The New York herald., 1851-07-15


he will have an opportunity of coming the snow to
apply" dodge. ALTOONA.
Our Illinois Correspond enco.
LA SALE, ILLINOIS, July l, 1851.
The Illinois and Michigan Caaai-C Central Railroad
Of Minns-Rock Island, La Sale, and Chicago
Railroad-Coal Fields in the Neighborhood of La
Sale, &c.
The situation Of this place is most remarkable
and, unless am entirely mistaken, will, in few
years, be one Of the most important towns in nl-
nois. II is at the head Of steamboat navigation Of
the illinois river, and steamboats, daily, and num-
Der of times day, leave for st. Louis, and occa.
sionally for New Orleans.
The Illinois and Michigan Canal terminates at
this point. This is canal of one hundred miles in
length, and Of unusually large dimensions, being
sixty feet in width, and six feet deep, an admit
ting boats carrying one hundred and fifty
tons. IL connects Lake Michigan at Chicago.
with the Illinois river at La Sale, and is exceed
ingly well built, and, in all respects, one Of the
most important works of the country. At this
point the Great Central Railroad, running through
the whole length Of the State, from Cairo, at the
mouth of the Ohio, to Galena, crosses the Illinois
river 1t was to aid this enterprise that Congress
made the large grant Of land about year since;
and the Legislature of Illinois have granted a char
ter to q company Of gentlemen Of wealth, and,
what is more important, distinguished for their
and management of railroads in different parts of
the country. The great value of the privileges
granted to the company, the unbounded resources
Of the country through which the road is to pass,
the undertaking, afford a guaranty of the speedy
construction of this great work, including, also
branch from ShelbyyIle to Chicago:
The effect Of this road on Illinois cannot be ap.
character of the country through which it passes
The prairies through which it passes can be con-
verted into farms in single year, of surprising
fertility. When the prairie is 6rst broken up by
plow, the seed is sown in the furrow, and with no
further care crop of corn is obtained which more
than pays the expense Of the plsughing of the
ground and harvesting the crop. The pine boards
Sm annas sssfs psS U2a s. 0 mse s
Green Bay, Saginaw Bay, &c, furnish the materials
for a cheap and excellent fence. The coal which
the railroad will supply from the various coal de-
posts ON its line give q very cheap and good fuel
and the marke. at once opened by the railroad for
all agricultural productions, combine to afford ia
cilities and inducements for farming large and
profitable scale, compared with which nothing is to
be found In this or any other country There is no
long delay in clearing forests. Two years will be
quite sufficient to convert wild unoccupied prairie
into rich and fruitful farms.
This railroad, running for hundreds Of miles
through the length of the State, connects at La
sale with the point of junction Of the canal
with the Illinois river, and will be the place of
transhipment Of an i'm mense amount of produce
and merchandise between these different modes of
communication. The Importance Of this can hardly
be ovenated.
In addition to this railroad, the Rock Island, La
Sale and Chicago Railroad crosses at this point.
This road is about to be put under contract, and
will be finished in two years. As the Central Rail-
road goes through the whole length of the State,
this road crosses its entire breadth, proceeding
from Rock Island on the Mississippi TO Chicago on
Lake Michigan, and thence to the Indiana line
The connecting Of these two roads at this point,
and that of each of them with the canal boats of
render It one Of the most remarkable points for
business Of any town in Illinois, or In any other
state
Another advantage connected with the position
ofLs sale, at the point Of junction of the canal
and river, is, that the purchase Of grain or produce
is at the very turning point between New York and
New Orleans. Sometimes, for the produce in this
region Of the State, the market is best at New
York, and then the produce, &c is sent by canal to
Chi,sgo, and thence to New York. In a month, or
even week, the weather may change as it has often
dobe, and the grain is taken from the same river
on the steamboat basin, and sent to st. Louis and
New Orleans. Last year, wheat, &c, came down
the canal, and was sent to ST. Louis. This year 1t
comes by the rail- and Is taken by canal to Chicago.
In addition TO these remarkable advantages, this
town Is situated ia the centre Of Of the finest
tracts Of country in the whole state of Illinois, the
whole Of which is fast settling, and will soon b.
cultivated, and make La Sale place of business
for very large back country.
/ have omitted TO the last 10 mention what
appears, to me, at least as important to
the growth Of La Sale and its neighborhood, as
any OF the matters above named. There abounds
in the immediate neghborhood, bituminous coal,
Of good quality, which is most conveniently situa-
ted for working and delivery on the canal river.
There are three veins or strata-one Of four and
hall TO five feet and the others Of about three feet
each, in thickness II is, too, the northern border
OF the great coal region Of Illinois; aud although
some coal has been obtained at Ottawa and some
other points, between Ia Sale and Chicago, the
vein is thin one, and having roof to it, Il is ne
cessary to remove the earth to obtain the coal In
the whole Of Illinois, north Of the line Of the out
let OF this coal, at this pla,s, and all Wisconsin,
and the western part Of Michigan, this ia the point
Of most easy supp and where coal be least
pensively obtained. The demand from this region
Is alresdy considerable, and will increase very
rapidly, as, in prairie country, all are dependent
upon Il as their fuel. The business connected
tons which lie above the surface of the Illinois, the
immediate neghbo-hood, must necessarily employ
large number Of men, and lead to an immense
business. Still important will be as leading
70 the establishment Of mills, factories, and mocha
nics' shops. Experience in England and in this
country has shown thai in the working Of iron, cop
per, and otner metals the is carried to the fuel,
and not the iuel TO the and the places whore
the lsrges: deposits Of coal are and must be the
mott important re giOns for manufactures.
With this combination remarkable, OF natural
and artificial advantages, this little town must
become great one, and will, few years hence, be
cited in the newspapers a. another Of the instances
O. the rapid growth of western towns.
Now, IL you have any doubt in relation TO any
thing which I have written you, advise you to
wit us in person, an we will give you the choice
either to accept the hospitality Of our own homer,
or that Of the "Hsrdy House" which IL the best
hotel, with the exception Of the fremont House st
Chicago, in the state Of Illinois. ".
The Odd Fellows.
Golden RULE OYFtCE,