The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-10-20
Ottawa.

y Chicago correspondent Of the Galena
Jefersoaidn speaks in the following natter-
ing terms Of the "small town of Ottawa"
On the line Of the canal, are many small
towns; the most important of which i, OF
tawa-lltteen miles above La Salle.-O ua-
wa contains about 1000 or / .2lO iuhabt.
ants, Is situated on the west bank of the Il
!inoIs, on a beautiful prairie. We noticed
several canal boats oB the stocks, building
tor the Chicago trade. Ii i, surrounded hy
good farming country, aud has many ma
tnraI advantages. which will render il quite
important as an interior town.
We should judge from the accuracy o.
the writer's information, that he is at least
not very soIicitous about his reputation as
gazetteer. Ottawa on the "wes; bank @,
the liIIuois' is so nearly correc, as to salts
~ us that the writer has never been here.
nor has very carefully examined the MAJ
oil the State Of Illinois. $1,000 to 1900 in.
habitants," il must be Acknowledged. i,
also pretty rough guessing. Why bless you.
man, Ottawa can poll 800 votes, and on,
vote TO inhabitant we believe is consider.
ed large proportion. Last winter the cen.
snS OF Ottawa was taken, when il had abou'
1900 inhabitants, and we know the increas,
since then has been so heavy as TO give u,
population at present of considerably over
25oO Ottawa has grown faster the lasr
season than ever before, aud since the re.
cent sales faster than ever. Instead Of al
'interior town." we mean to be cITY-at
least second Ruchestcr-in a "mighty"
few years, and the man wonld fis.l it hard
TO pass for sane here who would venture
the opinion that Ottawa won't one day far
outsirip Galena.
What are the advantages Of Ottawa? Ii
has the most beautiful aud eligible site OF
any towu Oh the Illinois river: it is sur.
rounded by as fine farming region as there
Is IN the state; II is a county seat the su.
preme court Of the state meets here; il lies
on the banks OF the Illinois canal, and has
unbroken water communication with the
Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. and every
important commercial pon, in the Union;
1t is surrounded by inexhaustb!e coal beds.
aud by timber fit for fire. wood or building
by springit will have water power sufficient
10 drive any quantity Of machinery for mill.
ing or manufacturing purposes; and al,ho'
1t is not now, II wH in very few years be
the head of navigation on the lllnoi, river.
We say this last with due Difference 10 the
pretensions Of Peru. That town enjoys at
present the reputation, and unexampled
prosperity III consequence, of being the head
OF navigation on the. Illinois river and the
terminus Of the Illinois aud Michigan canal.
but will II always be so? The expense Of
improving the river so as to be nayigaLle 10
Ottawa as long as il is TO Peru is estimated
nj 10 to $4,000, and how long will il be
before Ottawa will incur this expense? We
have no disposition TO vaun, the advantages
OF Ottawa 10 the depreciation Of those of
Peru aud La Sale, but that the Illinois win
be made navigable to this place in a very
Few years, can no more be doubted than
that Ottawa is a growing town.
Such are some Of the advantages Of OF.
tawa aud who can doubt, in view fthem,
the entire correctness Of the Chicago wise.
acre quoted above, in the opinion that Ona-
wa will one day be "pitc important as an
interior town.!