Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-08-27
VALLEY OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

L He VdLcy vi TIC WlSSlppi anu its
tributary rivers exceed in extent OF
surface the limits Of any other country
whose waters are accumulated and flow
through the channel of one river to the
ocean. The United states are separat-
ed from north to south into nearly E.
quail eastern and western divisions by
the river Mississippi,t The valley of which
is therefore situated in the central part
of the American Republic. 1t extends
east of the Allegheny mountains, which
divide the Union into the Atlantic. and
Western States, and west the rocky
mountains, which separates the terri
tories and states west of the Mississippi
river from the country bordering on
the shores Of the Pacific, and passes
through nineteen degrees of northern
latitude and thirty-two degrees of lon
gitude, embracing an area of more than
one million square miles. The rivers
which beautifully intersect this extern
sive region, uniting their waters with
the Mississippi, are every where nume-
rous and of, unparalleled length: those
which fall into the Mississippi on the
west, are-the Arkansas, 1000 miles
long, which is navigable 1000 miles
Missouri, 4,40o miles in length and ma
vigable $500 miles-Red River is ma
vigable 500 miles, Des Moins 800, and
S t.Peters 200: those emptying their wa
tiers on the eastern margin of the river,
are the Yazoo, navigable 100 miles, the
Ohio, e45 miles long and navigable the
whole distance, Illinois, navigable 200
miles,. and Ouisconsin, $50 miles long
and navigable 1870 miles. Almost eve
ry staple production of commerce, such
as the sugar cane of India, the rice of
Ethiopia, the spices Of Malacca, the
grape of France, and the cotton of the
SouthSea Islands, ARE the natural growth
of its fertilizing soil. In addition to
this productiveness of soil, minerals and
metals of the most general use, and of
the highest value, are found in great
and rich varieties. Within its confines
since the American revolution, settle.
ments have been effected, states and ter
ritories have been organised, cities vie
ing in opulence with those which GEN.
turtles have contributed to establish,
have in the space of twenty years been
built where nothing but wilderness then
surrounded their sites. Newt orleans,
the sixth city in size in the y. States,
contains now ear 10000 inhabitants;
Cincinnati, in 1905, had a population of
only 500, but in 1925 contained $500;
Lexington, in Kentucky, enumerated at
the last census a population of $500;
Nashville, (Tenn.) 5000 and St. Louis,
Missouri 1920. The whole popula-
ton of this territory west of the Allie
ghany mountains, exclusive of the In
dians, fell short of 100000, which
was a fraction more than two individ-
uals TO each square mile, as the vale OF
Mississippi embraces 100000 square
miles or one half of the land within the
jurisdiction of the American States
When the population of this almost un-
limited region amounts TO $4,000, 900,
it will be just equal to the amount Of in
habitants which the state Of New-York
had on each square mile at the last cen.
sus. Scarcely has the dawn of i'm.
provement commenced in this mos,
productive and fertile portion Of the A.
merican continent; the little that ha:
been done is unnoticed in the in6nity o.
her resources, and the measure of pros
perity which can be attained must be {
work for millions in after ages to &C
complish. A country like this mus,
and will, when her mean and treasure.
shall be unfolded, have established ii
her bound some of the richest and mos
populous states and cities in the world
Vermont .9irora.
An old acquaintance from the east
ward, who is now travelling through
the western part of this state, writes t.