Is it not to get the
place cleared, and houses erected, and
thus enhance the value of the adjoining
land If the citizen is unable to own
wood land, he can purchase his timber
or fuel, delivered by persons from dis
lance, as cheap as from his town lord. If
he is able TO purchase wood lot there,
he mnst pay more than proportionably
higher for it, than for one which is two
or three miles distant, and he therefore
rightly prefers the latter. Admitting
each citizen, however, to be possessed
Of a wood lot Immediately adjoining the
Town, the convenience of fuel would be-
get greater extravaganza in its use, than
is consistent with the Public good, in this
scarcely timbered country. On the con-
trary, if at distance, then to save labor
in hauling, less fuel would be wasted,
and more frame buildings erected.
Beauty of prospect is another considc-
ration totally shut out by building in the
timber. Even the argument of tempo
rary convenience, if still an obstacle,