New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-10-25
NORTHERN ILLINOIS

hBhicon. in Dodge Coustv: and Crtw6sh and kosko
Esnq with several smaller STRAINS, Ia Jefferson ceas
81 and Catfsh, with its lo'r akes IN Dane SUD boss
Coontics-all IN Wisconsin
NinnebSgo Marsh is aa ex, -1sive swami on Doty's
River, IN the upper part Of IKE County four'cea
aes long srd from ioCr 20 SIX Ya3e There efe many
RsrsEes, Derseeted BY sand ridges 10 this par VI Wis
coasin Timber is abundant sbou see heads o. Rock
River and the pTaiTies grow less proceed srth
ward. Cs6sh is the principal bead sAst comes RON
tbe northwest, and forms the Quilt Of the " / ssr
Lales' The head waters OF this LrNach are Ia .
swamp, bat few miles south OF the pogSse, hetwe
Fen River ef Grceubay aud the Wilson's II unitey
/ viii the principal branch of Rock Riy-r about 20
niles above the boundary Of Illinois Bt srs IL eros
ses b line into Winnebsgo County it reee Ne Turtle
Creek az The len and miles below, tAe p eterokes
sr the n sht kss9t - niles further down. NsAwsu-
Ise or s. ,aJre With several branches comesia from
7 ths Northeast
such Of the ccu,try through which RoerHiver
rs-sss in Ituos = sndulatinc prairie. AbtR tAe
noun Of Pekstolnkee Snd SycamsSe Rivers are ergo
tracts Of me timber be generally she timber is ccnd
in grow IS some Of which IN state Of nature, wcxe IS
beautins ~ the ct-Amentsa parks o. Europe
The Il ter passes over sod Of hUss and sand REX
and the hnds It's margin gradually rise to the ntse.
raj covat On Of the country. HentS the adjacsct
country Is decided in hyh water, - the margkss
OF the strea are further south.
During the internal Improvement" rsania OF TIT
nois in 1886 - effort was made % reuser this wa
tcrcourse navisable for steamboats, The Iaost ormd
Island three miles abcTH is entrance into Ne Mssis
sippi A bed bed of cacareeus r0sk lay Across both
channels which With the island extend thrss fourths
If a mile This obstruction gsrs name 70 NJ river
After an outlay OF abOut $4,000 tse wofks were
abandoned by the STATE upon ts failure in attempting
% construct mammoth system a railroads aud river
navigation, In addition tO the csnf Railroads BY pri-
yate companies rapidly providing facilities irr this
grow INC valley OF character - superior 10 any Asi-
ties the river could have furnished
HsSetnr through undul AtnT country. chiefly
RE and cany settled, from Elen. 30 miles, we as,
little 10 the left Of the town OF hesidefe, situated
on elevated ground large prairie knewn to the early
settlers By the name OF sluaw Pnire. IL contains
some 800 or 400 families, several Churches, with no
tells stores etc. in usual number and surroupied with
fine large farms. Within the town plat is hill "
mound 500 rods long and 300 rods wide Tie top OF
which few wears since, Indian Cemetery, that
contained the body of Big Thunder, a celebrated chief
of tie Mnnebago tribe. He was friend 10 the
whites and died about the period OF the Sauk war, In
1881 or -. His body was placed on mat ot flags.
in sitting posture, wrapped in blankets, with his
scapng knife by his side TO cut the plugs at tobacco
that were offered by his rcdAn friends as hey passed
the grave Over his remains, conlcal covering OF
wood and earth was built with small onensng In
'front.' through which the old chief might be seen at
ting with his tobacco AMI knife before HIM Long al
ter the pale faces" sgu0ted in the vicinity, the In
dan visited this sacred spot 30 replenlsh hs store Of
tobacco whisky and other supplies. The rude Gene
terry remains in dapidatcd condition, but the saeri-
crised white men have robbed IL OF all that remained
OF Big Thunder.
Ore of the most beautiful and growing towns Cor
we should say city, for it is incorpOrated) ON Rock
River is Rockford, the seat Of justice OF WinRooago
Comfy This il one Of the most beautiful miami
towns in the northwest and what Is quite unusual In
new countries in tho northern States, and shows tbe
good and correct taste Of the INHABITANTS ts ns
tive forest trees OF oak, hickory and eim eomnhngioa
with black locust, fruit trees aud shrubbey, trans
PLANTED by art are scattered along the streets md
over the vncant lots t is in both natural and ertt-
ca sense the Forest City The town site u elevated,
uuduatne and on both sides of Rock River, tie banks
orwhch GRADUALLY ascend each side to the prairie
land around. The incorporated portion Is square
mile: but lots have been surveyed buildings erected,
nud tie protecting forest shades extend much further
Tie railroad from Chicago 70 Galena, passes this
pgc, and tie depot is on the Southern border Of the
civ West of Rock river This stream furnishes n.y.
dreulic power 10 large extent throughout its entire
course At Rockford the bed OF the river passes over
smooth rock for 260 yards, across which large dam
las been thrown at IN expense Of $4,000. Mills aud
manufactures have been put in operation and the water
power admits OF most extensive application
Tie surrounding country is beautifully undulating.
the soil very rich and fine looking farms scattered over
the prairie Fruit of oil kinds pertaining 10 the fSd
degree Of north latitude grow here In great abundance
On the LET Of Aug. the ears passed westward no
further than Rockford but before this article reaches
the readers Of The Tribune the road win be completed.
and the cars run 20 Freeport, twenty-elght miles
further over rich unduating prairie, thinly settled
Thefe railroad communications VIII give conveyance to
fencing ard building materials from the eXhaustass
pine forests in Michigan and Wisconsin and not many
years viii pass away before the prairie country OF ILL
rois will he turned into fruitful fields.
Tie agricultural resources Of the Northwest are GER
aiuly ncalculabe There ia no parallel between this
country and the old States for it's capabilities Of pro-
duction Tie country lying between the Illinois and
Wisconsin rivers and the Mississippi and Lake Mieh
can with few spots exceptcd,) containing $4,000
square miles, will become ono vast garden.
Freeport il the seat Of justice OF Stephenscss.Co.
and is equally fertile with those described Hero
the west branch Of the Illinois Central Railroad COM
inc north from Dixon On Rock River, unites with tho
taleps End Chicago Railroad The Central Company
have purchased tie charter OF the Gaena aud chicago
Company, and are engaged IN constructing the road
toward Galena and Dubuque.
We are now in the lead-Producng region OF tho
Northwest and the surface becomes more hiDy, and
'D' "''''' "'''' An OLD PIONEER
Rcckriver Country -Geology NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
PrnI,Ies--T loyy NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
otAblss - Animals - Population - comnserce - cn.
naate, sc.
cerrestondenee Of The n. T. Tribune.
WISSEBAGo Co, III, Sept 70, 1883.
From different sections Of the State Of Ohio, and
other parts of the country, have atey received nu-
merous letters propOunding such inquiries among 9th
ers AZ the following:
l. What sort q country have you
q What your productions
What laC.ltes have you 20 market
T. Are there any lands yet 10 be entered
p What esn get an improved farm FOR
o. How you fence and break up prairie leods
How 10 sou Ike your climate-b Il healthfnlf
s. WIZ Is the character Of your popaieiionf
I4. t..FN mai