New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-21
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS.
m a. Editst k TAe ~ Y. Tttexaa

ects are given the result Of many months OF careful
exploration by one who has travelled in al the West
srn States and has resided for years in two Of them
The impression generally entertained by people al
he North is that Southern Illinois is a low, nat
swampy region, very unhealthy and that no pof'io"
Of the Western Free States is so urGesuaoie ie' "
home. -,
The origin Of this impression IL manifold
srs from Cincinnati 10 ST. Louis have JudSeu ~
whole country by the fiat bottom land on inc
sppi, which would be ike our Judging VI IT,
~ view of the Dismal Swamp from 'he car 40"
.en,us reports also have disclosed SAD picture oil
,n,.r ;oino,snce The votes of Southern Illinois on
,es,ops that have related to freedom and temperance
r.. So. .s,ornd;nol, ON the wrong side. And thus
a has come 10 pass tina. region when a. n.st was
ssvIed Fgynt because in times of famine the people
north had 10 90 down thher 10 buy corn, IS no"
shunped and despised as land OF darkness .
The real truth is Southern Illinois, instead of being
INV and swampy with the exception Of the Scatten-
of Cache River and the American Bottom, a narrow
,frp Of deep auvia soil along the border OF the MIS-
sissppi is an elevated rolling country. 1t Is IN the
southern half densey timbered. Oak OF various
kinds, yellow poplar and cottonwood predoihna.c
beech, sugar maple, black walnut, hIcsory' ein 'y
press and other valuable kinds are abundant ~,
About sixty miles north of Cairo, small prairies IKE
islands in a sylvan sea- to be found. As one pro-
eeeds north, these praries increase IN size unt he
prairie and timber are about equally 9lNided III TIC
Iattpde az Centralia Il2 miles north Of Cairo.
Tbe survey of the Illinois Central Railroad shows
the actual elevation OF this part OF the State The
S.rsnd Chain a series Of hills crossing Central South
rrn Illinois from east to the northwest is, Units high,
eat elevation several hundred feet above the railroad
track Makanda, which is 80 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 in
exhaustble fertility the American Bottom Near the
old French settlements II is said has been raised
for over century without ntermssion and the crops
now are as large rs In the interior timber re-
gion the soil is dry loan of yellowish hue, and
contains lime and potash, and is easily worked. The
greatest difficulty in the hill country s that it Is liable
to wash badly There can be DO better country found
for wheat growing than the timber region of Southern
Illinois. The crop is sure and abundant, and the
quality Of the grain is excellent. For two years the
first premium on wheat in the Illinois State Fair has
been awarded TO Union County.
Wheat does equally well ON the prares, unless there
be an unusually season; then, being more ex-
posed, il suffers somewhat.
An important consideration in reference to the wheat
crop Of Southern Illinois IS it s harvested sercral
sDeeks in Advance of the crops at the North.
Southern Illinois IS already the best fruit-growing
section Of the State. The past two Winters have
nearly OF quite destroyed futtrees in the large open
prairie region Of the north. While at the south
damage has been DONE yet peach trees are alive and
bloesoming finely this Spring Apple trees look
thrifty.
No part Of the Western country can surpass the
praires Of Southern Illinois as grazing and grass
country. Timothy, blue grass and clover set well,
and yield abundantly
To one who has been riding hour after hour over
ilhmitable prares it is relief to see lodges OF rocks
such as crop out the hisides in Southern Illinois.
Limestone and sandstone quanes are abundant on the
track Of the Illinois Central Railroad.
In respect to the healhfulness of Southern Illinois,
The testimony Of physicians and Eastern people who
have been there for years was uniform. They are
not exempt from the ordinary disorders of any new
and fertile country But intermittent fevsrs usu-
ally mild in their type, and yield readily when proper
medicine is taken. On the river people often
shake with the ague. But on the average, there is
probably not much and fatal sickness in the
interior part Of Southern Illinois in the other parts
Of the State 1.-The natural advantages for sickness
are not SO many. The country in Washington and
Perry Counties where spent several MONTHS is well
trained-there extensive marshes and slOughs.
The water is excellent, the climate mild, the air pure
and bracng.
by reference to the last census returns 1850, we
hnd the following percentage of deaths:
United States in the aggregate in
Massachusetts. IN 81
New York and Ohio EACH IN %
Indiana IN
PerTy county tscuthrn iilino in 81
1Ssr corny fC.rb. and Mis-, bottom near Carol in 81
Pulaski county Cache and Miss bottom, Cars)l in Al
BY the above it will be seen that while the bottom
land il unhealthy the interior counties on an aver
age far above the older Eastern States for salublty
Bat it may be said that the people are young, hardy
pioneers This is not in any different sense than IN
Ohio. The southern part of Illinois has been settled
some Of it for nearly two bundled years, and the rest
simultaneously with Ohio and Indiana.
In common with certain other parts of the state and
the neighberng State of Indiana, there are localities
where the milk sickness, occasiOned by disease III
cattle, is known to prevail IN the fall OF the year
These localities are invariably in the vicinity o!
streams skrted with timber. Cattle that range ON the
prairies, and kept away from the lumber ID the
Fall are exempt from it. The amount OF sic ness oe
casioned by this disorder, except In very few well
known localities, is so insignificant as to hardly bt
worthy Of mention.
Consumption is of rare occurrence. Many affected
with pulmonary disorders have found decided bepef
nom living in this region. If houses full OF robust
children is sign of general healthfuness then per-
ron need not visit many cabins to be convinced thai
human life is safe in the hill country aud prairie anC
OfEgypt
The construction Of the Illinois Central Railroad
makes a new and more hopeful era in the history o.
this beautiful region of country Before II was built
iandtof the utmost fertility was drug in the market
Property Of every description held 80 low that to
person now to tell it would be to endanger his repu
tation for veracty. There was nothing 10 stimulate
the people 10 enterprise The great mass OF the people
mined at little more than obtaining bare subsistence
Hog and bominy, strong coffee, and an occasions
deer, wild turkey prairie fowl, constituted their v
ing But that day passing away. The scream o
the steam whistle now either men 10 work Ol
che scares them off to Texas Land is steadily risn.
IN value The admirable method taken by the Iii
nos Central Railroad in disposiug of their lands
long credits and at low OF interest and only t.
actual settlers, tends 10 check spirit of headlong
speculation rife and so injurious IN certain parts
the West.
1t were almost impossible to exaggerate the proba
BILE growth and prospective wealth of Southern Illinois
IL hes in the geographical center of the Unen. Within
free State, 1t reaches below the latitude of several
Southern States.
Its vast forests of the heaviest timber will all be
wanted TO supply the prairies of the north.
its coal the best in the State is transported already
10 the North, South, East and West
Its building stone will be in demand wherever in the
rairie country above villages and cities shall spring
,Rto ex