The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-06-12
The Western Country.

try can scarcely be comprehended, x
cept that we sit down and carefully
investigate them all IN the almost il.
limitable extent, and endless variety.
But a few years ago-wIthin the life
time Of many Of the present generation,
the whole western country was an I'M
explored wilderness. Nowit is an en-
pire of itsel(-peopled by millions CT
inhabitants, and sending to the older
portions Of the world, its varied pro.
duce, to an extent almost incompre-
hensible. One state alone, Ohio, pre-
sents an array ofStatistics in every de-
partment, which gives some idea of the
rapidly of the growth Of the western
country. We ~condense the following
from an interesting article in the Gin
cinnatti Commercial.
In Ohio there are 96,O00,00O acres Of
land, nearly every acre of which is til
liable; there being no tract OF country
in the world, perhaps, Of the same size,
that has so little land which may NOT
be probably employed in the purposes
of agriculture. The surface, for the
most part, is gently undulating, and en-.
tirely free from stones. The soil
throughout the State is good, and a
large part of it is unsurpassed in rich
ness by any on the globe. II is adap-
ted to every variety Of produce which
is grown in the temperate zone. 1t is
estimated that if the whole State were
under cultivation in wheat, it might
produce 5OO,OOO,OO0 bushels annually,
being about five times as much as is
now grown in the United States; and
that she is fully able to sustain, in COM
fort and happiness, a population Of TO-
100000. The climate Of Ohio, though
it is subject to sudden changes, will
compare favorably, in point Of salubri-
ty, with that Of any Of the other States.
The mineral wealth OF Ohio is mex.
haustible. A geological survey, made
a few years since, estimates the quaint.
ty of coal embedded beneath her soil,
as being sufficient to serve the State
for fuel, making ample allowance for
the increase Of population, and inclu-
ding the ~propelling Of her machinery
of every kind, and her steamboats,, for
twenty-five hundred years! This coal
is mostly of easy access, and of good
quality. Ohio may cut down ali her
forests, and bring all her land which
they occupy into tillage, without fear
of suffering for the want Of fuel; while
in most of the other States, large tracts
of land must be reserved for the pro-
duction Of wood. The price Of fuel, it
is evident, can never be greatly increas.
ed in the State. There is also a vas:
quantity Of iron ore in Ohio; and which
at many points is now being worked
at great advantage.
The Salines, in the Muskingum re-
gion, are probably the purest and most
strongly impregnated in the West, with
the exception Of those on the Kanawha.
Large quantities of salt, manufactured
at these Salines, is used in p~ork-pack.
ing in this city.
Excellent sandstone and limestone, for
building are found in the hills, in nearly
every part of the State; and a few
years since, burr stone, suitable Tor the
manufacture of mlllstones, was discov.
cred. The discovery of this stone in
Ohio was very fortunate. Formerly
all our burr stone was imported from
France, and the price ola pair of large
burrs was about $500; but since this
stone has been discovered in Ohio, the
price of French burrs have fallen about
one half. The Ohio stone, when selec-
ted with care, is said to be nearly equal
to the French.
The present population of Ohio is in
the neighborhood of2,ooo,Oo0. A very
large portion Of this population is COM
posed OF emigrants from the Eastern
States and from Germany. The Ger
man population has in it many noble
elements of character, and they will
speedily be developed by the influence
of our institutions; it is confined chief.
ly to the southern section of the State.
The "Reserve," embracing some Eve
or six counties in the northeastern
part of Ohio, has been settled mostly
by emigrants from Connsclicut--to
which State the territory formerly be-
longed.
The wealth Of Ohio, in land and per-
sonal property, may be set down at
$5oo,ooo,oOo, the greater portion Of
which is concentrated in the south-wes-
tern section of the State. OF this a.
mount of capital, the agriculturalists
own about $295,oOo,oOO, the mer-
chants S115, 100000, the manufactu-
rers::$65,ooO 900, and the professional
men and capitalists the remaining $25,.
100000. And all this wealth has been.
franz q coil which 6ffu ,aars