The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-27

.,way-rlring traveller Ncan be accommodated to
his entire satsaction.. The inhabitants Of the
place are distinguished for their enterprise hosp-
tsliy, and unhinching democracy.
The annexed extracts from letter which we
find in the Worcester (Mass.) Palladium, show
that the importance of this section Of the Great
West is commanding the attention of travellers,
which augurs well for a continuance Of its pros
peritS -
..Geneva is the county seat, or as
New Highlander would term it, the Shire
town of Kane county. 1t Is delightfully."-
situated ON both banks Of the Fox river.
1t has neat court house, large hotel,
several stores well flied with goods, and
several well built dwelling houses, WEI
painted, and many of a smaller and more
temporary character. y
"ln travelling up the valley Of this
River from its junction with the Illinois,
one can hardly believe, as his mind averts
TO its recent history, that he is gazing
upon realities instead of a ianciful picture.
Seven years since, savages were almost
the only inhabitants ; there were few
scattered white settlers, but they were
in constant danger of the Indian rifle and
seal ping knife and cruel and bloody
were the scenes of Indian butchery eXhl-
bited in this region of country. Now
mark the contrast Ottawa, which is sit
uated at the junction of the Fox and Hi
nois Rivers, which six years since con-
tanned only few scattering log huts, has
sprung up into beautiful town, ana now
has a large elegant brick court house
nearly finished, three large hotels, about
fifteen or twenty spacious stores well sup
piled with all varieties of merchandise,
and good supply of lawyers, doctors,
mechanics, &C., &c. As you approach
it, it has the appearance OF busting lit
tic city. The great Michigan and Hi
nois Canal, which is now being rapidly
constructed, passes through this village
and untes with the Illinois river below,
and will render this place one of great
importance.
"rhis Canal is destined to become one
of the most important works OF Internal
improvement ever commenced III the
United States, and will materially effect
the business interests, not only of the
northern and eastern, but also of the
southwestern States. On some future
occasion will give you a more extended
account of this great work, and the bear
ing it will probably have upon remote
parts Of the Union by opening water
communications, and forming connecting
link between the Gulf of Mexico and the
Great Lakes of the north, the Canadas
and the eastern states. As you travel up
the Fox River you find extensive farms,
with large enclosures, yielding wheat,
oats, corn, and other agricultural produce
tons in vast quantities. The original log
cabins begin to disappear, and large, well
painted farm houses, barns, &c. take their
places. On some of these farms there
are large stack yard. filled with stacks of
wheat, some of which will yield 1000 or
1000 bushels of wheat each, as the pro-
duet of single plantation this year; and
the cornlields a much larger amount of
corn. Pork is becoming abundant. Hogs
run wild in the prares aud timber till
late in the fail when they are gathered,
and often without any more fatting are
taken TO the slaughter. Some farmers
have many hundreds of hogs. Northern
Illinois will this year produce large
surplus of pork for foreign markets.
Within a few miles above and below
this town (Geneva) other large, flourish
ing villages have sprung into existence
such as Oswego, Bristol, Aurora, st.
Charles, Elgin, &C., &c. The River,
as it passes these towns with rapid cur
rent, is about 500 or 600 feet in width,
and at each of them a dam is thrown
across, thus creating large water power
and Touring mills on an extensive scale
are already in full operation; also saw
mills, by means of which the people are
well supplied with flour and lumber. 1t
seems almost incredible that these chang
es are the work of new settlers, and al
most all the result Of four or five years
enterprise and industry that within that
TIME the red man has yielded to the white
man possession OF these their uncultivated
wilds, and been succeeded by all this ci-
vilization, prosperity, and happiness.
Nay more all this country around me,
now so teaming with wealth, and happi-
ness, and intelligence, and re6nements,
and tho artc oc civiIizcd life ;e st;ll r,,,