The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-24
WISCONSIN.

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We copy the following interesting account OF
Wisconsin, from the Boston Christian Register
it being part of letter from the Rev. EPHRA-
IN PERKINS, to the Editors.
.N.ssrs. Editors:-IIaying left the place of
nv former residence, Trentoa, Oneida, Co. n.
Y, have in the two past years travelled con-
siderably in Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, and
have now made my permanent residence at the
Burlington Mills, Racine Co., Wisconsin Terri
tory. Believing that intelligence pertaining to
the Geography and the secular, moral and reli-
gious enterprises and improvements OF North
ern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, whittier SO
many of our Eastern friends and acquaintances
have emigrated, will be acceptable to your read
ers, have sent this hasty communication to your
columns.
Compared with Indiana and Southern and
Central Illinois, the country in which | reside
has smaller prairies interspersed with groves of
thick timber, bar oak and other oak openings,
plains and hills called banens. The country
is diversified with rolling table prairies which
are often skirted by terrace hills of twenty or
thirty or fifty feet elevation, covered with timber
AID sheltering the prairies from the piercing
winds
Between the Fox and Rock rivers the soil is
chiefly alluvial, holding in its composition great
portion of lime, sand, and gravelj the sub
soil is is gravel, and the sand, gravel and stones
thrown up in the digging of wells can be con-
verted into lime by burning.
The water is hard but clear and wholesome.
Springs are durable and the streams remarkably
equable in summer and winter. The principal
streams on the western shore of Lake Michigan
run nearly parallel to it and pass off into the
Mississippi. The summit ridge dividing the
Eastern and Westera waters runs along within
from three to ten miles Of the Lake shore.
Mill privileges are the great desideratum Of
this country. The boats and vessels upon Lake
Michigan pass up and down near the Wiscon-
sin shore stopping at the several ports, Milwau-
kie, Racine and Southport, with almost as much
regularity as mai-stages.
The growth of this country is without par
allel Milwaukee containes 5601 inha bitants-
Racine Bats, and Walwoith 26i0. Two years
ago these counties contained about half theil
9 present number, and four years ago scarcely a
: single white female or a family could have beer
found in all these counties, excepta few at Mil
e waukie, Racine and Southport. Now there arc
streets OF as dense population far miles as al
h most any farming county in the East can exhibit
u and as much opulence il all the great staples Of
1t agriculture, excepting wool and diry products
I; and these will come with the increase of stock
E. The White Mulberry has thrift, growth
N At Burlington, en- the Fox RIVER, rs mile:
J. west from Racine and Southport i a good feui
% mill which furnishes bread stuff to the adjacent
country, and great hydraulic oswer can bt
r which unite here.
l. Below this point the Fox rive: is nayigabl'
G for large fiat boats 40 miles.
10 The first blasts Of winter are severe, but afte
W they are past, the season is temperate, uniform
" and pleasant bat little ice formsn the streams
as The slcighing continues about thee months, bu
If the depth Of snow is not more than from six t.
d. eighteen inches. In all this VALLEY Of the Mis-
n sssppi we have far less cloudy weather than il
Or the East; the sun and stars are seldom obscure,
ne more than twelve hours by storm and clouds.
If The great staple ofthis country, will be wheat
Large quantities Of it are new ready for export
lie ton. It's price is fifty six cents per bushel il
the Lake town. Wheat is shipped to Buffalo 70
is 10 cents per busbel and flour for ;7a cents pc
= Darrell and -four 10 taken from the ports Of Wis
% consin to Albany fu Sl,l2a per barrel, whicl
i cost is exceeded by seventy miles land transpsr
d tation at any point Of tie East.
IS Northern Illinois and Wisconsin are health
It full regions; that scourge Of the Western coun
. try, the fever and ague, is not prevalent amonI
. US. Our physician, who does I'll the bushes
: in district ten miles square, has lost but on
= patient in the last four months. The comnol
diseases are bilious,rat than i,famstoa ], AM
generally yield in a few days to timely zndiudi
t cious prescriptions Coughs, colds, or rasg Al
r feetions are almost unknown among Us. ! ma.
: be partial to my new home-iti is not strange Il
/, am-for it is beautiful country, and every.
. thing is tending to rapid improvement. Farms
: and aurserissare rising up upon the charming