Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-04-11
R A N ID LIP IN
GREEN COUNTY. ILLINOIS,


TdNHE town Of RANDOLPH is advantageous
a ly Situated on the Mississippi river, on
fractional sections 2j and &c, in township No. |
north, and range No. 4 west Of the third I
principal meridian, about cqufdistsht between |
Alion aud Grafton, in Green County, Illinois,
on a beautiful bench Of land, from ten 10 I
twelve feet above The highest known floods of
tho river, and stretching back half mile in
cxtent.T -t.s .
Nature has been abundantly lavish in be- /
slowing advantages on this spot Tor great
Commercial city, In many respects superior 10
any other on the Illinois side Of The Missssip-
pi, between the mouth Of the Ohio and the III
inois rivers. The soil Of Randolph Is black
sandy loan, dry, and free from excessive mud
in rainy weather, an Inconvenience from which
bat few towns in this section Of The county
are exempt.
Building stone, Of superior quality, is
found in abundance at the western extremity
oil the town site, and can be readily quarricd
Rich limestone beds abound in the immediate
nrighhorAooJ. Timber suitable for building
and of the largest growth, is within half a mile
OF tho town. Two superior water power
privileges, Superior Tot thi. section Of country
are located within one and n half miles OF the
river, directly back Of the town, and several
never falling SPRINGS Of pure water, are within
it's limits Tho shore Of tie liver that stretch
es across the Southern bounday Of Randolph
is for the most part bold, and az the western
extremity affords AN excellent natural lont ny
for steamboats, OF the largest sizs at any stage
OF water, and all The remaining portion of the
bank of the river is susceptible oil such i'm.
provement, that it can readily be made at
small expense, both safe and eligible tor the
landing Of merchandise from steamboats, Of
any size. The Piasa cmp'ies into The Missls-
spp at the southeastern point Of Randolph,
and is nayigable for small steamboats, por-
ton Of The year, a s far as the east end Of the
town. This creek /, navigablc several miles
from its mouth ono half OF the year for fiat
boats and it affords safe and convenient bar
Dor for freight boats, and will be admirably
ca cuated tor boat building, as materials for
their construction may by obtained in Tic i'm
mediate vicinity. Besides the above named
intrinsic advantages that Randolph enjoys for
u commercial town, there are others oil an ex.
tcrnal char acter, which should bot be over.
looked. In the first place, ii is situated near
the highest navigabe point on the river, for
steamboats, Of the largest class at the lowest
stage Of water and this circumstance alone,
has direct and important bearing on It's com
mercial importance. 1t is nearly opposite TO
Portage dc Sioux, a town on the Missouri idc
oil the river, long established crossing place,
heretofore esteemed superior TO any point on
tie Mississippi, between the head of the great
American bottom and the Illinois river; en-
joying ferry privileges at all seasons of the
year, nucss il DISTRACTED by the ice. tits di.
rectly opposite to that point whore the Two
great rivers Of the west approach each other
within one and half miles distance, and
where it is had in contemplation 10 cut
steamboat canal 10 unite the two streams thus
avoiding some part Of the most dangerous nav
iGation OF The Missouri river; examination
OF this route having already been made by a
competent Engineer, and an estimate had OF
the expense OF constructing canal with a
/ Guard lock, on The Missouri river. VI hch will
! not exceed eighty thousand dollars In the
event othis grand operation being brought TO
/ a successful issue, Randolph must at once tall
an heir 10 ,arge share OF the trade OF the up
per Missouri, as steamboats, navigating that
river will take this in preference TO the maui
| raj and more dangerous channel. II is so sit
ualed in reference 10 the adjoining country, Gs
10 admit of the easy construction of rail
road, without degree of inclination That will
require stationary power; in this respect il
is the most eligible point above the American
bottom. There is another oircumsta nce which
has NOR direct and important bearing on the
commercial prospects of Randolph, than the
one 10 which We have just alluded. The gov
crnmcIt surveyor, in locating the northern
| route of the great Cumberland or rational road
through Illinois TO Jefferson city, in Missouri,
rur his line TO this point on The river, as being
The most eligible for CROSSING into Missouri
ard thus avoiding the extensive bottom land
which stretches from the mouth OF the Nilsson.
ri 10 Portage de Sioux, and which is subject in
a great measure, 10 inundotioD, and which
could not be otherwise avoided, should the
cros sing place be lower down the river
W men the national road shall be graded and
opcned, as il necessarily will be 10 few year,,
ii will enter front street. on the east, and con-
tinue through its whole length, TO the western
extremity on the riser landing, as indicated in
our Li,hogaphic map, where il is Intended 10
establish Il ferry 10 Portage. This street has
been so constructed in the survey Of the town,
as 10 embrace the line Of the government sur
vey for the national road, and is marked by q
corresponding width, viz: so feet, reference
being had 10 the plot Of said town referred TO
above. go NA
The town Of Randol ph is situated in one Of
the richest counties 10 the state, uboUnding In
good timber, and pJairc lands; large por-
lion Of which is settled by Intelligent aud in
duslrious farmers, many of whom are decided
ly in favor OF this location; and in point of
population it ranks The third largest in the
tate, containing according 10 The last census
10, 274 ihhabitanis and rapidly icrcasing.-
Inc question Is air'auy 100 Hite, Whclntr
town-maSing in the west has not reachod it,
ac,ne2 And whether those towns now being
ard hereafter to be located, will not prove alb.
Drive efforts altogether OH tho part OF the orr.
I ginal propreiors2 We answer in relation 10
those on the great western waters-NO, For
we have only 10 cast our eye on the map OF the
United States along the cour,o OF the Hudson
or Ohio rivers, and behold The enlerptising bu-
sincss towns which skirl The margins Of the
streams, and then trace the Mississippi and
Missouri rivers from lbuir source 10 their ter
minaion and observe their length when com