The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-02-25

\ 'ILf Static ~ iplipnA m M thn iQgin oI.
AN irregular pafaliclograA. 1AlNnJ'tt,
isnin fl.s southern extremity ~ Lake
Michigan and tho Stale IN Mirh'gsn cn.
the nor'h h tie Ohio rixpranl The STATED
III X nniurky "a the south with ihc state
of ohlc Cot us eastern and Illinois tori
iis Western boundary The averaged
l,nHlh from north ~ south M 211 miics.'
ann iisaycraec breadth about lt0miics
Will. NM area. exclusive ~ surfaces GOV y
tlNti with water. 81 5S.sQy square mills
M I: I. kA7. .6o acres. Tho surface X se.ne.
what hi'y III The southwest part. hnt
n|i lho central and northern portions arc
gently undulaling o. nearly levi.
"At the adycn, OF Tie f'ench explorers
n l101 this territory was wilderness
o. heavy forests and grassy plains. occu-
pied ~ non'adic tribes III saya1e<, living
IN The valleys OF tho principal rivers
without domestic animals Wild game.
such ns the deer. bears. birds. etc was
abundant; countless herds ~ hutlaiocs
faticncd on thc natural meadows. These
animals furnished food and clothing for
lie Indians.
Tho first territorial government was
authorized BY the ordinance or l7s7. lie
great charter Of free soil; the Territory
81 tuQllana was established hy act Of Com
gress May 4. 1900, when General William
n. Harrison was appointed Governor.
I'm l765 the population of the region
now comprising tho State was estimated
~ from loi ID 1iG French families. Al,
Nincennes, Ouianlanon ana ne head al
ne Nsumcc rircr-say 4 total of520. In
ieS The white population 10 the same
district numbered about 1900. The
census o. $50 exhibited popnlation or
24.52o and there were III the Territory
80 grisi mills, n saw mills. horse mills.
y tannerIes, IS disiillcries, 3 powder
mills l'256 looms, 1850 spinning wheels !:
value Of manufactures was S2u0.5sc. u
which $3.50 worth only was ~ mill ma
In 1916 the population enumerated
tz.ss5, sufficient number 10 cnf;llc tho
Territory, according to fundamental
Ordinance, 70 admission as 4 State ~ fhe
Federal Union, and during that wear tho
Stale Government was organizcd by tho
inauguration Of Governor Jennings. No
vcEiber z, 1916.
81 this date but few steamboats, were
~ use The principal mode OF transport
'ationwas floating with the river current
o. ascending by oars and pushing keel
boats with poles. The only roads were
Indian trails. For long period thc|
only articles Of export were skins and
iurs q wild animals psckcd across t.el
mountains on horses until the surplus
found exit BY the slow-iioating .lat-b
down ne Wabash and its tributaries.
down me Ohio and Mississippi through
tpe indian country. q voyage III over
i,'UO miles. to New Orleans and the|
Vuil 81 Mexico.
lhe forests Of mighty trees were anl
impeachment which required for each
acrs the labor Of half month 10 hewI
down, burn and prepare for cultivation \
these obstacles were met ana ovcrcomcI
by our pioneer fathers, while AZ Inc same
iiinc they protected with rifle ana knileI
their frontier homes from the cruel saw
ages.
Previous 10 this time lands had BEEN
disposed "a BY the General Government
~ large tracts or Siants only, the pro-
prictors surveying Dr. subdividinr thc
same BY irregular natural bounds. Such
surveys often oycrlappcd 80 that titles
were insecure and boundaries not cer-l
tam. The Government determined io'
obviate this difficulty IS surveying allI
me public domain before sale. under o,,ei
Heneraisystem. Twoprincipal Mcrid;anI
lines were established ia The State run,
Mug north and south from some fixed
, na'ufa' point the l'r4t on the EASTERN