Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-12-24

dred feet, and the depth OF the main
channel Increased, from twemy.,wo
inches to four feet; and the work cost
less than 5000 dollars.
Bcswcc-; the ::set.sh Of 0hie and
Louisville there are six,y-one bars or
shoals, which may be SO improvedsby
the construction OF wing-damss as to
render the channel four feet deep on
each, at the lowest stage OF the river,
and the entire expense will not exceed
$4,000. The timber and rocks now
obstructing the river MAY used in the.
construction Of these dams, which will
last for centuries. So, also, from Lou
isy,lle to Pntsburg, the same plan will
make the river navigable atall seasons,
for vessels drawing three feet. at a cost
which cannot exceed $350,0OO. The
aggregate cost OF the two branches Of
tins Improvement would therefore be
1926 900.
It's importance may be estimated
from the fact, that during the last five
months, the communication by steam
having been effec,ually cut OF between
P,usburg aud Wheeling and Louisville,
the freight ofthe immense importations
from the eastern cities has been one
dollar. the hundred pounds; the voy-
age down has been pr etracted TO thirty
or forty days; and immense losses
have been sustained from the boats be-
ing run upon logs and rocks. Could
the boats have run, the treights would
not have exceeded thirty cents the hun
dred pounds,--a saving of Sl4 il. ton:
to say nothing of the losscS he
Mail, likewise, might then be carried
by packets between Piusburg aud New
lOr!eane.-lt is added that 1.-THE COM
plexion Of the Ohio aud Pennsylvania
canals and the Baltimore and Ohio
Rail-road will, il is believed, have the
effect of doubling the amount oftrans-
portation on The Ohio river between
Louisville, Wheeling. and Piusbarg.
.Ncw Ierritory.-A bill has been
before Congress at its two last sessions,
providing for the organization OF anew
territorial government west of lake Mi
chlgan, to include all the territory OF
the United States, north Of the States
of Illinois and Missouri
| Tins extensive country, bordering
on the great Lakes Superior and Mich
igan, onl embracing the Ouisconsin,
81. Peters, and other head waters Of
the great 6 Father of Rivers" is now
chiefly occupied by the Wianebago,
Chlppewav, and Sioux nations of In
dams: thee OF the most power full and
warlike tribes on our borders. The
military posts that serve to prevent
their excursions On our seuttlements,
and outrages upon our citizens. and
that, III some measure, prevent their
warning with each other, are Fort How
ard, at Green Bay. Fort Crawford, at
Prairie du Chied, Fo.t Sueliins, at the
mouth Of St. Peters rive, and Fort
Winnebago, at the, portage between
the Fox ard Ouisconsin rivers.
The principal white settlements in
the country are at Green Bay,sat Penn
bina, OH Red river Of Lake Winnipeg.
at Prairie du CHEN ON the Mississippi,
and at the lead mines, bordering on the
Mississippi and Ouisconsin Rivers
The most populous of these are, The
settlements a, Green Bay and in the
mlning district, almost the whole of
which, at present worked, lies in tho
proposed Territory, and has produced
within the last lolr years, more than
thirty million pounds OF lead and had
the price of the article renamed as ia
1896, would no doubt have produced
hive times as much.
/ The writer has the past summer, Wis
tied and passed through the country
from Lake Michigan to the MISSISSIPPI
pr; aud wherever mining operations
| were carried on, instead OF the wild,
rolling prairie, whose rich soil was for
merly regarded only as a covering for
mineral treasure, he found large and
well cultivated farms, with herds OF
thrifty cattle, and fields that were white
with harvest.
Most mining countries have a poor,
barren soil but ibis is extremely fer
tile, aud particularly well adapted 10
farming purposes. Indeed, the
whole country south of the Fox
and Ouisconsin rivers, between
Lake Michigan and the Mississippi,
hough in many places but scantily
wooded. has good SOIL and will no
doubt, ere long support dense popu-
lation.
| What the whole number Of inhabi-
tants Of the proposed Territory is, we
| are not at present able to state with
| certainty. 1t is not, however, as great
as in the prosperous days Of the mining
| business; but is now steadily increas-
ing, and is probably greater than the
population Of Michigan was in 1916.