The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-03-27
La Sale County.

ally, emitting his notice Of the towns, tn
greater portion of which is devoted to Men
dota itself, and as general view, woul
therefore be partial. To Ottawa, the cour
ty saat, he gives population of 5000;
LaSalle, 5000; to Peru, 5000; EarIville
Marseilles, Dayton, Honor, Tonica, Hardin
and Utica, are the smaller towns, whic
each contain from three hundred to thre
thousand inhabitants" The population G
Mendoza he estimates at from 2, 400 to 3,
600. Five years ago the ground on whicl
the latter town is built was sold for 81 81
per acre. We copy:
La Sale County lies in latitude forty one
eighty miles west of Chicago, and almos
sixty from the Mississippi River. 1t contain!
more than seven hundred thousand acres
/ of land, nineteen twentieths Of which is es
| timated to be prairie and the remainder of i
| timber. The county was first settled BY
! white families in 1S20-was organized into
county in 1S30-and Ottawa designated az
| the shire town.
! La Sale county is well watered as any
I other county in the State The Illinois Ri
Yer, the Fox, the Little and Big Vermiilion
the former large streams, and the latter
smaller ones, afford abundance Of power for
milling purposes, are al within her Dor
ders.
La Sa'le:s the second county in the State
in point Of population, Cook, in which Chi
cago is situ0ted, being the tirSt,) the census
showing i: 10 possess u population Of forty
five thousand.
In climate, La Sale county may be said
to be almost that of New York, with the ex-
ception Of the winds which always prevail
in the prairie regions of the west. In the
winter season the thermometer sometimes
indicates temperature OF 80 degrees below
Zero-though this is an unusual occurrence.
The winters are Acknowledged t. be cold,
and they might appear to a Southern con
stltutiOn, even rigorous, bat to counterbal-
ance such an objection the summer and au-
tuuius are pronounced as unsurpassed for
beauty and for health giving civilization
As the newer portions OF the country be-
come prepared By building houses and barns
to meet the wiHtcrs they may have some
reason 70 complain on the score of the Sc
yer ~ and duration Of the seasons OF this
latitude. but with these necessary appo Mt
mruts OF co mort in any climate, and the
gradual change produced by the planting
of groves Of forest trees and orchards OF
fruit, 1t Is believed that these ce,nplainings
VIII be but temporary.
SHOWS fall TO the depth Of six and some
times ten or twelve inches and good sleigh
ing is generally had for portion + the win
tel. The roads are fine for the most part Of
the winter season, after the first lreez. re-
ma NJ hard until spring, but when the
thai. comes on We have no remarks to make
80. .F,s.s,- 1t. L.. q
the drawbacks TO this region is the want Of
good roads in moist weather, which are not
likely to be rcmcdied from the scarcity Of
timber, (though abundant for fueling purpo-
ses.) stone or gravel, which are not to be
had within tive or six miles, bat those who
have occasion to know assure US that by
throwing ~ the earth in the centre Of the
road, aiiording proper drainage, that there
will be no better roads anywhere. Our rca-
ders can believe it or not-just as they
Please.
In regard to fruit the experiments have
not been entircly satisfactory, bnt it is be-
iieved that all the obstacles will, in time, DC
entirely removed. Apples, Of good quail
ties, and in great abundance, have been
grown here, but the past two winters, dis
Iineu shed for their severity, have killed ma
ny OF the young trees. Fruit growers are
not discouraged, but still believe that ap-
pies can be raised to good advantage. A.
the country becomes more thickly popula
ted, and buildings, fences, orchards and
groves afford shelter, and the soil by cult
vation loses that richness which tends, TO
produce rankness Of growth, 1t is believed
that It will prove well suited to fruit culture.
HeacIes grew almost spontaneously in the
early settlement of the county, but they,
Ike the apple, have suffered from the late
severe winters Ii is doubtful If the peach
can be grown advantagcou.ly here, unless
protected with some barrier from the winds
which prevail a gentleman whose atten-
ton has been given to ihe culture Of this de-
icious fruit, asserts that high fence on the
west side Of the trees gives them all the ne
ressary protection, so that hs relies with
reasonable certainty upon irregular bearing |
from his trees. His suggestion is worthy Of
a fair trial. For all other kinds of vegeta-
olcs and fruits, particularly the strawberry, |
this climate and soil are said to be admra- /.
bly adapted.
In regard to health this country has no /
superior. Ii lies high, subject to the prairie /
breezcs, and rway from those malarious in |
iuences which harbor about sluggish streams |
md the wooded countries. where the foliage /
shelters dampness and the earth holds the /
waters. which are dispersed by the suns
-ays, thereby producing those bilious dis
,ascs which are So dreaded by new settlers |
n the West. Fever and asue is rare, Off the
water courses, and no process Of acclimation
5 10 be apprchendcd On a settlement here. |
The diseases which do prevail, however, are
IF bilious character, not very malignant in
ype, ond generally yield readily tojudicious
reatment. On the score Of health, by COM
non assent, we may safely assert that in no
egion of the United States, old or new, is
,etter health enjoyed than on the prairieS
he condition of the Mendoza Cemetry As
which, year or two ago, purchas-
ID some forty acres with the design Of sell
ing lots for burrl purposes. but after max
ng its improvements is found that nobody
5 sick-and nobody expects to die-and of
ourse nobody wants lot in the Cemetry-
nd the consequence is that somebody feels
ike going into state Of insolvency
The railroad connections of this county
no unsurpassed by any other in the State.
Within its borders are over one hundred
niles in working order, and almost thirty
niles under grade, and which will prOba-
hly be completed in the coming simmer
The Illinois Central cuts the county from
North to South on its Western side, the
Rock Island cuts the Southern portion from
Cast to West, while the Joliet Cut Of,
which is now in course Of construction will
ome into the country on the Eastern bor-
Ter, almost its centre, and having its termi-
lus ut Mendoza, in the N. w. township of
he county. Ottawa, LaSalle and Peru are
ituated on the Rock Island road and the
wo former are on the line Of the Michigan
nd Illinois canal, the latter Of the two be-
ng lis Western terminus.
LENT-in the ancient Latin Church, lent
My consisted Of thirty-six days. In the