The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1857-07-09
Southern Illinois

OF many months OF careful exploration
by enc who has travelled in all the
W. I'm States, and has resided for
year. I'm two Of them.
The impression generally entertained
by people in the North is that Southern
Illinois is a low, fiat, swampy region,
very unhealthy, and that no portion of
the Western Free States is so undesira-
bic for a home.
The origin Of the impression is man
fest Travellers from Cincinnati to St.
Louis have judged of the whole coun-
try from the fiat bottom land on the
Mississippi. which would be like our
Judging of Virginia by a view Of the
Dismal Swamp from the cars.
The real truth is, Southern Illinois
instead Of being low and swampy, with
the exception of the "Scatters of Cache
river and the American Bottom, q
narrow strip Of deep alluviated soil,
along the border of the Mississippi is
an elevated, rolling country. 1t is in
the Southern part half-densely timbered
Oak of various kinds, yellow poplar and
cotton predominate; beech, sugar and
maple, black walnut, elm, cypress and
other valuable kinds are abundant.
About sixty miles north Of Cairo,
small prairies, like islands in a sylvan
sea, are to be found As one proceeds
North, these prairies increase in size,
until the prairie and timber arc about
equally divided in the latitude of Cali
fornia, one hundred and twelve miles
north of Cairo.
The survey of the Illinois Central
| Railroad shows the actual elevation of
this part of the State. The Grand
Chain, a series of hills crossing Central
| Southern Illinois from East to North
west, is in in its highest elevation, sew.
eral hundred feet above the railroad
track at Makanda, which is thirty-fyC
feet above the level of Lake Michigan
The soil varies in different parts Of
this region. No soil on the continent
probably, equals in depth and inexhaust
ible fertility the American Bottom
Near the old French settlements, corn
it is said, has been raised for over a cen
tury without intermission, and the crop
are now os Iarro os ovcT Tn the intc
rior timber roTion tbosoiI is y drv loan
of yellowisb hue and contains lime anC
potash, and is easily worked. Th
greatest difficulty in the hill country is
that it is liable to wash badly. Their
cannot be better country found 70
wheat growing than the timber regiol
Of Southern illinois. The crop is sur
andabundant. and the quality of th
grain is excellent. For two years tn
first premium on wheat in the Ilfnoi
State Fair has been awarded to Unioi
county.
An important consideration in refer
ence to the wheat crop Of Southern Hi
nois is, it is harvested scUeral trccEs Il
adraace of the crops at the North.
Southern Illinois is already the bes
fruit growing section of the State
The past two winters have nearly des
troycd fruit trees in the large open prai
rie region of the North: while at III
South damage has been done, vet peacl
trees are alive and bearing finely. Appl
trees look thrifty.
No part of the Western country cal
surpass the prairies of Southern Iii
nois as grazing and grass countrv.-
Timothy. blue grass and clover set vel
and Weld abundantlv.
To one who has been riding hour afte
hour over illimitabIe prairies. it is re
lief to see lodges of rocks. such as cree
out on the hill-sides of Southern Til
nois. Limestone and sandstone quar-
ries arc abundant on the track of the II
linois Central Railroad.
Tn respect to the healthfulness o
Southern Illinois. the testimony o.
physicians and eastern people who hav
been there for years is uniform. The
arc not exempt from the ordinary dis
orders of anv new and fertile countrr
But the intermittent fevers are usual
mild in their tvpe. and Weld readil
when proper medicine is taken. 0
the average there is probabIy not S
much severe and fatal illness in Soutl
ern Illinois as in other parts of tl
State. "The natural ADVANTAGES" fr
sickness are not so many. The water
excellent. the climate mild. the air pul
and bracinp.
Consumption is of rare occurrence
MANY affected with pulmonary disorde
r have found decided benefit from Twin
in this region. IF houses full of robu
+, children is a sign of healthfulness, the
d a person need not visit many cabins
, be convinced that the human life